Further evidence of salary disappointment is included in Table 4. Most of the others said their pay was about what they'd expected. Few had been rewarded with higher pay than expected at that point in their careers. News directors were faring slightly worse than anchors and reporters. But more of the news directors were low paid one-person staff in small markets.
Age makes a difference.
The older and more experienced the newsperson, the higher the salary and the better his or her monetary needs are met. Outside the majors, one market tier meets needs about as well as another. Position, gender and race were found to make little difference. Overall pay satisfaction depends in part on how well pay meets the radio newsperson's expectations and how well it meets monetary needs. While money may not buy happiness, it clearly helps with job satisfaction.