How to hire a sports anchor

How to hire a sports anchor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step sports 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 sports anchor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new sports anchor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The sports anchor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A sports anchor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sports anchors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

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

   Type of Sports Anchor	Description	Hourly rate
   Sports 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.	$33-63
   Web Producer	A Web Producer is responsible for monitoring the servers' performance and managing web traffic. Web Producers work with the system engineers in designing web features with a user-friendly interface for smooth navigation and transitions... Show more	$23-46
   Correspondent	A Correspondent is the backbone of every news agency today. It is through the correspondent experts write the news of a particular topic... Show more	$24-64

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Sports Content
   • Sports Coverage
   • Social Media Sites
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • News Stories
   • Sports Events
   • Edit Video
   • Public Appearances
   • Sports News
   • ABC
   • Develop Story Ideas
   • Clips
   • ENPS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage five beats as reporter for ABC affiliate, including medical correspondent.
   • Interview and do live broadcasts with NFL and college athletes.
   • Post sports and news content to the station's Facebook page and launch a podcast which generate 2K fans.
   • Refine the weekend newsgathering system through pre-planning, calendar maintenance and reporter accountability.
   • Edit and time code scripts using ENPS.
   • Shoot, write, and edit packages and VO/SOTS for air.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, sports anchors' average salary in hawaii is 57% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level sports anchors 48% less than senior-level sports anchors.
   • Certifications. A sports 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 sports anchor's salary.

   Average sports anchor salary

   $96,351yearly

   $46.32 hourly rate

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   Entry-level sports anchor salary

   $69,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a sports anchor job description

   A good sports anchor job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a sports anchor job description:

   Sports anchor job description example

   WGAL TV, the Hearst Television NBC affiliate located in the Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA market is looking for a Sports Anchor. We are looking for a Sports Anchor who loves to break big sports stories, move beyond the dry press conference sound bites, enterprise compelling human-interest stories, and find the unique angles that will captivate the non-sports fan. Our next Sports Anchor will turn sports stories for the newscasts during the week as well as anchor some weekday and weekend sportscasts. Must be able to enterprise exclusives, tell compelling stories, and execute energetic live shots. On-site attendance required.
   Job Responsibilities:
   
   * Delivers scripted and ad lib material with professionalism, personality, and purpose
   * Regularly plans, gathers and assembles stories on sports and special project assignments
   * Coordinates with news managers and producers to develop stories that go beyond surface details, that accentuate unique enterprise angles, and have exclusive content
   * Develops a network of sources who provide tips, early access to information, and allow us to break stories of significance.
   * Will contribute pictures, video and text updates to mobile platforms consistently throughout the day
   * Ability to juggle multiple stories and projects at once, demonstrates exceptional time-management skills by meeting all deadlines under extraordinary pressure.
   * An ability to summarize information into easy-to-understand components
   * Unwavering journalistic integrity and ethical standards
   * Appears on behalf of the station at public events
   
   Qualifications Requirements:
   
   * Ability to operate or learn to operate a news camera and editing equipment.
   * Can work in all weather conditions and carry up to 50 pounds
   * Has a valid driver's license, and a clear driving record
   * Ability to work varied shifts, including overnights and weekends
   
   Experience
   
   * Passion for sports required
   * Previous television sports experience preferred
   
   Education:
   
   * Related experience and/or training considered as well as a combination of education and experience.
   
   Additional Information:
   
   As part of its continued efforts to maintain a safe workplace for employees, Hearst Television requires that all newly hired employees be fully vaccinated (as defined by the CDC) against the coronavirus by the first day of employment as a condition of employment, to the extent permitted by applicable law. HTV will consider requests for reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find sports anchors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit sports anchors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 sports anchor

   Once you've decided on a perfect sports 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new sports anchor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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