Becoming a news analyst is no easy task. This is one of the most sought-after jobs in journalism, and you won’t find it advertised in classified ads or trade publications. In effect, a news analyst is a professional pundit, someone whose views on current events, issues, policies, and breaking news are both insightful and authoritative. To get this job, you’ll need a mix of knowledge, extensive research, self-promotion, excellent networking skills, and more than a little luck.
If you have a strong desire to work as a news analyst, you should be aware that your chances of becoming well-known are extremely slim. Few high school athletes go on to make a name for themselves in the professional leagues, and even fewer news analysts go on to work for more than a local newspaper or a personal blog. Even so, if you have the passion, dedication, and talent to pursue this career, you can reap great rewards that aren’t always monetary.
If you want to be a news analyst, there are several paths you can take. The first is to begin when you are young. While a journalism degree is no longer required to work as a news analyst, having these credentials will give you an advantage over your competitors. Your first priority should be to secure a position as a news reporter, either in print or on television. The reason for this is that almost all news analysts are hired from within a news organization’s existing talent pool.
Simultaneously, you’ll want to focus on blogging and networking as you hone your skills as a reporter and gain much-needed experience. A personal blog dedicated to news analysis can gain a loyal following over time. The more regular readers you have, the more likely you are to be noticed a large news organization or syndication company. Strive to stand out from the crowd including thoughtful commentary in your analysis that educates, informs, and entertains.
Networking should go hand in hand with your full-time job as a reporter and your unpaid, part-time job as a blogger. This should be done on a daily basis. Send copies or videos of your work to editors, publishers, TV and radio executives, and any relevant news website. If any of these outlets re-print or re-broadcast your work, you will most likely not be compensated, but you will gain exposure. This could lead to an increase in readers and subscribers.
Your networking strategies should not be limited to email or the Internet. You should go to as many journalism conferences as you can. Make an effort to meet and impress the higher management executives who are in attendance. Investigate the specialties of the executives you want to approach, and strike up a conversation with them that demonstrates your expertise in their primary field.
Following this strategy does not guarantee that you will ever work for a major network or website as a news analyst. It does ensure that you will gain a great deal of knowledge and that you will most likely develop a following that is entirely your own. It’s no small thing to add your voice to the public debate, and for many people, it’s more than enough.