In a shocking move, Channel 7 reporter Rosanna Kingsun and news anchor Samantha Heathwood have revealed their salaries in a street vox pop published online.
The two journalists were stopped by a reporter from the Getahead jobs app and were asked about their profession, what it entails, and how much they earn. And they happily shared their salaries with the world!
The Salaries Revealed
Kingsun, a journalist for Channel 7, revealed that she earns between $80,000 to $90,000 per year. She’s been in the industry for 12 years and says that her salary is a result of her hard work and dedication.
“It’s a craft, so you get better the longer you do it,” she explained. Kingsun also shared that she works seven days straight and then has two days off, and that she even works on Christmas Day and Boxing Day because “the news doesn’t stop.”
On the other hand, Heathwood, a journalist and weekend and afternoon newsreader on 7News Queensland, revealed that she earns “a lot less” than $200,000 per year. Despite having over 20 years of experience in the industry, Heathwood says that she doesn’t earn as much as people think.
“There’s this false idea out there that news readers and people in TV earn millions of dollars,” she said.
The Reality of Working in Journalism
Both Kingsun and Heathwood shared the reality of working in journalism, including the long hours and unpaid internships.
Kingsun said that aspiring reporters need to be aware that they’ll be working around the clock, and that an unpaid internship is often the way to get started in the industry.
Heathwood also shared her own experience of working for free at WIN TV in Toowoomba for 12 months before landing a job.
The Public Reaction
After the videos were posted online, many users took to social media to share their thoughts on the salaries. Some were shocked at how low the salaries were, considering the experience and qualifications of the two journalists.
Others felt that the salaries were not enough, given the high cost of living. One user even compared Heathwood’s salary to that of Today show’s Karl Stefanovic, who is believed to earn $1.5 million per year.
What Do You Think?
Do you think these salaries are fair for the work that Kingsun and Heathwood do? Let us know in the comments! And if you’re interested in learning more about salary averages in Australia, check out our guide [here](link to guide).