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Anchor vs news writer

The differences between anchors and news writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an anchor and a news writer. Additionally, an anchor has an average salary of $70,715, which is higher than the $45,129 average annual salary of a news writer.

The top three skills for an anchor include news stories, story development and facebook. The most important skills for a news writer are news articles, ABC, and SEO.

Anchor vs news writer overview

AnchorNews Writer
Yearly salary$70,715$45,129
Hourly rate$34.00$21.70
Growth rate-10%-10%
Number of jobs2,98617,010
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Average age4040
Years of experience22

What does an anchor do?

A news anchor is a journalist who informs the public through reports of events and news stories. News anchors educate the public about the world, local, and national events. They interact with the reporters while they are in the air. Their job includes gathering, verifying, and analyzing data from different sources. They produce news and coordinate reports. Skills necessary for this job include verbal communication, the ability to improvise, collaboration, and reading comprehension.

What does a news writer do?

A news writer is primarily responsible for producing informative written materials about current events, ensuring quality and accuracy. Their responsibilities typically revolve around conducting interviews, traveling to different locations, pursuing leads, researching public records, and submitting stories within the expected deadline and set format. Typically working for newspapers or web news platforms, a news writer must also review materials to fact-check and correct any errors, monitor the progress of events or cases, and coordinate with other staff.

Anchor vs news writer salary

Anchors and news writers have different pay scales, as shown below.

AnchorNews Writer
Average salary$70,715$45,129
Salary rangeBetween $41,000 And $119,000Between $31,000 And $64,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyThe Walt Disney CompanyPitchBook Data
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between anchor and news writer education

There are a few differences between an anchor and a news writer in terms of educational background:

AnchorNews Writer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Most common majorJournalismJournalism
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Anchor vs news writer demographics

Here are the differences between anchors' and news writers' demographics:

AnchorNews Writer
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 55.9% Female, 44.1%Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 9.5% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 9.5% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between anchor and news writer duties and responsibilities

Anchor example responsibilities.

  • Read off teleprompter and interact with co-anchor.
  • Write and update KOTA's website and Facebook page.
  • Serve as primetime anchor and reporter for local ABC affiliate.
  • Co-Anchore the 6 p.m. news at the ABC affiliate in Alaska.
  • Fabricate steel clips and anchoring points, assemble aluminum window frames.
  • Film basketball games and edit clips for analysis on the show.
  • Show more

News writer example responsibilities.

  • Manage transcription and queuing of b-roll tapes/interviews for live and pre-record broadcasts.
  • Manage the Instagram account, which mean publishing and keeping up to date with the articles.
  • Anchor news updates for top-rate, personality driven FM morning show.
  • Conduct interviews and create professional visuals with upcoming model and entertainers for lifestyle magazine publication.
  • Involve in newsgathering, show development and writing.
  • Used Photoshop and InDesign to adjust photos and paginate the newspaper.
  • Show more

Anchor vs news writer skills

Common anchor skills
  • News Stories, 21%
  • Story Development, 7%
  • Facebook, 6%
  • Twitter, 5%
  • Local News, 5%
  • News Coverage, 5%
Common news writer skills
  • News Articles, 17%
  • ABC, 7%
  • SEO, 6%
  • Edit Video, 6%
  • Control Room, 5%
  • Twitter, 5%

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