Television work is interesting and it can be hectic and fast paced at almost every level, but most of the people who are involved in this industry cannot imagine a job where they would be doing anything else. Broadcasting offers a tremendous amount of opportunity to establish yourself as a producer, reporter, camera operator or anchor, but it is very important that you are able to do the job well at all times. One slip and your job could be in jeopardy and a repeat slip almost guarantees that there is another person in the building already being groomed as your successor.
One of the benefits of working in the television industry is the socializing and networking that you become privy to on any given day. Networking is the way to get your face known, your applications and resumes circulating, and it is the way to connect with the job that you want. Because there are so many guests and performers who are involved in television work, there are always opportunities to meet people and say hello.
There are also promotional events, parties, celebrations, and meet and greets that take place on a fairly routine basis. These types of activities make work and life interesting in the broadcasting and television career fields. Since networking is an art and it has a high profile in television work, the socializing is generally conducted much more frequently than in other businesses. For many employees this routine socializing is what makes their job fun and interesting.
With the increase in television stations, public access channels, cable news networks, and other venues, there has been a rapid increase over the past 10 years that gave a lot of people a jump-start on their career. At present, the new stations have slowed in growth, but that does not mean that the job possibilities are on hold. People who work in television often have very transient work records, because they are willing to go where the money and opportunities are.
In broadcast journalism, many individuals are based on their market size and share. If someone has been working with a very small station in a small town, they will not be leap frogging to success and heading to New York to audition as a major news anchor. What they will have to do is find a job at a television station with bigger numbers and they will try to do well in this job so they can attempt to keep climbing up the ladder to better TV anchor jobs with more visibility and more money. Not only will anchors and reporters make these moves, producers, directors and people who do the camera work all keep their eyes and ears open in hopes of finding a job that offers them a better deal.
Ratings are one of the biggest things that can spin a television career into high gear, especially if you are an anchor, reporter, or an on air personality. When you can create a buzz within the community, either locally or nationally, you will create more opportunity to become recognized and noticed. This is one of the reasons that television workers will volunteer for many charities, benefits, and fundraisers. The activity is for a worthy cause, but it is also a shrewd way to generate a little publicity and visibility. One thing that these on air personalities are very good at is promoting the station that they work for as well as themselves.
If you are interested in learning more about the different disciplines that are involved in the broadcast journalism field, one of the best ways to get some hands on experience is by becoming an intern or a news apprentice. It is usual to find broadcasting majors scrutinizing online lists that are advertising NBC TV jobs or CBS TV jobs. Most television networks have some type of program that will allow broadcast majors and new graduates to work for them for 6 months or more. Most of these jobs will be involved with writing, editing, and camera work or occasionally, even producing.
At the CBS network, there is an apprentice program that will let applicants get a feel for many different areas of television work, and these apprentices who are hired will work with some of the top professionals in the field. Many of the assignments will provide hands on work that tests the candidates, while letting the television network judge what kind of contribution these persons might make to the news team. While these apprentice level CBS TV jobs do not pay a great deal of money, the experience makes the effort worthwhile. In addition, if the applicants complete the apprentice program and are doing well the television network will try to find work for them at the station or with an affiliate.
