By Alice Main (webdesign@mainhat.com)

So you've heard that there's a shortage of television news producers and you're already counting your money. Yes, there's a shrinking pool of producers out there because many local markets have recently expanded to four TV news operations. But hold onto your resume tape for a minute. If you lack creativity, you may have a tough time breaking into one of those golden job openings. The problem is that there are very few "true producers" looking for jobs, says Larry Rickel, president & CEO of The Broadcast Image Image Group and author of "The Producing Strategy." True producers understand that producing is storytelling, managing, creating, risk-taking and communicating with your customers.

"That's the real shortage!" Rickel says.

Those who make or assist in hiring decisions are in full agreement that experienced producers are increasingly scarce commodities.

"I think the massive expansion of TV newsrooms due to the New World Shuffle has taken mid-market stations like mine out of the running for the producers that are out there," says Peggy Phillip, news director at KRJH in Tulsa.

It is not only diluting the supply of seasoned producers, but also reporters, anchors, editors, artists and assignment managers, says Phil Alvidrez, Vice-President of News at KTVK in Phoenix.

"Short term, that's bad news. Long term, if the number of opportunities holds or continues to grow, it is great news," Alvidrez says.

People are sending in tapes and resumes when there are openings for producers, but hearing from an excellent producer is rare.

"We've been looking for them and we find that many people with even a couple years' experience don't have the leadership or technical skills we're looking for," says Ken Smith, senior producer at WKRN in Nashville.

"We have found a lot of producers who think they're much better than they actually are. They're the ones who demand what show they'll be on, want their working hours set in stone and ask for outrageous salaries. I had a candidate from a 90-something market (doing mornings there at a bad station) tell me they wanted about $35-$40K to do our weekends. Not gonna happen," Smith says.

Manager think their applicants sometimes lack a commitment to producing.

"We find lots of people willing to apply, but many of them really want to be reporters, and see this as a way "in the door,'" says Jim Lemon, executive producer at KGUN in Tucson.

His concerns are echoed by Steve Doerr, news director at WCAU in Philadelphia, who wants people who are leaders, good writers and on a management track.

"Too many people view producing as a means to a reporting end, which is self-defeating. There are too many mediocre reporter resume tapes in a box outside my office already. I want leaders who want to move up," says Doerr.

FOR PRODUCERS WHO WANT TO MOVE

For those who are committed to producing, the opportunities are there. But too many producers aren't willing to take them. Alvidrez says applicants need to be willing to work odd hours.

"Even in market 17, I've found smaller-market producers unwilling to even consider a job producing a morning or overnight or weekend newscast," he says. "I can't blame anyone for wanting to work the best, most reasonable hours they can in this crazy business, but it is discouraging when that seems to drive the decision-making."

Larry Rickel advises producers not to jump at the first big-money, big-market opportunity. "Pick somewhere you want to live and work, find a station with a defined philosophy you are excited about. Find a station, a company, that offers you a launching pad for your next opportunity. Connect with a news-management team you can learn from," he says.

Rickel urges caution before making huge market jumps. Although it has worked wonderfully for some, there are also many, many producers who have jumped to the big markets only to be eaten alive because they weren't ready, he says.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A PRODUCING JOB

If you've been hoarding a resume tape from last May, when you produced a special theme show on gambling, and you just know the tape will knock the socks off some news manager in a top-ten market, well, forget it. You don't have to send the tape to the bulk-eraser, but don't send it to a news director, either.

"Anyone can put that great show together or show us the "big story" night . . . we are looking for what you do every night," says Rickel. Everyone wants last night's newscast.

Steve Doerr: "I don't want the inauguration, state-fair special or election night. Show me what you'll do for me day-in-and-day-out." Paula Pendarvis, news director, WGNO in New Orleans: "The first-place award at the Press Club is outstanding. But there's a more important contest every night. One entire newscast, followed by clips of a producer's favorite shows or special projects the producer has created, gives me an idea of the producer's range on those average nights as well as the nights that shine."

Executive Producer Elbert Tucker, WKRC in Cincinnati, wants last night's newscast, and he wants it to start strong: "The first minute or two of a resume tape can make or break a producer. If my interest hasn't piqued in that time, there is something wrong. Experiments don't always work, but it's better than starting your newscast with the old Intro, Package, Tag."

Ken Smith: "Be persistent in contacting me, and call me when you say you will, or send me material when you say you will. I've had producers promise me a tape in two days . . . it gets there a week later. Shows me they're not organized."

Peggy Phillip says a simple newscast tape often isn't enough. She wants a tape that includes control-room audio on one channel. She also likes to see a description of the day's events, from the editorial meeting in the morning to the script-printing before the newscast. "I also give a potential employee the opportunity to send along bits and pieces of what worked from other shows, a montage of what they consider good," she says.

Phil Alvidrez agrees that finding a top-notch producer goes beyond viewing tapes. He wants answers to some detailed questions: "How much of a role did you have in putting the show together? Did you design the format, graphic look, use of live, etc., or simply carry out a news director's or EP's vision? Did you get the most out of your resources that day? How did you handle things when two reporters called in sick? Or the lead story didn't make it? Or you had to juggle multiple live shots? What story ideas were yours? Can you inspire? Lead? Are you someone who points out problems or do you go beyond that and offer solutions? Do you think independently? Are you a risk-taker? Do you love the news business?" If you can address at least some of those questions in the cover letter or critique that accompanies your tape, a news manager is going to be able to develop a much clearer picture of your abilities.

Paula Pendarvis says the most important thing "is remembering the viewer every step of the way as a newscast is created and executed." Consistently good work gets noticed. "I was impressed with my 10 o'clock guy last night. He came up with a graphic idea that worked very well on a major economic story here, which shows that after all these years he is still striving to put the best possible work on the air," says Jim Lemon.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY (I WANNA BE RICH!)

The good news is that salaries are going up. The bad news is that they have a long way to go. When I asked the producers who subscribe to this newsletter to tell me how much money they make, I actually thought the days of the $18,000 producer were gone. I was wrong.

According to a 1994 survey by Vernon Stone, journalism professor emeritus at the University of Missouri, salaries below $20,000 are the norm in market sizes 101-200. And they're not unheard-of in larger markets, either. (See his full report, including salaries for other newsroom jobs: http://www.missouri.edu/~jourvs/index.html.) Still, news managers seem optimistic about future paychecks for producers.

"Producers' salaries are on the way up, without question," says Steve Doerr. "News directors realize the value of a good producer (due, in part, to the fact that a new generation of news directors now moving into power used to produce ourselves!)"

Peggy Phillip is already working on the problem. "I have consistently increased the salaries of my producers by an average of four thousand dollars per person in the past 18 months," she says.

Since this is a sellers' market, "stations now find that they have to pay more money to hire and keep good producers. This also means that producers are getting management contracts for three to five years," says Don Fitzpatrick, of Don Fitzpatrick and Associates, and the author of ShopTalk.''

The upswing in pay does have a downside, according to Phil Alvidrez.

"Some smaller-market producers who have enjoyed the increased money have priced themselves out of secondary-show jobs in larger markets, leaving them with the dilemma, 'Do I move to a bigger place, a bigger challenge, even if it means a smaller than expected or even no increase in pay?'" says Alvidrez.

And Larry Rickel cautions that money should not be the most important consideration for a job-seeker.

"Do your homework, find out what other producers are making in that market currently, and then evaluate your value," he says. "A good fit is far more important than a few extra bucks."

[5-6/98]

By Alice Main (webdesign@mainhat.com)

The information was provided by producers from across the United States. I included only those categories in which there were two or more submissions with the same job titles. Unfortunately, e-mail is not table-friendly. I could make attached files with pretty tables, but my experience has shown that doesn't work for everyone. So, although I know this won't be all that easy to read, I'm going to send the bulk information on everyone who contributed. They are listed alphabetically, by job title. Averages are provided for some of the more popular categories.

[To compare these and early 1997 numbers, see previous salary survey from Feb 1997 newsletter.]

JOB: A/P or Writer

YRS ON JOB      YRS IN FIELD    SALARY                  DMA

1-3 yrs         10-15 yrs       91,000 - 100,000        1 thru 10
3-5 yrs         15+ yrs         36,000 - 40,000         11 thru 20
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         11 thru 20
1-3 yrs         1-3 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         1 thru 10
1-3 yrs         1-3 yrs         21,000 - 25,000         11 thru 20
0-1 yr          1-3 yrs         21,000 - 25,000         31 thru 40
0-1 yr          0-1 yr          10,000 - 15,000         101 thru 120

JOB: Executive Producer-Local News

Average Salary Reported: $52,900, with combined experience of 12.5 years.

YRS ON JOB      YRS IN FIELD    SALARY                  DMA
 
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        81,000 - 90,000         1 thru 10
1-3 yrs         15+ yrs         71,000 - 80,000         1 thru 10
5-10 yrs        15+ yrs         71,000 - 80,000         11 thru 20
0-1 yr          10-15 yrs       61,000 - 70,000         31 thru 40
1-3 yrs         10-15 yrs       61,000 - 70,000         11 thru 20
15+ yrs         15+ yrs         61,000 - 70,000         1 thru 10
10-15 yrs       3-5 yrs         61,000 - 70,000         1 thru 10
0-1 yr          5-10 yrs        51,000 - 60,000         61 thru 70
3-5 yrs         1-3 yrs         51,000 - 60,000         31 thru 40
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        46,000 - 50,000         51 thru 60
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        46,000 - 50,000         61 thru 70
0-1 yr          10-15 yrs       46,000 - 50,000         31 thru 40
5-10 yrs        15+ yrs         46,000 - 50,000         91 thru 100
0-1 yr          1-3 yrs         41,000 - 45,000         71 thru 80
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         41,000 - 45,000         61 thru 70
5-10 yrs        15+ yrs         41,000 - 45,000         71 thru 80
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         36,000 - 40,000         41 thru 50
0-1 yr          5-10 yrs        31,000 - 35,000         101 thru 120
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         81 thru 90
10-15 yrs       3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         101 thru 120

JOB: Local Newscast Producer

Average Salary Reported: $34,662 with combined avg experience of 8.2 years.

YRS ON JOB      YRS IN FIELD    SALARY                  DMA

1-3 yrs         10-15 yrs       81,000 - 90,000         1 thru 10
1-3 yrs         10-15 yrs       71,000 - 80,000         1 thru 10
5-10 yrs        5-10 yrs        51,000 - 60,000         21 thru 30
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        51,000 - 60,000         1 thru 10
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         46,000 - 50,000         11 thru 20
5-10 yrs        5-10 yrs        46,000 - 50,000         31 thru 40
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         46,000 - 50,000         1 thru 10
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        46,000 - 50,000         21 thru 30
0-1 yr          5-10 yrs        46,000 - 50,000         11 thru 20
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        46,000 - 50,000         31 thru 40
5-10 yrs        15+ yrs         41,000 - 45,000         11 thru 20
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        41,000 - 45,000         31 thru 40
5-10 yrs        3-5 yrs         41,000 - 45,000         41 thru 50
0-1 yr          15+ yrs         41,000 - 45,000         1 thru 10
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        41,000 - 45,000         1 thru 10
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         41,000 - 45,000         21 thru 30
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        41,000 - 45,000         31 thru 40
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        36,000 - 40,000         11 thru 20
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         36,000 - 40,000         11 thru 20
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         36,000 - 40,000         21 thru 30
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         36,000 - 40,000         1 thru 10
0-1 yr          5-10 yrs        36,000 - 40,000         41 thru 50
10-15 yrs       0-1 yr          36,000 - 40,000         21 thru 30
5-10 yrs        15+ yrs         36,000 - 40,000         71 thru 80
5-10 yrs        15+ yrs         36,000 - 40,000         71 thru 80
3-5 yrs         15+ yrs         36,000 - 40,000         71 thru 80
1-3 yrs         0-1 yr          31,000 - 35,000         61 thru 70
10-15 yrs       1-3 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         31 thru 40
0-1 yr          1-3 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         31 thru 40
15+ yrs         1-3 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         101 thru 120
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         1 thru 10
5-10 yrs        10-15 yrs       31,000 - 35,000         31 thru 40
3-5 yrs         5-10 yrs        31,000 - 35,000         11 thru 20
0-1 yr          5-10 yrs        31,000 - 35,000         31 thru 40
1-3 yrs         1-3 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         1 thru 10
3-5 yrs         3-5 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         71 thru 80
3-5 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         121 thru 140
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         41 thru 50
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         101 thru 120
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         1 thru 10
3-5 yrs         15+ yrs         26,000 - 30,000         61 thru 70
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         31 thru 40
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         51 thru 60
1-3 yrs         1-3 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         61 thru 70
1-3 yrs         1-3 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         101 thru 120
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         81 thru 90
1-3 yrs         1-3 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         71 thru 80
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         81 thru 90
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         61 thru 70
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         26,000 - 30,000         31 thru 40
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         21,000 - 25,000         41 thru 50
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        21,000 - 25,000         101 thru 120
0-1 yr          0-1 yr          21,000 - 25,000         181 or smaller
0-1 yr          10-15 yrs       21,000 - 25,000         101 thru 120
0-1 yr          0-1 yr          21,000 - 25,000         101 thru 120
0-1 yr          5-10 yrs        21,000 - 25,000         71 thru 80
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         21,000 - 25,000         81 thru 90
0-1 yr          0-1 yr          21,000 - 25,000         51 thru 60
0-1 yr          0-1 yr          21,000 - 25,000         71 thru 80
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         21,000 - 25,000         71 thru 80
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         21,000 - 25,000         101 thru 120
0-1 yr          1-3 yrs         16,000 - 20,000         101 thru 120
3-5 yrs         3-5 yrs         16,000 - 20,000         101 thru 120
0-1 yr          0-1 yr          10,000 - 15,000         71 thru 80

NETWORK JOBs    YRS ON JOB      YRS IN FIELD    SALARY

EP              3-5 yrs         10-15 yrs       81,000 - 90,000 
EP              1-3 yrs         15+ yrs         110,000 +       
Field Producer  0-1 yr          10-15 yrs       71,000 - 80,000 
Field Producer  1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        41,000 - 45,000 
Field Producer  5-10 yrs        10-15 yrs       36,000 - 40,000 
Field Producer  15+ yrs         15+ yrs         110,000 +       
Producer        10-15 yrs       0-1 yr          81,000 - 90,000 
Producer        3-5 yrs         15+ yrs         61,000 - 70,000         
Producer        1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         51,000 - 60,000 

JOB: Special Projects Producer-Local

Average salary reported: $47,857 with avg combined experience of 10.4 years 

YRS ON JOB      YRS IN FIELD    SALARY                  DMA

1-3 yrs         10-15 yrs       71,000 - 80,000         1 thru 10
1-3 yrs         1-3 yrs         51,000 - 60,000         11 thru 20
3-5 yrs         10-15 yrs       46,000 - 50,000         21 thru 30
1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        41,000 - 45,000         11 thru 20
10-15 yrs       3-5 yrs         41,000 - 45,000         31 thru 40
1-3 yrs         3-5 yrs         36,000 - 40,000         11 thru 20
0-1 yr          3-5 yrs         31,000 - 35,000         31 thru 40

JOB:                            YRS ON JOB      YRS IN FIELD    SALARY

Syndicated News Producer        3-5 yrs         1-3 yrs         36,000 - 40,000 
Syndicated News Producer        3-5 yrs         5-10 yrs        36,000 - 40,000 
Syndicated News Producer        3-5 yrs         5-10 yrs        36,000 - 40,000 

JOB: Website Producer-Local     

YRS ON JOB      YRS IN FIELD    SALARY                  DMA

1-3 yrs         5-10 yrs        36,000 - 40,000         21 thru 30
0-1 yr          10-15 yrs       31,000 - 35,000         21 thru 30

[12/95]

By Tristan Davies et al.

To prepare this, I talked with students and professors about the kinds of questions they have about making the transition from college to the newsroom. I used their questions when I surveyed several people in newsroom management positions about their perspectives. A few subscribers volunteered their advice, which I'm passing along. I also asked a cross-section of subscribers to provide descriptions of their jobs, and how they got them.

Q & A:

Q. Do you ever hire people right out of college for producing or producing-track jobs?

A. We have an internship program where interns get hands on experience working with producers. When we have an associate producer opening, we look first to our current and former interns. (Kevin Crane, Executive Producer, Springfield, Mass., WGBY)

A. I'd hire a college graduate who's done a superior job in an internship and shows producer potential as an associate producer to learn the tricks of the trade, perhaps graduate to fill-in producing, and then move into the producer ranks. (Paula Pendarvis, News Director, WGNO, New Orleans)

A. I rarely hire people right out of college. If I do it is for a night side assignment editor or weekend producer position. Generally I can find a reporter with a year or two who is willing to produce weekends in order to report in this market. (Douglas McKnight, News Director, Monterey, California, KCCN)

A. We have part-time positions called "closed-captioning producers." They transcribe sound bites, operate the teleprompter and assist the line producers by ripping scripts, etc. These are 30-hour per week positions, and we hire right out of school. We consider this job a foot-in-the-door, producer-track position. (Jim Kent, News Director, Roanoke, WDBJ)

A. I never hire people directly out of school for producing jobs. They just aren't ready in this size market (29). I would hire a college grad for a full time newswriter's job. That could eventually lead to a producer's position, but would take several years and quite an impressive person to make the leap. (Matt Silverman, Asst News Director, Cincinnati, WKRC)

Q. Do you ever hire people from the intern ranks in your own newsroom?

A. I was promoted from an intern to a producer-trainee, then a producer. As a producer, I recommended the hires of excellent interns to associate producer or producer-trainee levels. Some of these folks grew into fulltime producers fairly quickly. If I have a star intern and an opportunity emerges—I'd rather promote that person than let my time and money invested in training walk out the door. (Pendarvis)

A. We have hired directly from internships. I would be much more inclined to hire an intern producer show showed potential than an intern reporter. We have almost no inquiries about producer internships. (Kent)

A. KTVK operates a successful internship program in cooperation with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Telecommunications at Arizona State University. We take 5 interns each semester for a paid internship. Three of the 5 internships are reserved for minority students. Currently we have 6 former interns working on our staff. Four are minorities. Three are writers/assistant producers. One is a segment producer (and a former newscast producer). One works on our assignment desk and the 5th is a minority reporter trainee. Two other former interns became newscast producers for us, then went on to producing jobs in LA and Dallas. (Phil Alvidrez, VP News, Phoenix, KTVK)

A. Yes, I have and do hire people from the intern ranks. (McKnight)

Q. What do some interns do that sets them apart from others?

A. First, do what the duties demand. After you do what's expected, dig on your own to learn the things you want to learn. Often, people in newsrooms get busy and you need to learn by observation. It's tough for a producer to give a lesson crash-landing five minutes before airtime. Then, make yourself invaluable. When you've learned how to master a task, and you see somebody needing an important task done, do it. Show initiative. If you prove you can do something, next time you'll be called on to write or do something you want to do. You have to prove yourself. Jump in and help once you're sure you're really helping. (Pendarvis)

A. Nothing any different from what makes any newsroom employee stand out—curiosity, aggressiveness, independence, hard work, writing skills and perhaps most importantly, a genuine love for the news business. (Alvidrez)

A. Good work habits and a consuming interest in news are the things that set the successful interns apart. I am always amazed at the number of people who enter journalism having no interest in news. (McKnight)

A. Interns who stand out are just like employees who stand out. They are smart, hard working people, with a good attitude. It's best when interns come with previous newsroom internship experience or the very least several writing and production classes under their belt. Interns who stand out are people who don't have to be taught the same thing over and over again, who go out of their way to learn things they weren't assigned, who quickly demonstrate skill. (Silverman)

A. The standouts are "underfoot" all the time, even when they're not scheduled to work. They don't configure their schedules for "minimum hours" required by their internship. They also have outgoing personalities and are not afraid to approach experienced staffers with questions. (Kent)

A. Ask a lot of questions, do well the job they're given, show some understanding of the "big picture", i.e. TV is a team effort, with many disparate tasks that need to be done to produce a program. Interns who get frustrated making phone calls or doing research because they aren't close to "the action" are missing "the action" entirely. (Crane)

Q. Does college TV producing experience count?

A. Every little bit helps in understanding how a professional newsroom works, but I have never met an intern whose college TV producing experience gave them a chance at getting a producer's job in our market. (Silverman)

A. Usually only in that it demonstrates an ability to produce a final product against all odds, which is a valuable skill in TV. It's probably better than no experience, but is not always a true indication of real-world skills. (Crane)

A. Any producing experience helps, but you've got to do an internship to prove how you manage yourself in a newsroom. (Pendarvis)

Q. Are students learning anything in college, or only during their internships? In other words, are they coming to their internships prepared? And do you see a difference between the people who attend no-name schools, and the people attend the big J-schools?

A. It depends on the school. Some schools do a better job of giving students realistic producing experience. I find that schools are best in teaching ethics, technical skills, some research skills and in some cases law. They are not good at teaching story telling, news judgment, cultivation of sources, control room leadership, decision making under pressure and supervision of others. (McKnight)

A. The only way to get students who are somewhat prepared is to take juniors and seniors. The schools are doing an okay job, but it's critical for all students to have at least one internship (preferably more) to get an understanding of what happens in real life. Coping with hourly deadline pressure, office politics, getting along with people, dealing with ethical issues are some of the areas new to interns. So many of our interns leave saying they learned more in several months at the station than they have in several years at school. On the other hand, students should carefully select their internships. Students need to make sure there's a structured program in place so they don't waste their valuable internship time only being allowed to answer the phones. (Silverman)

A. I've found that the best students today come into the work force better prepared than ever. Certainly some programs (Missouri, Medill) offer students more hands-on opportunities than others. But it is the quality of the student, not the school, that I've found makes the difference. It is not so much where or what you've studied that's important, it is what you've learned. For a good student, that learning can come in a classroom or in a newsroom. (Alvidrez)

A. We have trained most area colleges not to send us interns unless they're promising. The ones we get are usually prepared, but sometimes we go six months without an intern because the colleges won't call us just to get any student in an intern slot. Our best interns come from Washington & Lee University, which has an excellent (but small) journalism program. Actually, I've seen some really bad candidates from some of the larger schools, so I don't put much stock in the size of the institution. (Kent)

Q. What tape format should an applicant use?

A. Beta or 3/4 inch is acceptable. Beta is preferable. (Silverman)

A. VHS is easiest. Beta is okay. For producer applicants, written writing samples are great, too. (Pendarvis)

A. VHS is the easiest for me to view. (Crane)

A. The applicant should call the station and ask what format tape to send. (McKnight)

A. I like BETA, but 3/4 and VHS are acceptable most anywhere. (Kent)

[12/95]

By Robin Radin

When I was in college I had the fortunate experience of interning in the number one market for two different networks. Of course, it looked positively brilliant on my resume, but I didn't get to "do anything" that could prepare me for life after college.

The problem is that when the stations I applied to wanted someone with "some outside experience," and their management saw my resume, complete with Fox and NBC Network interning experience, they oohed and aahed. But other people probably more competent than myself got passed over, because they worked for some itty bitty station in East Osh Kosh. The reality is that these students at these itty bitty stations, for the most part, learned a lot more than I did.

One thing I really would have liked to learn in college is that there is a lot more to a newsroom than reporting and anchoring. Everyone I knew in the broadcast news program with me wanted to be on the air. We thought that was where all the control, power, creativity, and journalistic ability would be used.

It was not until my first job outside of college that I learned that reporters, while having some flexibility for creativity and journalistic ability, really are under the mercy of management and the producers. It was there that I learned how much creativity the producers get to utilize, and how much writing the producers do. It was there that I realized I never, ever wanted to report, and that all I really wanted to do was produce.

If only I had learned that in college, I wouldn't have wasted more than $1,000 on a resume tape, and a billion copies of it on 3/4 inch. (Which, by the way, are in a box in my closet.)

[12/95]

By Scott Libin (libin@poynter.org)

Students should avoid using gimmicks like flourescent lettering on tape boxes or odd-sized, wildly-colored resume paper. Content counts much more. When I was hiring, I could exclude about nine out of ten applicants without even looking at their tapes; they disqualified themselves in one or more of the following ways:

• They sent their material to a previous news director.
• They misspelled my name.
• They got our station's name wrong.
• They got our address wrong.
• Their cover letters showed poor writing, including—but not limited to—errors in spelling or grammar.

Some people think automatic disqualification for such things is a bit harsh. But applying for a job is easy compared with working under deadline on complicated stories. If you can't get your facts straight when you're looking for work, why should I believe you'll get them straight once you have a job?

Scott Libin is a former television reporter, anchor, and news director who now teaches at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg.

By Various Contributors

Note from a reader:

Am I the only person who wants to make a track change after getting established (sort of) in another area (editing)? I'd like to see articles addressing that, with experiences from people who may have made those changes.

Response #1:

Hard to believe I've now been producing for 7 years, I still think of myself as a director who wanted to write. I was a director/producer in college so when a job opened at my boyfriend's TV station (3 states away) I jumped at the chance to call and punch the 5, 6 and 10 o'clock news. While I was working my way up the food chain as a director, I learned what I could about producing. (I was so proud the day the producer was missing and we had no tapes for the 1st block, I just told everyone we were going to start the show with the second block. How funny that seems to me now.)

After 3 jobs directing, I was heading home to California from Illinois. I decided I'd start job hunting in Texas, applying for directing jobs in medium markets, producing jobs in small markets. In Lubbock, the News Director let me write a script for him. I sent the people from the blue car and the red car to the right hospitals and for the 10 PM rewrite I killed the right person. He told me 50 ways I could have done it better, but because my facts were right, he gave me a job producing the 10 PM news.

While I don't have a journalism degree, actually I have no degree at all, I've moved up the producing ranks FAST! Everyone says good producers are hard to find. I've EP'd several times and been offered some amazing jobs in management around the country. I'm currently producing a weekday show in Denver, because I like to write and create a show.

The move can be made, you just have to find someone willing to take a chance. You also have to be willing to go back down in market size or in pay to take an entry level job. (Though I know at least one editor in OKC who became a producer)

Deb Stanley KMGH-TV Denver

Response #2:

I'm one of those track-switchers . . . several times over! I began my career at WFTV in Orlando in the Production department, right out of college. After learning virtually everything I could in that department, I moved into the Engineering department. I then decided I wanted to get into producing. Fortunately, the News Director at the time (this is still WFTV), Chris Schmidt, took a big chance and gave me a shot. My first newscast was Daybreak with Rob Stafford (now at Dateline) and Natalie Allen (now at CNN). It was an outstanding opportunity for me. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only one to ever make that leap. Had I not done so, I would have eventually been laid off from either Production or Engineering. I've found that my time in those other departments was a tremendous help to me as a producer. I knew what was possible from a production standpoint. Too many times, producers ask for things that are impossible. I always encourage producers to learn as much as they can about the production process. It'll make you wiser and save a lot of heartache and headache.

Andrea Clenney Assistant News Director WIXT Syracuse, NY aclenney@ackerley.com

Response #3:

I'm a producer who used to be a scientist. In fact, I trained as a scientist for about 10 years, starting with high school summers, through a biochemistry major in college, and into graduate school, where I spent four years trying to earn a Ph.D. in neurobiology. I didn't. After 4 years, I realized the pace of lab science was too slow for me. With the support and help of my neurobiologist colleagues, I called the health reporter at a local station and asked if she wanted an intern. The internship became part-time freelancing, then a full-time associate producer slot. Two years after I started interning, I was producing noon shows and helping create a Sunday morning newscast!

I remember two pieces of advice that helped me make the transition:

1. During an internship, make youself indispensable. When it's time to leave, they'll find something for you to do.

2. (more applicable to this conversational thread) It's a lot easier to learn TV than science. Because I brought years of expertise in another field, I had an advantage over interns and other people looking for entry-level jobs.

I think the kind of radical career leap I made is unusual, but not rare; I know several people for whom TV is their second career. It's one advantage of TV-- your ability to succeed (and be recognized as successful) is based much more on performance than education or some other more abstract measure.

Anyway, I hope this adds a little to the discussion. Even though I'm now a producer/reporter with an eye on reporting, I still enjoy the newsletter.

Tristan Davies KYTV Springfield, MO tdavies@ky3.com

[5/97]

By Ted Wilson

Bloop-er (bloo’per): a blunder, as one spoken over the radio or TV. (Webster’s)

We’ve all had bloopers in our shows at one time or another. And if we are lucky, we can laugh at them. But a blooper in your job search can be costly. The only one who may laugh is the news director who sees it. Many times the mistake is an oversight. Other times, it’s ignorance. In either case, it can be the difference between getting a job you really want and your resume being filed "for future consideration" you know where.

News directors say they are often surprised by how many people do not get simple things right when they apply for a job, such as correctly spelling the news director’s name. Walter Kraft, the news director at WXYZ in Detroit said he often receives resumes addressed to Walter "Craft."

Using a form letter to blanket a market can be a formula for disaster. Scott James at Joe Barnes & Associates, a former ND at WLNE in Providence, said tapes would arrive addressed to his station, but with his competitor’s name on the cover letter. Using old information can also get you in trouble. It pays to call a station to make sure the ND you are writing to is still there.

"I would sometimes receive stuff for the previous news director even five years after he had left," James said.

These kinds of errors raise questions about the quality of your work. "After all, what do research skills, accuracy, and attention to detail have to do with producing?" said Scott Libin of The Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

Common sense goes a long way in a job search. Joyce Reed, the news director at KWTV in Oklahoma City, said she’s had a few people actually make a few of these mistakes during interviews:

• Picks up Electronic Media magazine and begins looking at "help wanted" page.
• Doesn't know who owns the television station.
• Asks the difference between a microwave truck and a satellite vehicle.
• Says, "but, that's not the way we do it at our station."
• Notices we have a reporter position open, so submits an application for that opening, too.

Your resume has to be more than "letter perfect." Tom Dolan at the Broadcast Image Group said many resumes are not assembled logically. Candidates often don’t put the important details at the top, he said. As for "fudging" those details, forget it.

Good news directors are good journalists, James said, and they don’t just rely on your references. They will call the competition to ask about your show. And other stations may be more willing than your current employer to talk about you. They have seen your show, and may have heard scuttlebutt about you both personally and professionally. James says "your reputation will come out" one way or another.

Lyn Tolan, the ND at WLWT in Cincinnati, offers similar advice about detours you may have taken in your career path. If there is something that doesn’t make sense, explain it early in the process, she said.

We may all want to be rich. But trying to get a news director to "show me the money" will probably backfire. Gina Diamante ran into a classic example of a reporter who pushed much too hard for the green stuff while she was EP/acting news director at KADY in Oxnard, California . The person started his cover letter writing that Diamante had better make up her mind quickly if she was interested in him because he was about to sign a new lease. Then, "he went on to tell me that he had been working as a reporter in a small midwestern market, but quit because the job didn't pay well enough." This guy apparently found the money he was looking for in PR. But he still wanted to report and said he deserved a lot more money than Diamante could afford. "Not only did his cover letter ooze greed, but his resume listed every little voiceover job he'd ever done, along with what he was paid, almost to the penny," Diamante said.

Try to be as objective as possible about the skills you have, especially in big markets where news directors are searching for experienced people.

"What drives me crazy is people who have no business even applying for a job. They don’t have the producing experience to be a producer in this market. They don’t understand what it is all about, even in a small market," Kraft said.

It pays to know as much as possible about the station to which you are applying. Dolan said candidates get an edge if their cover letter shows they know something about the station and have some knowledge of the area as well. That research may also provide a clearer picture of whether that is a place you want to work and a city in which you want to live.

Sometimes just knowing what the BIG STORY is in the area is a benefit. Reed said job candidates who wonder why her station has a Denver Bureau, or who don’t know who Tim McVeigh is, probably should reconsider their desire to work in Oklahoma City.

In this business, most of us will be fired at one time or another. It’s best not to show desperation when seeking a new position. Be prepared, however, to make a lateral move and to explain it when called in for an interview, Dolan said.

Kraft said it’s best not to indicate that you had problems at your last station, if possible. "It raises a flag regardless of what happened with your previous employer. If you give the impression that you really need a job, it makes one wonder."

Your cover letter, resume and tape will be the first impression you make on a news director. Libin offers these "tongue-in-cheek" tips to make sure it’s also not the last impression you make:

"Send a tape of the biggest story you've ever covered, or the show you produced the day of either Simpson verdict, the Oklahoma City bombing, or any natural disaster—even if there was nothing really distinctive about your treatment, compared with everybody else's. The news director has probably never seen this stuff before. If you send some really solid, innovative, enterprise newscast from a more "routine" day, he or she might think you've never had to handle really big news.

Find some wacky way to deliver your material. In fact, focus more on the zaniness of your approach than the content of your work. A newscast is a newscast. But an aircheck delivered in a shoebox with an actual piece of footwear and a note that says, "Now that my foot's in the door. . . " now, that will get you noticed!

Finally, don't wait forever to follow up on that tape you sent and ask if the person doing the hiring has "had a chance to watch it yet." It went out Monday, this is Wednesday—what else could the news director or executive producer possibly be doing with his or her time besides staring, transfixed, at your work? Surely there can't be other demands on his or her time. What are you waiting for?

If you do all this, and STILL get a job, then cross out the headline at the top of this piece and make it, "How to find a station where you DON'T want to work."

Good Luck!

Ted Wilson is senior producer at WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, Oh.

[11/96]

By Alice Main (webdesign@mainhat.com)

Much newsprint and bandwidth is given to debating the best type of resume tape for on-air talent. Today, it's our turn. The off-air people. The untalent. The producers.
I must confess, the idea for this article sprang into my head after watching resume tapes submitted for some producer openings in my own shop.

I wanted to shout, HEY! PEOPLE! QUIT EDITING OUT THE PACKAGES! It's maddening to start watching a newscast, get interested in the story, and then get to see only the first and last five seconds of the reporter's package.

But since I'm still new at management, I figured I'd better get some older hats to tell me what they think.

"Don't omit anything inside that newscast. I want to see your work—all of it. How you make it move, make it flow, connect it together, and put your stamp on it," says Paula Pendarvis, Director of News & Local Programming at WGNO in New Orleans.

"I want to see the packages, because a good producer had a lot to do with it, talked to the reporter about it. Or maybe was disappointed with the package," says Pendarvis.

Tom Dolan is a former news director, now Executive Director of News & Talent Development for The Broadcast Image Group (translation for our purposes: he helps find producers for his client stations).

He says including the body of the package is important, because it demonstrates your ability to manage the packages.

Equally important is the critique you enclose with your tape.

"Always prepare a cover letter explaining the tape presentation along with your current resume. Ideally your tape should contain a full newscast from an average day where your imprint makes the difference. Explain the point of view and the approach with your daily newscast and make sure there is clear evidence of it on the tape. Identify the key stories ("A" lead, "A" closer, "B" lead and kicker) and how you selected them. Include how you shaped them from the morning meeting through the course of the day. Make it clear how much of the writing as well as teasewriting you contributed. Talk about how you collaborate with reporters in both shaping their stories and editing the copy," says Dolan.

Pendarvis wants the critique, too. "Tell me what worked and didn't in the program that night, including the packages," she says. "Tell me what you'd do again or what you'd change if you could do the program over again. "

The tape format you use really depends on the recipient. But more and more people who hire, are more than willing to look at VHS.

Dolan says The Broadcast Image Group handles all formats, but "VHS may be preferred so we can take them home in more casual environment!"

Pendarvis is even more direct: "I like VHS because I like to watch producer, reporter, and anchors in my living room, the way the viewers watch them. In my office with phones ringing and people walking in and out the door, it's not the optimum atmosphere. If you can't make a VHS dub at your station, I'd rather you set your VCR at home and tape from there."
It also bears repeating that you need to send an extremely recent tape. Many ads will specify, "send last night's newscast," but even without such an admonition, you should send a newscast that's no more than ten days old. Your coverage of the tornado that hit your town last year won't cut it.

Okay. So you've taped last night's newscast. It was a good example of your day-to-day work. You've written the insightful critique. You put the thing on VHS. Now, how do you really make your tape stand out?

Why not add a montage?

Consider the following from Dave Gonigam, news director at Fox 28 in South Bend, Indiana.

"I have a hard time believing I'm the only person who ever dreamed up the producer- montage thing, but I've never heard of anyone else doing it, either. It all got started when I was the 6 PM producer at KSNW in Wichita, where I'd really hit my stride as a tease-writer. I was proud enough of some of my preshows and cold opens (either the writing, some creative pre-pro, or both) that I started saving them on a tape, just as most producers save a favorite newscast even if they're not looking for a job at the time."

"When the time did come for me to start looking, I realized that much the same way reporters start their tapes with a montage of standups, I could take the stuff I dubbed off over the course of several months and put the very best of it together into a montage, demonstrating to a news director one of a producer's key skills—grabbing the viewer's attention right off the bat. Since I figured it was a rather novel idea, I always pointed out in my cover letters that the tape started with this montage, and I also attached a log to the tape with hit times for the montage and the newscast, just in case the news director didn't read the cover letter."

" I don't know if it was a turn-off at those stations that never called me. (It was almost certainly too long, in the neighborhood of 2:00.) But during the summer of 1990, the montage was one of the things that got me interviews in Sacramento, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Denver. I ended up going to KCNC in Denver, where I got together a whole new bunch of preshows and cold opens to help land me at WTVT in Tampa nine months later. "

Whether you choose to use a montage or not, it is important to make the submission accessible. Some easy steps:

• Put your name in bold lettering on the spine of the tape case. (Makes it easier to find in a stack)
• Include your name, station call letters, city and telephone number on the tape itself. (Sometimes tapes get separated from their resumes)
• Your cover letter and/or critique should specify the day, date, and time of the newscast included. (There are different expectations of a noon and a 10 PM newscast)
• And unless the advertisement said, "no calls," then you might call a day or so after your submission should have arrived, to see if the intended recipient has indeed received your tape.

Just use common sense about the time of day when you place the call. A producer candidate who calls between 4:30 PM and 6 PM isn't thinking. And no one wants to hire a producer who can't think.

[4/97]

By Anderson Williams

Every newsroom has it. That one weathered copy of Electronic Media that makes the weekly rounds from desk to desk. "I just read it for the articles," claim your co-workers. But we all know what they're actually reading it for: the job listings.

Many times browsing the classifieds is just idle day dreaming. You may not really be ready to move on. But if you are taking the ads seriously, there are things you need to think about before copying the cover letter and dubbing the demo tape.

"If you feel you're going to produce the same newscast forever or if there's" no apparent chance to move up into management, it's time to go," says Al Volker, Managing Editor at ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, Alabama. "If you find yourself complaining constantly to yourself or others give it six more months," he says. After that Volker suggests you make contacts and start" looking.

Once you land an interview, the real work begins. Don't be afraid to you use your skills as a journalist. Ask plenty of questions. "I ask tons," says KMGH's Deborah Stanley. "I have four pages worth before I take a job and I add to the list every time I leave a job, " she says.

One question to ask: what's the station's news philosophy? It seems like a clique question but the answer can tell you a lot. "If they give you details about their commitment to news or specific things they have done in the past that's a good sign, " says WSFA-TV's Greg Schieferstein in Montgomery, Alabama. "History has a way of repeating itself, " he says.

Griff Potter works as the Executive Producer at WAFF-TV in Huntsville, Alabama. He suggests posing the philosophy question to other staff members. "If the managers and the in-the-trenches troops give vastly different answers it's clear all the horses at this station probably aren't pulling the same direction, " Potter says.

Bill Perry at KETA-TV in Oklahoma City has a different approach. "Always try to spend some private time with one or two people from the weather department," he suggests. "They are invariably tuned in to all the station gossip and really know what the trouble spots are, or at least what the staff thinks they are. I suppose it's because weather people, if I may speak generally, are frequently treated as a "Dear Abby" type by many staffers, and weather people also have the unique advantage of being able to roam the building almost invisibly, much like a fly zipping through the newsroom, " says Perry.

One special projects producer, who asks not to be identified, suggests going even further: call other stations in the market and ask questions. "Ask them what they think about the station you're considering and what they know about what it's like to work there. In my experience, this is a great way to get a lot of good, honest information," they say. Cliff Hill, WAAY-TV's investigative reporter, agrees. "Take the offensive and ask other people in the market how they view the new station you're looking at," says the Huntsville, Alabama anchor/reporter.

When your prospective employer can't answer your questions, take that as a sign to proceed carefully. Remember: the only perfect job or boss is the one you see on your interview. But if you are ready to make a deal, be ready to sign on the line. "Never make a move without a contract, " advises Hill.

Contracts should be checked over by an attorney. But don't go overboard. "If your new employer thinks you're a newsroom lawyer he'll take a second look at your candidacy," says Al Volker. Volker, who's been in the business thirty years, says trying to pin down little things, like days off, will raise eyebrows. He does suggest getting salary, benefits and a job description on paper. "This is particularly important if your station doesn't offer a contract," he says.

But KMGH's Deborah Stanley doesn't take chances. "Get as much as possible in writing," she urges. "I was told at one job I'd get overtime when I had to work six days in a week. I didn't have it in writing and when I tried to tell the business manager about it, they called me a liar. Now I don't even take a job until everything is in writing. Not just pay and job title, but also moving expenses, how long they are putting me up, overtime policy, etc.," Stanley says.

One major market producer agrees. "I'm not saying you need a contract, " they say, "but a written agreement is the best insurance you can get that the job you sign up for will be, at least close to, the job you get."

But as Brad Smith, a former executive producer in Rochester, New York, points out not everything can be guaranteed. "After you've been a producer for a while, write down what's important about your job to you, and know what is a deal breaker," Smith says. "Then get as much of that in writing as you can. Your new employer will respect you for it if you are up front and courteous."

Remember, a verbal agreement is not "worth the paper it's written on". At minimum get a letter of intent once you accept the job. "At least have an employment letter in hand when you resign your old job ," says Volker.

But WSFA's Greg Schieferstein says some things must be left to trust. "I don't think it's important to have everything in writing," he says. "Even if you do, things can change." But Schieferstein urges you to do your homework. Once you've done your homework, listen to your gut reaction. There is a certain amount of trust involved in changing jobs. As one person commented for this article: "After all, how is the public supposed to trust us if we can't trust each other?" KSTU's Scott McGrew agrees. "If you don't trust the new station, you shouldn't be working there, " he says.

The bottom line: Check out your prospective station very carefully. Ask plenty of questions in the interview. Don't be afraid to pose those same questions to other staff members, other stations, and the person you would replace. There will be plenty of promises so get what you can in writing, but be ready to trust your new station on some issues.

And one final tip: Make sure your new station subscribes to Electronic Media.

Hey, you never know, right?

Don Fitzpatrick & Associates:

Liz Hart, Vice President of DFA. Fax resumes and one page "news philosophy" and references to Liz at (415) 954-0820. Follow up with a hard copy version of resume, philosophy and references to

• Liz Hart
  Don Fitzpatrick Associates
  582 Market Street, 16th Floor,
  San Francisco, CA 94104

Broadcast Image Group:

Larry Rickel and Tom Dolan are often conducting a dozen or more producer searches at any given time for client stations.

• Broadcast Image Group
  P.O. Box 6105
  San Antonio, TX 78209
  210/828-6664 (voice)
  201/828-6225 (fax)

McHugh & Hoffman/Market Strategies:

Send a resume and non-returnable VHS tape to:

• Douglas Drew
  Senior News Consultant
  McHugh and Hoffman
  14406 S. Canyon Drive
  Phoenix, AZ 85048

Frank N. Magid Associates:

Magid is constantly looking for top-quality producers for its 140 client stations. Send resume and letter to:

• Barbara Frye
  Director of Talent Placement
  Frank N. Magid Associates
  1 Research Center
  Marion, Iowa 52302

Talent Dynamics:

Talent Dynamics is responsible for producer, management and talent recruiting for nearly 200 television stations and television program producers. Led by veteran head hunter Sandra Connell, the Talent Dynamics staff serves the client stations of Audience Research & Development, the Dallas-based consulting firm, as well as other clients. TD's web site includes job listings broken down by market size. Send letter, resume and a 1/2" videotape representing your producing skills to:

• Sandra Connell
  Talent Dynamics
  8828 Stemmons
  Dallas, TX 75247

ProducerSolution.com:

There's a new service available for television producers, and the stations who want to hire them. ProducerSolution.com is a new high tech headhunting venture that promises to match "good jobs and good people." Best of all, it's free for any producer! The folks behind the idea are New York-based Dawn Webb, formerly of RNN-TV, and Scott James of JBA, Inc., Media Consulting in San Francisco. The site also features a way to subscribe to the free IdeasADVANTAGE Newsletter. Each week it highlights breakthrough stories from news organizations across North America. Contact:

• 70 Broadway Kingston
  New York, NY 12401
  (914) 339-3012
  
  
• JBA, Inc., Media Consulting
  960 Natoma Street, Suite #4
  San Francisco, CA 94103
  (415) 552-3481

Reports on salaries, benefits and the status of minorities and women can be accessed from web sites by Vernon A. Stone, Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri. The careers report includes a photo of a producer, and the one on interns shows an intern assisting in graphics:

• Television and Radio News Research
• Pros and Cons of Broadcast News Careers
• Paid and Unpaid Internships

Deborah Stanley has written a book called How to Get a Job in TV News. It's a self-published book that is targeted at college sophomores, juniors and seniors. She speaks mostly from her personal experiences in job-hunting. Her approach to finding a job is aggressive and organized, and there are lessons in it for everyone, although you may not be interesting in duplicating her results (8 jobs in 5 years). People who are already in the business and want to move to another job may also be able to use some of Stanley's techniques. You can order the book by sending $12 plus $3.50 postage and handling to:

• Deborah Stanley
  2502 Babcock Road, Suite 1207
  San Antonio, Texas, 78229