NAME JENNIFER SU Works for Summit TV

What exactly does a news anchor do?
I’m responsible for the final broadcast that goes out on air. I work with the entire news team to make sure all the stories are in place – I proof the stories, check the facts and figures and prepare for interviews with news leaders who come into studio.

What did you study?
I studied international relations at the University of Pennsylvania in the US and Chinese journalism at the National Taiwan Normal University in China.

What subjects do you need to do well in at school to become a news anchor?
English and creative writing.

Describe a typical day at work.
Work begins with reading through all the main stories, the stock exchange news service announcements and market movements off air, as well as preparing for in-studio interviews. I then have my hair and make-up done before broadcasting the Sky News Bulletin (Summit TV is affiliated with Sky News) and news report at the top of the hour. I also record voice-overs for the markets and currencies report.

Do news anchors find work easily in South Africa?
This is a very competitive industry and it’s not easy to find employment, but with determination, hard work and good connections, anything is possible.

Is the job financially rewarding?
In South Africa it’s not as lucrative as similar positions in the US, for instance, so it’s important to really love what you’re doing and to diversify. I do this by presenting on 5FM and doing a lot of corporate MC work.

What personality traits should a news anchor ideally have?
You need to have a clear and pleasant broadcasting voice, good on-air presence and a solid background in news and specialised areas such as finance or politics. You also need to be able to write quickly and concisely and handle the unexpected – sometimes you’re already on air when changes are read to you through your earpiece. You have to react quickly and professionally.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Meeting prominent people in the international business community and being on the edge of breaking news.

Is there anything you don’t like about it?
The hours are sometimes not ideal and being one of the main faces of the network can have its challenges, but I still always love my work.

What advice would you give to aspiring news anchors?
Record yourself reading the newspaper and then watch yourself to see how comfortable you are on camera. Ask a friend to give a fair evaluation of your performance too.

Fact check
With a growing interest in journalism and broad-casting as a career in SA, more and more courses are being registered. Here are a few to consider:

• City Varsity has campuses in Cape Town and Joburg. Its one-year journalism course covers print, online and broadcast journalism.
  www.cityvarsity.co.za

• Rhodes University in Grahamstown is well known for its top-notch journalism programme.
  www.ru.ac.za
  
• SA Writers College offers a five-month broadcast journalism course via correspondence.
  www.sawriterscollege.co.za