Presenter - Broadcasting

Introduction
As a Broadcasting Presenter you will work in radio and television. You might
present or co-present a whole programme, provide links between
programmes, or you could be reading the news.

Also known as
Broadcasting Presenter
Radio Presenter
Television Presenter
TV Presenter

Work Activities
There are a number of presentation jobs in radio and television. These include programme presenters, continuity
announcers and newsreaders.

Programme Presenters

As a Programme Presenter, you'll be the 'face' of a programme. You'll introduce guests and performers, providing a
link between each part of the show. Your presenting style will reflect your personality and will need to be in keeping
with the image that the Producer and Director want for the programme.

You might entertain by telling jokes and stories, or you could have a more serious, informative delivery. You could be
reading from an autocue or learning a script. You might even need to be able to perform without formal preparation
- thinking on your feet!

Continuity Announcers

Continuity Announcers provide the vocal link between programmes. You'll tell the watching or listening audience
what is coming up and describe changes to programmes - sometimes interrupting broadcasts with urgent news or
apologies for faults.

You will usually be live on the air. You'll be given an exact amount of time to fill between items, which could change at
short notice. Therefore, you must have extra material to fill any sudden gaps.

Newsreaders

Newsreaders present news programmes and bulletins, reading from a script or an autocue system. You'll introduce
pre-recorded news stories and live reports from Journalists on location. You might be involved in writing and editing
scripts.

Local, national and international travel may be a feature of this work. You will often work long and irregular hours.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal Qualities and Skills

To become a Presenter, you will need:

confidence and clear speech

the ability to think and react quickly
to enjoy working as part of a production team
to be able to take direction
to be comfortable and natural in front of the camera/microphone
the ability to concentrate - you may be running a show while listening to instructions from the control room and

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 watching signals from the Floor Manager

Some Presenters require specialist knowledge.

Pay and Opportunities

Pay

Pay rates for presenters vary widely.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Freelance Presenters earn around £250 - £600 a day, rising to around £3,000 a day for some well-known Presenters.
Fees for Celebrity Presenters are usually negotiated between Agents and Broadcasters. At this level, earnings can be
very high.

Many Presenters work on a freelance, single contract basis. Periods without pay are common.

Hours of work

As a Presenter you will often work long and irregular hours according to the demands of filming or recording. Early
starts, late finishes and weekend work may be required. You may work shifts.

Where could I work?

Opportunities for Radio Presenters occur regionally in towns and cities throughout the UK. Most TV Presenter job are
in major broadcasting production centres such as London, Birmingham, Manchester/Salford and Leeds.

Employers include radio and television companies and programme makers, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4,
Channel 5, and satellite and independent production companies.

The BBC operates national, regional and local radio. There are also opportunities with other national radio stations,
such as Classic FM and Absolute, and with independent local radio stations.

Newsreaders may find work with the BBC or specialist news companies, such as ITN, which provides a news service
for ITV, Channel 4 and commercial radio.

Opportunities occur for Presenters to work on assignment in other countries.

Self-employment

Many Presenters work on a self-employed basis.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised

on job boards
on employers' websites
on specialist sites such as www.castingnow.co.uk, www.broadcastnow.co.uk and www.starnow.co.uk (you may
have to pay for these)

Entry Routes and Training

Entry routes

There are no formal recognised entry routes into this type of work. Presenters are sometimes well-known in other
fields before they are offered jobs. Continuity Announcers often have experience of other broadcasting work.

Journalism experience is very useful for this career.

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 All presenters need confidence and clear speech. Continuity Announcers may need the technical knowledge required
to operate sound equipment.

Newsreaders are usually qualified Broadcast Journalists.

A Higher Level Apprenticeship is a great place to start.

Work Experience

Some Presenters/Hosts have had previous careers as professional sportspeople, Journalists, celebrities or Politicians.

A background working in TV/radio, eg, as a Production Assistant/Producer or Researcher would be valuable.

Relevant work experience, for example, with hospital radio or student radio TV, is important, as it demonstrates
commitment and enthusiasm. To get yourself noticed you could write a CV and make a showreel and send them to
an Agent or a specialist recruitment site. Determination is very important as this is a hard area to get into.

Training

Training is usually on-the-job and depends on the programme requirements and your previous experience.

If you would like some more training, then The Presenter Studio offer a course ‘1 day on how to make it as a
Presenter’. The course can be taken by beginners or anyone who would like to get back into the industry. You will be
able to work with TV Producers, where you will learn:

how to brand yourself

how to look into your market
how to write scripts
what makes a good showreel
how to promote yourself in the best way

At the end of the day, you will receive a practical guide on what Producers and Agents are looking for. This will really
help you stand out from the crowd when looking for work!

Other courses could be available in your area.

Progression

With experience, Presenters can progress to higher profile work.

Qualifications
To get onto a Higher Level Apprenticeship, you will need at least two A Levels, or an Advanced Level Apprenticeship.

Some universities accept the Welsh Baccalaureate as equivalent to 1 A level.

Adult Opportunities
Age limits

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show
there is a real need to have these limits.

Presenters of some programmes, such as children's and young people's television shows, are usually young adults.

Experience

Some presenters/hosts have had previous careers as professional sportspeople, journalists, celebrities or politicians.

A background working in TV/radio, eg, as a production assistant/producer or researcher, would be valuable.

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 Further Information
Contacts

ScreenSkills
Skills for the creative industries
Email: info@creativeskillset.org
Website: www.creativeskillset.org

Creative Choices
Publisher: Creative & Cultural Skills
Email: info@creative-choices.co.uk
Website: www.creative-choices.co.uk

BBC Careers
Website: www.bbc.co.uk/careers/home

Wireless Group
Irish enquiries
Email: info@u.tv
Website: www.utvmedia.com

Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA)

Website: www.hbauk.co.uk

ITV Jobs
Website: www.itvjobs.com

StartinTV
Website: www.startintv.com

Broadcast
Email: info@mbi.london
Website: www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC)

Email: sec@bjtc.org.uk
Website: www.bjtc.org.uk

The Radio Academy

Tel: 020 3174 1180
Email: info@radioacademy.org
Website: www.radioacademy.org

Careers Wales - Welsh Apprenticeships

Tel: 0800 028 4844
Website: ams.careerswales.com/

S4C (Welsh Enquiries)

Address: Parc Ty Glas, Llanishen, Cardiff, UK, CF14 5DU
Tel: 029 2046 5533
Website: www.s4c.co.uk

The Presenter Studio

Tel: 0208 677 7143
Email: info@presenterstudio.com
Website: www.presenterstudio.com

Related Careers

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 Animator
Camera Operator
Broadcasting Researcher
Studio/Floor Manager
Video Producer
Video Editor
Production Runner
Broadcasting Sound Operator
YouTuber
Music Producer

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