Reporter/photog was covering a scene and was asked by police to move back. Story and video below:
http://tinyurl.com/bbakge
Maggie L
One of the rare times I'm in the office
Monday, March 16, 2009
News Business: Glass Half Full
And then there's this... thoughts that news isn't dying but just transitioning into a new model.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10196386-93.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10196386-93.html
Layoffs
A local station where I used to worked laid off a lot of good people last week. Layoffs are happening all over. If you're fortunate enough to have a job, it might make some sense to plan for the worst, just in case. I don't mean to be gloomy, but I think we'd all be in a better position to take a layoff if we take a couple precautions. Even in a great economy, good people get laid off or fired in newsrooms for no other reason than a new management team came in and wants to change things up.
My advice?
1. Always have a resume ready.
Keep an updated one in an online email account or somewhere where you can get to it easily.
2. Always have a tape or two handy.
As a producer, you might want to consider recording your shows nightly and then recycle them weekly. My friends last week were escorted from the building the day the were laid off. If you have a stack of recent tapes handy, you don't have to scramble about what to send out. Also, you should be recording show tapes regularly anyway for self-critique.
3. Have a cushion.
Nobody has extra cash, but now, more than ever, pay yourself first. Financial experts say have three months saved. That may seem unreasonable, but even a month helps. Take 5-10% off the top of your check and have it direct deposited somewhere (ING Direct has good rates and it's all online). If the worst does happen, you'll have a little cushion.
4. Network now.
Join Linked In if you haven't already and other social network sites like Facebook. Any way you can stay connected to former coworkers and friends is good. If you hear of openings, send them to people you know. Hopefully they will send them your way as well. Go to seminars like those sponsored by RTNDF, IRE and Poynter when you can to meet people and keep your skills sharp.
My advice?
1. Always have a resume ready.
Keep an updated one in an online email account or somewhere where you can get to it easily.
2. Always have a tape or two handy.
As a producer, you might want to consider recording your shows nightly and then recycle them weekly. My friends last week were escorted from the building the day the were laid off. If you have a stack of recent tapes handy, you don't have to scramble about what to send out. Also, you should be recording show tapes regularly anyway for self-critique.
3. Have a cushion.
Nobody has extra cash, but now, more than ever, pay yourself first. Financial experts say have three months saved. That may seem unreasonable, but even a month helps. Take 5-10% off the top of your check and have it direct deposited somewhere (ING Direct has good rates and it's all online). If the worst does happen, you'll have a little cushion.
4. Network now.
Join Linked In if you haven't already and other social network sites like Facebook. Any way you can stay connected to former coworkers and friends is good. If you hear of openings, send them to people you know. Hopefully they will send them your way as well. Go to seminars like those sponsored by RTNDF, IRE and Poynter when you can to meet people and keep your skills sharp.
Business is Bad
Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism put out its state of news media. It's not looking great for local news. Apparently ad revenues were down 7% last year (in an election year!). Interesting stuff...
http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm
http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2009/index.htm
Thursday, March 12, 2009
P.S. On Small Versus Big Market
I forgot to add a really important point: when making a decision on where to move, consider management, not market size. I cannot emphasize this enough. I would MUCH rather be in a small market with awesome management than a large market with goofballs running the show. A good shop is worth a lot no matter what its market size. There are great managers is big markets too, but don't let market size alone drive your decision making or your career.
There is also something to be said for people who produce in their hometown, no matter what its market size. You are doing your community a great favor in that you care enough about your town to stay and make sure the news is covered and presented correctly. It is no understatement to say that as someone who grew up or has lived in the community, you are a huge asset to your newsroom. You have something to bring to the party! And sometimes you pass up lots more money to do so!
There is also something to be said for people who produce in their hometown, no matter what its market size. You are doing your community a great favor in that you care enough about your town to stay and make sure the news is covered and presented correctly. It is no understatement to say that as someone who grew up or has lived in the community, you are a huge asset to your newsroom. You have something to bring to the party! And sometimes you pass up lots more money to do so!
Small Versus Big Market
The main difference between small and big markets is help (and pay)!!!
With small markets, you are struggling to write the show yourself, make sure you know what's going on with the reporters, are we covering that shooting?, etc., etc. Basically, you have your thumb in everything. The higher market you go, the more help you get and the more narrow your job description becomes. So for example, in Phoenix, I had two or three writers and an Executive Producer. The EP and I split duties. I might look through the scripts the writers wrote and the EP would take reporter scripts. Or vice-versa. Or some of each. I'd write opens and teases and give them special treatment. We'd both be on the phone with reporters. We'd both take care of anchor concerns, depending on what it was. I was VERY lucky in that all the EPs I've work with have been rock solid and taught me a lot. Also, we were generally of the same mind so that I never felt like I wanted to do something and then got vetoed. My writers were pretty sharp too. Some wanted to be reporters, others wanted to be producers. Either way, it was nice to have the help. I would still write, but I'd be able to focus on other things a little more.
The higher up you go, the more you are concerned with the overall look and feel, concept and content of the show. You're not just cranking it out, you're also trying to give it an overall brand, graphics, etc. In my opinion, you should also be the catcher of potential tragedies, double-checking everyone's work (including your own) to make sure everything is running smoothly.
When I got to Philadelphia, I was a field producer (I filled in on a show a few times and did a couple specials). The show producers were still more focused on overall show stuff. There was one manager to run the crews (so 15 people aren't calling each crew), one manager to approve reporter scripts, and one manager who oversaw all other show scripts. There was also a staff of professional writers (meaning people of the producer's experience or more who chose to write instead of show produce). Each reporter would be assigned a writer who's responsiblity, in addition to everything else, was to write the intro for the reporter as well as make sure their pkg came in ok.
The Philly station was also interesting in that it was a union shop. As producer, in the booth, you didn't talk to talent. By that I mean, you couldn't give them direction (like wrap!!). You talked to the person who then talked to talent. That part seemed a little goofy, but in larger markets (including Phoenix) you often have someone who handles your liveshots for you in the booth. The thinking is that you have a lot of them and must manage the rest of your show. This is especially helpful when you have major breaking news and you're doing a lot of juggling.
Also in bigger markets you get better toys (chopper, multiple live trucks, sat truck, killer studios with a million fun places to put your anchors, editors dedicated to making your opens and teases look like they have rock star quality).
But the best part of bigger markets is you finally get paid. After years of eating Top Ramen and Peanut Butter, you may actually be able to buy a house and take a (well deserved) vacation.
That said, if you are a control freak (and most of us are) it can be hard to let go of some responsiblities.. and transition away from skills (like writing) that got you interested in producing in the first place.
With small markets, you are struggling to write the show yourself, make sure you know what's going on with the reporters, are we covering that shooting?, etc., etc. Basically, you have your thumb in everything. The higher market you go, the more help you get and the more narrow your job description becomes. So for example, in Phoenix, I had two or three writers and an Executive Producer. The EP and I split duties. I might look through the scripts the writers wrote and the EP would take reporter scripts. Or vice-versa. Or some of each. I'd write opens and teases and give them special treatment. We'd both be on the phone with reporters. We'd both take care of anchor concerns, depending on what it was. I was VERY lucky in that all the EPs I've work with have been rock solid and taught me a lot. Also, we were generally of the same mind so that I never felt like I wanted to do something and then got vetoed. My writers were pretty sharp too. Some wanted to be reporters, others wanted to be producers. Either way, it was nice to have the help. I would still write, but I'd be able to focus on other things a little more.
The higher up you go, the more you are concerned with the overall look and feel, concept and content of the show. You're not just cranking it out, you're also trying to give it an overall brand, graphics, etc. In my opinion, you should also be the catcher of potential tragedies, double-checking everyone's work (including your own) to make sure everything is running smoothly.
When I got to Philadelphia, I was a field producer (I filled in on a show a few times and did a couple specials). The show producers were still more focused on overall show stuff. There was one manager to run the crews (so 15 people aren't calling each crew), one manager to approve reporter scripts, and one manager who oversaw all other show scripts. There was also a staff of professional writers (meaning people of the producer's experience or more who chose to write instead of show produce). Each reporter would be assigned a writer who's responsiblity, in addition to everything else, was to write the intro for the reporter as well as make sure their pkg came in ok.
The Philly station was also interesting in that it was a union shop. As producer, in the booth, you didn't talk to talent. By that I mean, you couldn't give them direction (like wrap!!). You talked to the person who then talked to talent. That part seemed a little goofy, but in larger markets (including Phoenix) you often have someone who handles your liveshots for you in the booth. The thinking is that you have a lot of them and must manage the rest of your show. This is especially helpful when you have major breaking news and you're doing a lot of juggling.
Also in bigger markets you get better toys (chopper, multiple live trucks, sat truck, killer studios with a million fun places to put your anchors, editors dedicated to making your opens and teases look like they have rock star quality).
But the best part of bigger markets is you finally get paid. After years of eating Top Ramen and Peanut Butter, you may actually be able to buy a house and take a (well deserved) vacation.
That said, if you are a control freak (and most of us are) it can be hard to let go of some responsiblities.. and transition away from skills (like writing) that got you interested in producing in the first place.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Email: It's Personal
I touched on this in a previous blog post but it's worth a whole one. If you use your work email address for personal emails, consider this: Any email you send on your work address is company property.
I am a conspiracy theorist who suspects there is some superuser in each company holed up in an office somewhere reading everyone's emails. Even if that's not the case, remember Enron? Like a gazillion employee emails were posted online when the company imploded. For an article on it... http://tinyurl.com/bs5oyd
I am a conspiracy theorist who suspects there is some superuser in each company holed up in an office somewhere reading everyone's emails. Even if that's not the case, remember Enron? Like a gazillion employee emails were posted online when the company imploded. For an article on it... http://tinyurl.com/bs5oyd
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