Journalism Conference

This year's RTNDA/SPJ conference in New Orleans looks like a good one. There are lots of heavy hitters speaking and some interesting pre-conference workshops. It's not cheap though-- $275 for early bird registration. But it's a great place (outside of the newsroom) to refresh your skills, learn new ones as well as mix and mingle. Plus, New Orleans is awesome. The conference website is http://excellenceinjournalism.org/

Show Me the Money

I just received a question from someone looking to make a move to a bigger market. The bigger market wanted her to move for less money than she was expecting-- and also take a writer position (that might turn into producer position). My advice to her-- and my advice to you when you're looking at any new position-- is hold out for what you want. Even better-- ask for what you want. Lots of times we assume that when a prospective employer says "Here's what I got for you" that's really all they got. In reality, when a company or manager wants you, they have flexibility to find extra cash and/or can shuffle things around in your favor. The number they mention can be just the first offer in a neogitiation. Remember, the only negotiating power you really have is when you're coming in to a new shop. An example from my own experience-- I moved up markets and thought I had made a good deal for myself. Then I met and became friends with the gal who did the exact same show across the street at the competition. She was making $10,000 more than me and that was before overtime (did I mention I wasn't getting overtime?). I felt like an idiot and stewed about it. But who's fault is it if you're not getting paid what you're worth?

To that end, I just read a decent TV related money book-- from the co-anchor on "Morning Joe." It's "Knowing Your Value" by Mika Brzezinski. In it, she details her job related money mistakes and offers tips from experts. An even better book is "Women Don't Ask." It's targeted to women, but it can be helpful to anyone. Basically the premise is that women, more than men, don't like to negotiation and that this cuts them out of big bucks. For a sampling of just how much you'll lose if you don't negoitate well, check out the scary sampling of stats on their website.
Here's a teaser:
"By not negotiating a first salary, an individual stands to lose more than $500,000 by age 60—and men are more than four times as likely as women to negotiate a first salary."

Additional Journalism Training Resource

In addition to Poynter there's another good online resource for training. It's the Reynold's Center for Business Journalism. Granted, a lot of the seminars may be too specific for the news you're covering, but I just took a seminar on Search Engine Optimization-- basically, how search engines like Google find your articles or blogs online. Many of the articles/seminars may be bsuiness specific but could be potentially applied to any beat. Worth a look!

Don't Let this Happen to You

A reader in Arkansas sent this my way. A group of TV folks there made a video that made it to YouTube. Part of the video was shot in the newsroom. F-bombs are plentiful. You can read more about it here


We live in an age where it's really, really easy to make a video and post it. So be really, really careful before you post any pic or video.

Ask yourself:

1. Will this project reflect poorly on me or the station?
2. Would I be comfortable showing this to my boss? (Because they WILL see it. It's inevitable)
3. Would I be comfortable having a future boss judge me based solely on the content of this? (You may put a resume out and you never know why you didn't get a phone call back)
4. Would I want my mom to see this?

These rules extends to anything you put on Facebook, MySpace, etc. You may think this stuff is private, but it's not. When you take a job with a company, they own you. Anything you do can potentially impact their brand. It even extends beyond that---I had a friend fired because she was working a part-time waitressing job outside of work. Apparently, any outside employment had to be cleared in advance.

So be careful! Take a second to think before you do anything. What do you lose by not taking part in whatever it is? It's probably not as bad as losing your job.

Using QR Codes

You may say, what's a QR code? Basically it's a bar code that acts as a hyperlink. You point your iPhone at it and boom, it pulls up a corresponding web page.

This article has info on how to use them to your advantage. I'm playing with it...

Put QR codes on your business cards

The Next Job

There is a huge need for producers because there aren't a whole lot of people who want to do it (comparatively). I've said that for any reporter opening, news directors get dozens of tapes, but for any producer opening, they'll get like, four. And half of those may not be qualified. Stations cycle through producers because producers get hired away by other markets and/or get promoted into management positions. So! Good career choice. As a producer, your career is golden!

As for tapes, I've usually just recorded whole shows and sent them out. I'd try to record your show every night. Save one if it's good, but keep recording each night (as an aside, review your show the next day so you can self-critique). I've always liked being able to send an interested news director my tape with a note that says-- here's last night's show. As in, I don't have to save up a good show for you, I do good work every day of the week. On the other hand, if you have a kicking show-- by all means send that. Just make sure it's recent.

TVJobs.com is a good place to look for job postings. You can also target markets. Say you're dying to get to Austin. Call each station-- you guys looking for producers? Find out who the news directors are and send them tapes with a note: "Hey, I know you're not looking for anybody now, but keep me in mind if something opens up. If you have a sec, I'd love your feedback on my tape." I have no pride when it comes to looking for a job. But you'd be amazed how many news directors will chat with you even if they don't have an opening.

How I got my jobs:
In HS, a reporter came by our school for a story. I attached myself to her and asked if they needed any help. She said call the news director. I did and they needed someone to rip wire (AP wire stories came over printing machines and you'd have to monitor it to make sure you weren't missing breaking news) and do beat checks.
By the time I went to Cincinnati for college, I had a year experience. I hounded each of the TV stations there and one of them had an opening for a PA.
After college... FOX was starting news at its local affiliates. I had a friend who got hired there. She put in a good word and I got hired as a weekend assignment editor/weekday field producer.
Next, Phoenix. I targeted Phoenix as a market where I wanted to go. I hounded the news directors and eventually (within a year) something opened up at a station I liked.
For my job in Philly, it was just an ad on TV jobs I think. They called and like me.
Finally, for my current job, I found out about it through a friend and he recommended me.

I think the common denominator is just being persistent and not taking it personally if you get blown off. For a lot of postings, they may already have someone in mind but they have to post it anyway for legal reasons.

A great way to find out about jobs is through friends/former coworkers. Since you've been in your newsroom, there have probably already been people who have moved on. Keep in touch. Over the years, you may hear of something they're interested in. Tell them about it. Hopefully they'll do they same for you. I have also enjoyed going to meetings/classes through professional organizations like RTNDF and IRE. They're great places to learn and meet people. Again, stay in touch. You never know when they'll have an opening-- or, your station might-- and you can help someone good get a job in your shop.

What news directors are looking for? Warm bodies. Just kidding. Really-- it depends on the news director. I'd say if you're looking at a specific station, you obviously want to do your homework. Check out their station's website. What kind of feel does it have? Is it a real hard news place or does it do a lot of lifestyle pieces? See if you can watch a newscast online or get a tape. You want to get a sense of their culture so that you can tailor your pitch to them. More importantly, see if the shop is a good fit for you. If you live and breathe spot news and they're doing stories on "do these jeans make my butt look fat," it may not be a good fit. Sometimes, news directors have you critique a showtape. I love doing this, but it can be tricky. You want to offer enough criticism to show you have something to bring to the party but not so much that you sound like a cocky idiot. I tend to fall on the cocky idiot side.

I think most news directors are looking for someone who is sharp, innovative and organized. You have to be able to play well with others and problem solve. In terms of shows, I think it's important to stress that you enjoy spot news and don't have a problem juggling a rundown at the last minute. Be aggressive in terms of news. Don't be afraid to change things. Some producers put their rundowns in at 5pm and nothing changes till ten pm. That's unconscionable and lazy. Embrace change. Find the freshest stuff to put in your show. But also look for places to "produce" your show. Sometimes in smaller markets, you don't have any help and it's all you can do to write your show and get it on the air. Maybe give special attention to your open/headlines or teases. Always give the top of your show special attention because it's the news director's (and viewer's) first impression of you. Do what you can. Eventually, you'll be in a market where you have some help and you can focus on the "look" of your show as well as the content.

Checking out Job Leads

Unless you have a REALLY good relationship with your employer, I would advise against informing them that you're checking into/talking with someone else about a new job. Employers can be highly sensitive about the prospect of losing you, especially to a competitor. And unless you have an offer on the table-- what's the purpose of telling them? What do you expect them to do with that information? In this unstable economy, with layoffs both at the network and local level, it doesn't make sense to arm your employer with information that might help them usher you out the door.

This is doubly true if you're under contract. The terms of your contact may preclude you from contacting a prospective employer or them from contacting you. Many contracts have a "right of first refusal," meaning, your current employer has the right to negotiate with you first before you open it up to other offers. Talking with a competitor may be a violation of your contract. TV companies are very serious about this stuff. They can and will take you to court over infringements, although, this seems to be a lot more common with talent as opposed to producers.

One possible exception to the rule is if the new job possiblity is within your own company. Some companies are very gung ho about promoting from within. Still, tread lightly, because your immediate supervisor may not be so gung ho at the prospect of losing you, having to hire your spot and then training someone new.

Should You Stay Or Should You Go Now?

I got an email from someone with a contract coming up. The million dollar question-- stay or go? Tough question. It always makes sense to check out other options. It never hurts to cast your net. Check with friends/professional organizations. Check tvjobs.com. Cold call markets where you're interested in moving. See what's out there. You can always use a new offer to help your negotiating position. Sadly, TV stations don't give employees raises just because they're good workers. They give you a good raise when you have another offer.

However. There's something to be said for staying put, especially now. It might make some sense to do some digging both on what your company is doing and also what any company you're interested in is doing. For example, is your company laying off people in other markets? Does the new company have a history of laying people off when it gets tight or does it cut overtime instead? How fat is the old or new company? Reading the WSJ might not be your cup of tea, but it pays to be informed about the overall health of your and other media companies as well as the industry as whole.

Again, always have a resume and demo ready, just in case. Stay in touch with people and send info their way so they'll do the same. It's a scary world out there with a lot of good people in local and network being laid off-- so there's a lot of talent out there for the open jobs that are being filled.

TV News, This is Your Future

CNN is expanding its bureau system... with "all-platform" journalists planted at affiliates. Here's the NY Time's take on it. Interesting... all the more reason to learn new skills.

http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/cnns-strategy-bureaus-out-flexible-journalists-in/

Stalk Your Next Market

Some of you would like to work in a particular market. Fortunately, you decided to become a producer, so your odds are good. Here's how to make it to that market...

Call each assignment desk and find out who the news directors are. If you feel comfortable, I'd ask if they have producer openings. You might get a chatty desk person who can give you good info and scoop on the station. You'll feel stupid doing this, but who cares? They don't know you.

Send each of the news directiors a tape and a note saying-- "Currently, I'm a bad ass producer in XYZ but I'm looking to relocate to the your market. Enclosed is a tape. I'll be in town on blah blah blah and if you have a few minutes, I'd love to meet with you."

Even if there is no opening, I guarantee you, there will be. You will get calls for meetings. This is because, not only are GOOD producers hard to find, even mediocre ones are rare. No one wants to produce! And the ones who do move to bigger markets or get promoted to EP. I think I have mentioned this before, but most news directors get dozens of tapes for reporter openings, but only a handful for producer openings, and many of them aren't qualified. So if you have experience and a decent tape or cd, send it! What do you have to lose?

Prior to the meetings, google each of the news directors to get a sense of who they are. Maybe you went to the same school or worked in the same market at different times. Also, check out the station's websites to get a sense of their product. Definitely watch the product before you go in and take notes to critique.

I'd also call everyone you know to see if they know anyone in the market.

Mantra for Many Newsrooms: Do More with Less

How frightening is it that more and more newsrooms are being asked to do more-- a lot more-- with a lot less? I feel for you producers and crews who are stuck holding the bag after someone higher up the food chain decided to magically add an extra half hour without adding any extra resources. That said, unless you have just received a good job offer elsewhere, you'll need to suck it up and move on.

Try to have the attitude- this really sucks, but how can I make it work? Time to open up your creative thinking. Talk to as many people who make the product as you can. Talk to people outside your market. I've found if you pose a general question or goal to people, and leave it wide open, they can often offer up solutions you'd never come up with on your own.

That is your goal. Find solutions to make your show look better and your team feel better. The muckety-mucks upstairs aren't going to be hit on the head and suddenly change their minds, so you have to figure out how to live with it. The solutions you come up with will probably not be ideal-- but it's just like losing your lead off the top of the show-- you have to do something. What's the least bad option?

People in the newsroom are probably ticked off. There is a temptation in situations like these to echo those concerns to management. Resist the urge to do this. It's a losing position for you to be in and quite frankly, your immediate managers may not be in the position to help anyway-- they may be just delivering the bad news.

If you have concerns of your own that you need addressed, always be sure to bring them up along with a solution you have in mind. Never go in just to complain.

Bad:
"Director Bob! How am I supposed to fill another half hour? Are you out of your mind? I can barely fill the time I have already! And you're not even giving me another writer?"

Better:
"Director Bob! I am excited about the expansion of the new show. It brings up a new set of challenges that I think will really help me grow as a producer. I have some ideas for new segments that I'd like to bounce off you. For example, I've talked to the local newspaper movie review guy and he'd be willing to come in as a guest every Thursday. Also, I've talked with Suzy on the desk. She's always wanted to be a writer and is willing to write for me on Wednesdays-- that's the day we have two people on the desk at night. Would that work?"

If you get shot down, don't despair. I find it helpful to follow up with "Oh, ok, do you have some ideas that might work?"

Timing is everything when it comes to talking to the boss. If you're having a major discussion, schedule a meeting. Try to figure out his or her best time. Does he seem slammed in the mornings? Does she seem most at ease after lunch? Notice their best time of day and schedule accordingly.

Understand that news directors get problems dumped on their desk everyday, so if you can come in with a problem you've already figured out how to solve, you're more likely to get buy in and a better solution than if you just came in with a problem.

Find Your Own Replacement

If you want to get promoted into another job or another shift, make it easy for your boss to promote you. Remember from school- how an object at rest stays at rest? That is your boss. He or she is perfectly happy to let you stay in your current position forever. Why? Because to move you means he or she will have to replace you and since you are brilliant, that will be a real pain. So make it easy for your boss and help them find your replacement.

If you have writers, groom them to transition into your job. Give them more responsibilty. Have them produce a whole segment (with your supervision). Let them booth a block of your show. This system is a two-fer. It grooms your replacement but also shows your boss you can be a manager.

If you don't have anyone in house, let your fingers do the walking. Start flipping through your rolodex for buds from college or friends you have from other stations or markets. Ask them if they are interested in a producing gig or if they know anyone who is.
Have the interest parties call you and you can walk in their resume to your boss. This is also a two-fer. Once you start making calls like these, you will have people start returning the favor, alerting you to jobs well before they are ever posted.

Networking: Keep in Touch

The great thing about t.v. is that even if you stay at the same station your whole career, everyone else will leave and you will know people across the country. That said, it makes sense to network. A lot of you already do this with college classmates on Facebook or MySpace. In the past, I've also mentioned LinkedIn, which is a business networking website you should check out if you haven't already.

Another great way to network is just stay in touch. If somebody you know pretty well leaves for another station, get their email. Send them the latest gossip from their old shop. If you hear of a job opening, send it their way, even if they might not be interested. They'll be thankful you thought of them and also might return the favor.

I'm a big fan of workshops. The smaller ones are better I think for meeting folks. RTNDF has a Women and Minorities in Management Training seminar that is super. The Investigative Reporters and Editors conference holds a great, reasonable conference where you can meet people. There's also Poynter, State Press Clubs, Unity, National Association of Hispanic Journalists... I could go on and on. Some also try RTNDA's big conference, and LOTS of people disagree with me- but I'm not a huge fan. Even though there are lots of news directors there, I think it makes more sense to meet people who doing the job and can pass on leads to you. My current job, for example, I found out about because a good friend already works for the company.

If you don't have a card, get one made. It's easy and non-threatening to exchange cards and then follow up with an email-- "Hey, great meeting you. Here's an article I thought you'd be interested in," or "Do you mind if I send you a tape for feedback?" or "May I get your advice on something?" I try to write down where and when I met the person on the back of a card and sometimes a detail or two about them because I have a horrible memory.

Keep a tape handy

I just heard a friend of mine got let go from his job. He's good at what he does, and, for my money, is a real pleasure to work with. Over the years, I've seen a bunch of good people get fired or laid off. The first was when I was still in college. A new news director came in and within I think a week, three people were gone-- like pack your desk and leave right now. It made quite an impression on it.

Not to scare you, but it makes sense to have a resume and a tape ready at all times, both in case you get canned or moe likely, another station comes calling. If you can, you might also want to have a month to three months in the bank. That way, if the worst happens, you won't have to freak out about paying the rent. Having that money also gives you a tremendous sense of comfort when you are working in a super-stressful shop. As in being able to think, "I could bolt right out of here right now if I wanted to." You won't, but it's nice to know you could.

The other thing is-- as a producer, if you were to get fired or laid off-- good news! You will get hired someplace else immediately. The longer you are in the business, the more you will see complete idiots who keep getting jobs. And that's the idiots! You-- who are talented and actually have a clue-- would be snapped up even more quickly!

Markets big and small

Sorry for not posting in a while. I try to do something new each week. We had the Nasa launch and then the CA wildfires so I got distracted!

In any case, thought I'd talk a bit about market size. I have worked in Ft. Myers, FL, years ago, when it was market 98, Cincinnati- 32, Phoenix- 15, Philadelphia- 4 and now a cable network.

I will tell you that it is the same s- everywhere. It's just a matter of resources, layers of bureaucracy and how much you get paid. Generally, the higher the market, the more toys, more chefs and more moolah. That said, I am a huge believer in "it's not market-size, it's management." That is, if you have good management, it really doesn't matter what market size you are.

In Ft. Myers, I was desk girl. I made beat checks, ripped the wire machine (yes, there was an actual machine that spooled out the latest AP wire) and listened to police scanners. I did this in High School. Our producer wrote the show with the help of anchors and when she went on vacation, the anchors produced the show.

In Cincinnati, I worked at two stations, one in college and another after I graduated. I was a Production Assistant during college. I think each show had two? We helped write, ripped scripts and then ran teleprompter or floor directed. I worked nights mostly so I'd come in and work on one of the early shows, grab food and work on the late one. I also came in on weekends or stayed after my shift or came in before to go out on stories with photogs.During college, computers were introduced to the newsroom. Before that we had typewriters and if an anchor crossed out too much stuff on our script, we'd have to retype it.

Post college, Fox news was beginning news start-ups and I was fortunate enough to be hired on at one of them. I ran the assignment desk on weekends and field produced during the week. Later, I was promoted to weekend producer and then 10pm producer. I think we may have had a writer or two but I remember writing a lot. At the time we only had a one hour show all day long so it wasn't particularly problematic to fill.

In Phoenix, I did an hour 10pm show. I had three writers. Many of them were really talented and got promoted.There was also a "live coordinator" who sat in the booth and coordinated live shots. I thought I had died and woke up in the big leagues.

Finally in local, I worked in Philadelphia. The writers on this show were pros, many of them preferring to write than show produce. I was a field producer in this market but I show produced a couple times and did some live special projects shows. It was a union market which was odd to get used to. In the booth, you don't talk to talent, you talk to the person who talks to talent. Stuff like that.

I think, generally, in smaller markets and unpopular shifts, you get more freedom and control- but less help. As you work your way up the food chain, you have to learn to play with others, which is a good thing.

Last night's showtape

I think you should try to record your show each day. Here's why:

If someone calls you out of the blue, or you see your dream job on tvjobs.com, you can send a letter and resume tape THAT day. I used to do this when I was show producer. It was great to be able to shoot off a cover letter that says, "Oh yeah, and uh, here's last night's show tape." Meaning, I don't have a good show and hold onto it for four months, I do consistently good work every single night.

So what happens if your show is a debacle? I am not advocating this is every case, but an anchor in Cincinnati once encouraged me to go ahead and send the show anyway. Her point? Any monkey can produce a show when things go according to plan. Great show producers can make a show look smooth even when things are falling a part. Just make sure to include notes explaining what you did and why-- and how you, producer of all producers, were able to save the day.

Example: "I wasn't meaning to lead with the Congo Line live shot, but the lead crashed right before we went to it. I went with my backup plan. You'll note that the anchor didn't miss a beat. That's because just before our show, I always tell my anchor and crew what we'll do if our lead were to go belly up."

Even if you don't send out your "nightly" tape, keep one. That way the first thing you can do when you get to work is watch last night's show with fresh eyes. I know this is painful. I HATED watching my shows because I would see a million things I could have done better. But also, occasionally, you'll think, "Eh, not too bad."

Finally, just knowing that you are recording your show and might possibly send it to someone gives renewed enthusiasm for doing your absolute best on every show.

Talking turkey

A friend called me for advice about asking for a raise. In TV, of course, the easiest way to get a raise is to have a job offer elsewhere. In fact, the biggest raises I've gotten have been when I've jumped ship. That said, it certainly doesn't hurt to ask for more money at your current job.

Prior to going into the boss man's office, it helps to sit down and assess your value to the company. Generally, companies don't give you more money because they're nice. They give you more money because they think you add to the bottom line and they don't want to lose you. Has your job changed or have more duties been added? Have you started some new programs or done things on your own that have benefited the company? Sit down and make a list of everything you do. You can bring in the list or not, but I am a big fan of props. I like to bring in a sheet of paper or maybe a tape of my work to say, look, here's what I've done for you. You can also do this for your normal yearly reviews. ((If you don't have one-- schedule one. They handy ways of getting RARE feedback.))

Make an appointment to speak with your boss. Don't just grab him or her in the hallway. Make the appointment for a time when he'll be most receptive. Is your boss happy in the morning but seems to get progressively more cranky during the day? Is your boss overstressed the minute he gets in but mellows when he's watching the show? Book your five minute appointment for whenever he seems happiest. It also helps to talk with a coworker who knows your boss well to see what approach might work best.

You have nothing to lose by asking for a raise. When I was a writer in college, one of our fellow writers marched in to the news director and demanded one. The writer said he could make more money at his old job at the Cracker Barrel. He told the news director as much. The writer came out with a raise. The rest of us were fuming. Why did he get more money and we didn't? It's because he asked. And also because he was willing to walk if he didn't get what he deserved.

One final note. This website might be helpful in your negotiations. It's RTNDF's annual salary survey:
http://www.rtnda.org/pages/research.php

The Art of the Handshake

When I was 20 years old, a sort of jerky Executive Producer with whom I worked did me a great favor. When I shook his hand, he slapped it away and told me my handshake was too wimpy. I imagine the handshake I gave him was a bit like the ones I have received since, from a variety of people- interns to professionals. Mostly women. Their hand just sits there, limply. It says, I have no confidence, feel free to roll right over me. It is not appealing to shake a hand like this. In fact, during an interview on this subject, a business etiquette expert, Pamela Holland (author of, "Help! What That a Career Limiting move?"), told me potential employers put wimpy handshakes above visible tattoos in terms of reasons not to hire you.

The favor the jerky EP did for me was to show me how to give a proper handshake. Connect with your hands, look the guy straight in the eye and give a shake that's firm, but not enough to restrict bloodflow. It will feel really weird at first and you will be self-conscious for a while, but eventually it will become a habit you don't even think about-- until you are on the receiving end of a wimpy handshake.

One final tip-- and I wish I could remember from whom I received it-- when you're circulating at a bar or party, keep your drink in your left hand so when you shake, your shaking hand won't feel cold and clammy.

Contracts: Good for producers?

Are contracts a good deal for producers? I say no way. I have never signed a contract, nor will I. A contract for anchors and reporters is one thing-- they can actually negotiate pay, clothing allowance, etc. For producers, it's just a way to keep us in one place-- and you're generally not getting more money in the bargain. Contracts for producers I think got popular because there's such big turnover. And with good reason. Producers, even bad ones, are hard to find. Hire a good producer and they're likely to get offers to produce in bigger markets or they get promoted into management either at their own or another station.

My take? Don't sign a producer contract. Or at least, never sign anything more than one or two years! You're worth is based on your ability to pick up and leave. It is the only negotiating power you have.

Producing: Good career move?

Show producing at a local level is an excellent career move. Do a quick survey to prove my point. If you're still in school, ask your colleagues how many of them want to become producers. Probably all of them want to be anchors or reporters. At least that's been my experience with interns at the local television stations where I work. Here's how that translates in the job market: for every reporting opening, news directors get stacks and stacks of tapes. For every producer opening? Maybe 3 or 4. And probably only one of those is actually qualified for the job- the rest are a shot in the dark. That's why many tv stations are "growing their own" producers, meaning you start as a writer and work your way into producing. Producers are also a pipeline into management-- and trust me, it doesn't take long.

Even if you want to be a reporter, getting some producer skills can't hurt. There are plenty of small market postings where they need a producer but they're willing to give you some tv time to fill the position. So you may produce a couple days a week and then report the rest.