How to hire a news anchor

How to hire a news anchor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step news anchor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a news anchor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new news anchor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the news anchor you need to hire. Certain news anchor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a news anchor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a news anchor that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of news anchors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of News Anchor	Description	Hourly rate
   News Anchor	Reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts inform the public about news and events happening internationally, nationally, and locally. They report the news for newspapers, magazines, websites, television, and radio.	$14-28
   Reporter	In journalism, a reporter is responsible for relaying truthful and reliable information to the public audience through various mediums such as print and media. A reporter must ensure to gather necessary and factual data that are supported by interviews and comments of those involved, remain unbiased in all aspects, produce a concise and comprehensive informational material within an allotted time, and efficiently coordinate with every staff... Show more	$13-35
   Sports Analyst	A sports analyst acts as both a journalist and a commentator. They analyze sports data and make reports on it to the public... Show more	$23-57

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • News Content
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Social Media Sites
   • News Coverage
   • Develop Story Ideas
   • Noon
   • Public Appearances
   • Conduct Interviews
   • ABC
   • Co-Anchor
   • Clips
   • Community Events
   • News Packages

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate AP NEWSCENTER/ENPS and manage CNN feed services.
   • Produce Emmy award-winning features, web content, and weekly consumer blog.
   • Cover a variety of NFL, NCAA and high school events.
   • Co-Launch station Facebook brand, promote and aid expansion to 80K followers.
   • Anchor, write and produce morning newscast for Huntsville's ABC affiliate.
   • Perform live shots, on-air play-by-play, write new script and provide analysis.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your news anchor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A news anchor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, news anchors' average salary in south carolina is 34% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level news anchors 47% less than senior-level news anchors.
   • Certifications. A news anchor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a news anchor's salary.

   Average news anchor salary

   $43,198yearly

   $20.77 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level news anchor salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a news anchor job description

   A news anchor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a news anchor job description:

   News anchor job description example

   Current employees and contingent workers click here to apply and search by the Job Posting Title.
   
   Total Traffic + Weather Network
   
   Job Summary:
   
   This position is for a part-time news anchor/reporter, providing critical content to Cincinnati along with surrounding cities and Regional responsibilities. The employee will provide national as well as local and Regional coverage, anchoring overnight hours in Cincinnati with additional daytime hours during the week as well.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   * Gathers, writes, edits and anchors multiple market newscasts.
   * Monitors sources for breaking news, e.g., wires, websites, social media.
   * Provides newscasts/reports and write copy.
   
   Qualifications:
   
   * Self-motivated to find stories as a reporter and also anchor newscasts for multiple markets
   * Strong on-air presence and ability to present newscasts with authority
   * Excellent writing and editing ability; excellent grammar
   * Strong time management skills; adept at setting priorities and managing deadlines
   * Knowledgeable and up-to-date with local, regional, and national trends
   * Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment
   * Proficient in media production (primarily audio) and broadcast systems
   * Strong social media skills including email, writing/posting for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
   
   Work Experience:
   
   * At least 1-3 years experience, either professionally or in college
   
   Education:
   
   * College degree preferred, but not required
   
   Please note this position is to primarily anchor newscasts overnight (10p - 6a) in Cincinnati and also writing and recording newscasts for a number of other markets to air during morning drive.
   
   Location
   
   Cincinnati, OH: 8044 Montgomery Road, Suite 650, 45236
   
   Additional Locations
   
   Position Type
   
   Regular
   
   The Company is an equal opportunity employer and will not tolerate discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, disability, ethnicity, national origin, marital status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected classification or status.
   
   Our organization participates in E-Verify. Click here to learn about E-Verify.
   
   Current employees and contingent workers click here to apply and search by the Job Posting Title.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right news anchor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with news anchors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit news anchors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your news anchor job on Zippia to find and recruit news anchor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting news anchors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new news anchor

   Once you've decided on a perfect news anchor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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