The Case for Ramen Noodles

So I had an intern ask me (in a roundabout way) the dreaded "money question". As in, "how much money am I going to make when I start working for real?" The sad fact of the matter is, you might be better off as an intern.

Here's the deal... every station I have worked at has been rated #50 or below market-wise. These are the markets most broadcasting students will start out in. I will start out by telling you how much you can make in a market like Binghamton, New York -- and then we'll work up from there.

In Binghamton (market size 157), a producer starts out at around $22,000 a year. A reporter may or may not make more than that. Usually the starting salary for a reporter in this market varies from $20,000-$24,000.

Let's move on to Syracuse. Syracuse is market 79. A producer in Syracuse will start out at around $24,000-$28,000. A reporter can start out at as high as $29,000. These are just out of school positions. Frankly, you're not going to get much higher than market number 75 for your first job.

If you decide to go to network first, you'll almost always without fail, start out as a desk assistant. I have had a few friends who started out as desk assistants, and although this number is a few years old I'm accounting for inflation.

If you start out as a desk assistant at one of the major networks in NYC you'll make between $35,000-$40,000 a year.

This is not a scare tactic at all for you folks looking smack dab at your first job. It's the sad truth. The deal is this: There are thousands of eager students just like you looking for jobs. Although you may differentiate yourself from the pack, stations will NOT pay top dollar for your talents.

Job searches (especially for reporters) typically last for four to six months. These are the types of jobs you get after that search is over. You are a dime a dozen at this point in your career.

Here's the upside though: If you're good, you can move up fast. Especially if you're a good producer. Reporters have a little bit more tough sledding than producers do. Even bad producers do okay, because they are in such demand.

So let's look at some larger markets (relatively).

Since I worked in Scranton, I can discuss that market with some knowledge. Scranton is market #53, but it plays a bit smaller. An aging population in a former coal town doesn't make for great money.

Reporter in Scranton (2-3 years experience): $32,000-$39,000
Producer in Scranton (2-3 years experience): $29,000-$38,000

So, you're making a bit more money in Scranton, but not a ton. So let's look at an up and comer like #43 Las Vegas (where I was offered a job a long time ago). By the way, just five years ago Las Vegas was #51 in market size. It is growing RAPIDLY.

Reporter in Las Vegas (3-5 years experience): $41,000-$50,000
Producer in Las Vegas (2-4 years experience): $38,000-$50,000

Remember, it's not until the much larger markets where reporters make substantially more than producers. And typically that isn't even the case anymore.

So, although the money goes up, it isn't until you've made it into Top 20 markets where you will start making a decent living. As a producer, most of you should be looking at moving up the corporate food chain in your third job. Senior Producer, Executive Producer, Assistant News Director, News Director, General Manager. That's basically what you should be striving for throughout your career. Same goes for reporters, but in my time in the industry it seems like producers get more opportunity to move up the ranks, because they are constantly in the newsroom.

As for reporters, you should (unless you really love being on the street reporting -- which many people do) be striving for an anchor position. Anchor's tend to make a good deal more money because they are (for better or worse) the "face" of that particular station.

If you are a junior or senior in college -- let me give you two websites you'll want to look into. One is tvjobs.com the other is newsblues.com NewsBlues is a gossip rag that tells what is going on in the industry. It's fun to read, but it also contains a lot of valuable information. tvjobs.com should become your job bible. It is where you go to find out what jobs are open, and where to send your stuff to get the job.

Also interesting is medialine.com or talentapes.com especially if you're a reporter. A lot of times ND's will peruse these sites, looking for good reporters.

In short, for your first job plan on eating a lot of Ramen noodles, and living in a one bedroom apartment. That't the long & short of broadcast journalism. Hope it helps some of you.

The Internship Warehouse....

If you've had me in class or as your advisor, you've heard me say "internships are the most important aspect of your college life." At least, I wish it came out like that. In class I probably swore a few times, and cussed about the "industry". In any case, for those of you who are doing internships right now -- here are a few things you'll want to think about in the midst of the internship experience:

1) Am I happy doing what I'm doing right now?

This is a big one because frankly, what you're doing in your internship is probably what your first job would be like at the place you're interning. If you don't like it, it might be time to think about interning at a different place for your next internship.

2) Am I getting out of this internship what I wanted to?

Again this is another big one. Think back to when you first started your internship. Did you think: I REALLY want to get coffee and make copies constantly. If you did, than read no further. If you didn't, than you need to let your site supervisor know that you are feeling under-utilized, and that you really were hoping you could help out with whatever. As I said in a previous post, many site supervisors are also a reporter/producer/editor, etc... Sometimes they don't have all the time in the world to figure out stuff for you to do that would be beneficial for you. Be upfront and honest with your supervisor, without being snotty or arrogant. Remember, in a newsroom, you are the lowest form of life right now. Be gracious in everything you do.

3) Talk to your site supervisor about your goals on a weekly basis.

This also means asking for advice and listening to your supervisor's war stories. Believe me, it helps to listen and learn. These people (for the most part) know what they're talking about. As an aside, I've noticed that students in college right now rely so much on e-mail, etc... to settle everything. One of the most important skills to learn in an internship is "people skills." Learn how to manage situations with those you work with in a face to face, upfront manner. It can be tough to do, but it is SO much better than e-mail. And those in the woking world right now, who are my age or older expect face to face talks about sensitive things. Never e-mail a complaint, it shows that you don't know how to stick up for yourself in person.

Okay... deep breath -- back to the topic at hand. If you chat with your supervisor each week, tell them what you want to be doing. "Hey, I'd really like to sit in on the morning meeting" or "I would love to learn how to edit!" whatever it may be, let them know so they can help you achieve your goals.

4) NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK

Probably the most important thing you can do at an internship. Since you've honed your people skills at this point, you've had a few drinks with co-workers, and you truly feel like you're part of the team it's time to kick it into overdrive. As the end of your internship nears, you've got to start trying to make a relationship that will last longer than just the summer.

Get e-mail addresses, but also get work phone numbers. It's important to keep in touch with these people. If there's one thing journalists love, it's gossip. If you network with these people, and keep in touch, and tell them about your career, and the newspaper or TV station you're working for now, they'll eat it up. You would be AMAZED at how many people your site supervisor knows. They will help open doors for you if you keep in touch with them. One of the best things I can do for students, or people starting out (and it's the same for site supervisors) is help get them that first job. We were all in that position once, and know how hard it can be. Using your site supervisor as a resource is the smartest and best thing you can do as an intern.

As always, write to me... I love to get mail. Anything happened at your internship that you're not sure to handle? Have a funny story you want to share? Send it along and we can talk about it.

The beauty of summertime...

Most of the time during the school year I am juggling about five different things at the same time. Between teaching classes, advising, helping students with resume tapes, and driving an hour and a half each way I don't have a lot of time for leisure activity.

In the summer though, that all changes. This summer I'm trying to get into a few books, watch some old movies, go out to dinner on open patios and grill to my heart's content.

Right now I'm reading "Roots" by Alex Haley. It's a phenomeonal read, and frankly I'm a bit embarassed I never read it before. I also typically like to read two books during the summer, and I've delved into Bob Woodward's massive look into the Bush presidency. It's a good read, but frankly I think it's a bit bulky. That's probably the TV side of me talking.

I just finished a book called "While Europe Slept..." It's a fantastic read about the dangers of radical Islam in Europe today, and how the multiculturalism that has helped shape European attitudes in the past half century may actually lead to its undoing. It's very well done, and frankly convinced me to pursue the subject a bit more vigilantly.

I've also had a chance to watch "On the Waterfront" again, along with "Raging Bull". It may be sacrilege, but I just can't get into "Raging Bull" and I've tried it twice now.

My main hobby this summer (as it is every summer) is grilling. I absolutely love throwing anything and everything on the grill and seeing how it turns out. So there's a look into my life this summer.

Next summer will be much more hectic. I'm planning on doing the principal shooting on a documentary and teaching a class in London.

For my interns this summer, a tip: Push your site supervisors to the limit with your requests to help out and do different things. Don't be pushed into a routine -- it's up to YOU to do the pushing. Remember, it's your internship and it's up to you to make the most of it. Most supervisors won't take the time to engage you unless you take the time to engage them.

As a former intern supervisor, I basically would give my interns menial tasks until they proved they could do those tasks -- and started asking for more. I wouldn't give them any more to do unless they asked.

Here's some work humor for you to end the day. Enjoy!

PS - I'm going to start posting more frequently now that we are closing in on August. If you have a TV topic you'd like me to delve into (especially in regards to resume tapes, etc... let me know. I'd do my best to get to it.

Swept up by Sweeps...

The unending media blitz that is sweeps will be coming to a close shortly. Some people think sweeps months are a good thing, some think it's evil. Every friend I have in the business dread sweeps. It means even more work (to people who are ALWAYS on call, and work typically 10-12 hours a day) and a lot more heat if by chance, you screw up on something.

When I was producing, I looked at sweeps as a chance to showcase what we had been doing throughout the year already. More and more news stations are now sensationalizing sweeps months, to the point that the "news" they are airing can barely pass as news.

Basically sweeps has become a time to flash people as they drive by your station. Show them the goodies, and hope they come back for more. Unfortunately, these goodies rarely deliver. Stories on the dangers of MySpace ad nauseum, or a deep look into what hotel rooms "really" look like (with black light and all) litter the landscape of TV news during sweeps. Hell, if you're lucky a reporter might even take a taser shot for your viewing enjoyment. Is any of this journalism? Not really. Basically, it's scare tactics meant to tittilate and excite.

I agree that MySpace is an interesting social experiment, and there definitely is a dark side to it... and there are sex offenders lurking there. But what about the sex offenders who live in your neighborhood... Level 3 sex offenders, who are out of jail because they have been "rehabilitated"; or because their initial sentence was just much too short for the crime they committed? For instance, there is a halfway house in Syracuse for convicted sex offenders that borders a few local neighborhoods where children are outside playing all the time. I've never seen that on the news -- but I have heard how MySpace predators are ready to pounce on your kids through the Internet about 15 separate times. Yes it's scary, but compared to real dangers, not nearly as important.

Most news organizations are just too lazy or just plain not interested in covering real news, and real problems in their respective cities. It doesn't help when the marketing geniuses latch onto a story, and milk it for all its worth with over the top promos and deep voice guy scaring the bejeesus out of you.

In any case, enjoy the ride that is sweeps month. And while you're doing that contemplate how much you're learning when you see random news guy writhing on the floor after being tasered.

And always, always remember this: The hotel sheets may look clean, but damn there was something nasty going on in there before you reserved your room. Cue the dusco music, dim the lights, and pray for June... when the media whores will go back to doing stories on the latest abandoned house fire.

And with all this sweeps business happening, does it actually change the way news is done? Nope. You'd think the suits at television stations would realize people are tuning them out at record levels, and that maybe a change needed to be made. Instead, the lemmings continue to plow into the ocean, doomed to drown, without ever asking "what are we doing wrong?"

Here's a sobering look at the state of TV news: The Bad and the Ugly

TV Killed the Radio Star...

So first, an explanation. This blog is set up in part because Professor Mike Scully started one, and I thought it was a good idea. It's also a way to keep in contact with many of my students past and present. It's also an outlet to discuss broadcast journalism, and the crossroads the medium is at.

Which segue way's nicely into the name of this blog -- "Thieves and Pimps Running Free." It's actually a line taken from the great Hunter S. Thompson. It's found in his book called "Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s." Here's what he wrote about the TV biz:

The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.

So that's what Hunter S. Thompson thought of TV as it stood back then. Unfortunately it's not much better now. That's also the purpose of this blog; to discuss good broadcast journalism, and bad broadcast journalism.

For your viewing pleasure, here's an example of BAD broadcast journalism: