Careers in Broadcasting

Part I

It takes talent, training, dedication, persistence, self-confidence and a bit of luck to carve out a career in a competitive field like broadcasting. In this section we'll look at what it takes to launch a successful career.

Although this information is aimed toward finding a job in the television field, the information presented is relevant to any job in the media.

If I can speak personally for a moment, I have been involved in broadcasting for several decades--as a radio announcer at several stations, as a so-called TV personality, as a producer-director of thousands of hours of TV programming, and as a university professor. In the latter capacity I watched some of my students work up through the ranks to become producers of TV series and feature-length films.

Others found the going too rough, abandoned their dream, and found employment elsewhere.

What made the difference? Probably eight things.

1. Motivation In any competitive field you must really want to make it. This type of motivation does not waver from week-to-week or month-to-month, but is consistent and single-minded. In short, you must stay focused on your goal.

2. Personality Although admittedly a vague term, it encompasses several things. First, since television is a collaborative effort, it requires an ability to work with others to accomplish professional goals.

Included in this category is attitude. In this context we're definitely not talking about someone who "has an attitude." We're talking about the general demeanor of individuals, how they accept assignments, whether they are pleasant to work with, and how they take suggestions or criticism.

There is often considerable pressure in TV production, and thin-skinned individuals who can't detach themselves from their work and take constructive criticism are in for a bumpy ride.

3. Knowledge and skills Producers and directors look for individuals who know how to solve problems on their own, how to use the technology to its best advantage, and who can be relied upon to "make it work."

Excuses for not getting the job done right and on time are generally viewed as an admission of failure. Keep in mind that TV is a competitive business and employers know they can rather easily replace people who don't meet their expectations.

4. Creativity Although we've been trying to define this for centuries, it involves looking at things in new ways, and getting your audience to see and experience things from fresh perspectives.

The more thoroughly you understand the television medium the better chance you will have of using it in interesting, creative ways.

5. Willingness to sacrifice for your goals In highly competitive fields the supply of job applicants exceeds the number of job openings. For starting positions this means that employers may offer low starting salaries.

Those who stick it out and "pay their dues" can end up working in a field that is exciting and satisfying. For many people, doing something they enjoy throughout their lives is more important than making more money in a job that they dread to face each morning.
And for those whose honed skills are in demand, the financial rewards can eventually be very great.

But, if your main goal is to have a predictable, 9-to-5 job with optimum stability, the field of broadcasting will probably not a good choice. There is much uncertainty in the field, and the hours you may have to put in can take a toll on a social life and marriage.

In doing documentary work you may be away from home for days or weeks at a time. In news, you may be called out on a story at any hour of the day or night. Some areas of news, such as being a foreign correspondent, can even be dangerous.

6. An aptitude for working with words and pictures Successful television writers, directors, and artists have an aptitude for images and an ability to visualize their ideas.

Although television is largely visual, at it's core it's word-based. We have to clearly communicate our ideas to sponsors, cast, and crew in the form of proposals, scripts, and instructions. An ability to write and communicate well is directly related to success.

7. Reliability and an ability to meet deadlines If you can't be relied upon to get the job done within the assigned time, your chances of getting future assignments will rapidly diminish—and eventually become nonexistent.

To avoid costly overtime expenses in one union production facility, engineers were instructed to shut down all equipment precisely at the end of the scheduled time. Late starts, the need to redo segments, etc., had to somehow be made up by the director before the end of allotted production time.

8. Lifelong learning   If you assume that when you get out of school you will know all you need to for lifelong success here's a news flash: That's not the way it works.

Although formal education is useful and it may enable you  to "get in the door," most students say that it's only when they come face-to-face with on-the-job experiences that they really start learning about their profession.

And, it doesn't even end there.

The electronic media fields change very rapidly. It's the people who keep up with developments as reported by newspapers and "the trades" (professional magazines and journals) that are in the best position to take advantage of the latest developments.

Even something as simple as knowing how to make best use the latest computer program can give you an important competitive advantage.

And, of course, successful news people tend to be "news addicts"—constantly reading about current events. If reading newspapers and newsmagazine, and "being in the know" doesn't interest you, you may want to examine your interests and goals.

On-Camera vs. Behind-the-Camera

It seems as if the majority of students who become interested in television as a career want to be seen on-camera. But the majority of jobs are behind-the-camera.

This means that on-camera jobs are extremely competitive and far more difficult to land than production (behind-the-camera) jobs.

Most on-camera jobs are in news. It's not unusual for a news director or personnel manager in a major market (geographic area) to get 50 resumes a day for an advertised on-camera news position. Even when there is no opening, applications may come in on a daily basis. Most of these people have a college degree and are experienced in news.

Even small market stations that pay low salaries receive many applications from people who want to gain experience in hopes of moving to a larger market in a few years.

Depending on the station (and the union restrictions), it's sometimes possible to start out behind the camera and then move on to an on-camera position. Small stations occasionally provide this opportunity. More than one behind-the-camera person has been given this opportunity when an on-air person was on vacation or suddenly became ill.

Things are a bit easier behind the camera, especially for those who have production experience. With minimal experience you must be willing to start out with a simple, low-paying job. The joke about some of the best people in the industry starting out in the mail room contains a lot of truth. Many did. If you have what it takes—primarily the things covered in these modules—you can count on moving up.

But, whatever your goal, it's best to have a "Plan B." In other words, adequately prepare yourself for a job in a second area. You may have to rely on this to pay the bills while you are waiting for the kind of job you want.

This "Plan B" may be a non-broadcast job (we covered those in the last module), or it may be in a completely different field. This secondary field should be considered when you decide your college minor.

Without a college education you may "get in the door" with a basic job assignment; however, your chances for promotion, especially to a supervisory capacity, will be limited. 

Although some successful people brag that they made it without a college degree, keep in mind it was much easier a decade or two ago when they probably got their start.

With a host of new college graduates to choose from each year, employers can now easily specify a college degree as a job requirement. You may find some helpful information on college scholarships, awards, etc., at the Broadcast Education Association Web Page.

Today, most of the top executives at TV stations even have a master's degree.

What should you major in while in college?

Well, it certainly helps to major in a field that will directly apply to your aspirations: Telecommunications, Broadcasting, TV Production, Broadcast News, etc.  

A survey of new hires in TV news found that the vast majority (94%)  majored in either broadcast news or journalism/mass communication.

Although the percentage would be lower in other areas of TV, majoring in the field at least shows a prospective employer that you have been preparing to go into this field, and that it wasn't just a last-minute decision.

For a minor you might consider Political Science or Sociology if you are interested in TV News. If you eventually want to end up as a producer-director or manager, consider a minor in Business or Management. A minor in Psychology or Social Psychology would be helpful in any of these areas.

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