AnchorManNick 0 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Right now, I am working on my Bachelors in Journalism...at Mizzou. What do you all think the industry will look like in May? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
first on fox 18 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Bad. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44035 Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaskanews 113 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Layoffs have become the norm. You have to set yourself apart from every other Mizzou/Northwestern/Columbia/whatever graduate. Do you have a tape? Have you worked at KOMU? Interned somewhere else? Oh, and the pay ain't getting any better... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44038 Share on other sites More sharing options...
caliwxdude 254 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Beyond bad, especially if you're planning on going into television news. You're graduating in May, which is when a lot of the financial experts/pundits think we'll start to reach the bottom of this whole monetary mess. After that, it's a slow climb back out of the hole; how long that will take is anybody's guess. If I sound bitter, it's because I am... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44040 Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaskanews 113 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Beyond bad, especially if you're planning on going into television news. You're graduating in May, which is when a lot of the financial experts/pundits think we'll start to reach the bottom of this whole monetary mess. After that, it's a slow climb back out of the hole; how long that will take is anybody's guess. If I sound bitter, it's because I am... Rich you could still be the web editor at KTVA! Just gotta bundle up! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44041 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSSZNews 1052 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Despite all the doom and gloom everyone else is professing, there are still kids right out of college--and not bright bulbs, at that--getting on-air jobs in 70s and 80s markets...because they are *cheap.* If you really want to work in this business right out of college, I hate to say it, but be prepared to work for the lowest bidder. You can then prove yourself and hopefully work your way up to bigger and better things...and paychecks. Other than that, if you can set yourself apart from other graduates both off the air as well as on the air (and sometimes that goes beyond shooting and editing), you should be fine. -T Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44048 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnchorManNick 0 Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 eeek...Thanks for the advice? i guess. but everyone keeps saying all this, but what will set me apart that others DONT have...the web right? I have web experience. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44064 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbhcity 3 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I would always keep my options open. Try as many different fields as possible. I like B-casting, but I also like other things. Sure everybody loves to b and m about how things are, but let's face it..optimism can only help sometimes. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44075 Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewsJunkie247 1 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Even though these are tough times and there are layoffs and cuts in many markets, there are still jobs out there in the industry. At the Johnstown/Altoona, PA market (DMA #101), there are reporters at the NBC affiliate (WJAC in Johnstown) and the CBS affiliate (WTAJ in Altoona) that are right out of college and there not good at all. They stumble a lot and they are just bad all around!!! So if you are willing to work hard, you will make it. Just remember: THINK POSITIVE!!!! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44076 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazynetjunkie 34 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 The number one thing management has looked for in most new hires at the past couple stations I've worked (both are top 3 market stations) are people that have multi-job skills.. Even in areas that are almost unrelated at the station. A couple examples from here in Chicago are a meteorologist that's also the station's webmaster and a reporter/anchor that also is promotions writer/producer. This goes with just about most of the other jobs/departments at the station. Going away are the days someone coming to a station to just do one job and one job only. If you really want to stand out, you better learn/know how to do a great number of things around the station, even if you're an anchor/reporter. You can keep thinking positive; however, the reality is TV news business has passed its peak.. The actual number of total positions (not just open positions) in this business are extremely few compared to almost all other lines of work out there. The number of students graduating with some sort of journalism/broadcast/communications etc. degree are many many times more than there are positions for. This is something alot of young people wanting to get into this business don't think about until after they graduate and find out for themselves. You really have to make yourself stand out and I don't mean stand out by being great on camera.. This is a time of cost cutting at most stations. Believe it or not, many stations out there will hire a reporter that really sucks on camera but is also one of the station's web producers and a promotion writer over a reporter that is awesome on camera but ONLY wants to being a reporter and not do anything else at the station. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44106 Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsguy22 59 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 The above posters are right on the mark. Diversify. Multitask. Doing one job just won't cut it anymore. Can you do weather? Produce? Shoot? Report? All four? Even better. Be a jack of all trades and that well help a great deal. Be good at it, and you'll do even better. Just my two cents. Good luck, man. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44112 Share on other sites More sharing options...
90stvland 1 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 So as a person going to college next year hoping to major in broadcast communications, what are some important skills to master in college before heading off in the TV news field? Where is the media trend heading? Are news stations going to continue laying off people and developing "content centers" and 24-hour local news services like WNBC is? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44115 Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsguy22 59 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 So as a person going to college next year hoping to major in broadcast communications, what are some important skills to master in college before heading off in the TV news field? Where is the media trend heading? Are news stations going to continue laying off people and developing "content centers" and 24-hour local news services like WNBC is? First, unless you are going to one of the "powerhouse" J schools in the US, I would major in something else (Political Science, Marketing, something loosely tied to communications) and minor in MassComm or take a decent amount of those classes. This allows you to have an area of expertise in something other than "TV" which can help set you apart, and give you something to fall back on if you decide, ten years down the line, you've had enough of this business. Also, spend every minute that you possibly can inside a tv newsroom while you're in school. You'll learn more there than you might inside the classroom. Pick the brains of experienced journalists in your area. If you don't know any, start making that happen. Aside from learning from these people, these connections may go a very long way to helping you land that first post-college job. Finally, to answer another of your questions, yes, the business is sadly headed to a "doing more with less" approach. Where that leads, who the heck knows. But it's going to be a wild ride. I hope some of this helps. If any of the posters here have any other questions, send me an email. My address is: [email protected] I don't claim to be an expert on anything, but I can try to help in any way I can. Good Luck! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44116 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctnewsjunkie 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Also, spend every minute that you possibly can inside a tv newsroom while you're in school. You'll learn more there than you might inside the classroom. Pick the brains of experienced journalists in your area. If you don't know any, start making that happen. Aside from learning from these people, these connections may go a very long way to helping you land that first post-college job. Honestly, this is THE most important part. You won't understand how a newsroom works unless you're in one. The first thing you'll learn when you step into one is, "forget everything you learned in college." AND... make contacts. Make contacts. Make contacts. Start now. Good luck. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44119 Share on other sites More sharing options...
qunewsguy 377 Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 eeek...Thanks for the advice? i guess. :awesome: but everyone keeps saying all this, but what will set me apart that others DONT have...the web right? I have web experience. My station has 7 reporters on staff. Over half had some sort of web-related reporting experience coming into the job. Sure it helps to throw your hand in in a pinch or if you're at a station where you file for the web as well, but honestly, with most of the web-based reporting and the software available now for stations to use, you could teach a monkey how to do it. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44126 Share on other sites More sharing options...
90stvland 1 Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Thanks for your suggestions and advice. I'm hoping to major in Media Production and minor in marketing..as for spending time in a TV newsroom, I have shadowed a producer twice, so I at least know what goes on inside a news station. It's sad to hear that the media is heading on a downwards trend. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44186 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnchorManNick 0 Posted November 23, 2008 Author Share Posted November 23, 2008 Yea, thanks to all for advice. Hopefully it helps. :awesome: What do you all think of sending current work to ND's and asking for advice? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44254 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctnewsjunkie 0 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Email the ND first. If he/she responds, you'll know instantly that they're open to talking with people... usually a good sign :awesome: Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/4704-jobs-for-august-grad/#findComment-44263 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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