Time to Jump Ship???

[depth of field]

11111

[Sir Dropham Pants]

It's not a good sign. But unless you're one of the mets or one of the rookie reporters, my advice would be to just keep your head down and do your job.

[wx or not]

Originally posted by depth of field:
is it time to jump ship when your news director has rookie reporters filling in for the meteorologists?If your ND feels it necessary to fill in an integral position with non-qualified individuals, it's time to look outside. What's next could be switching anchors and reporters for no apparent reason, or whatever mood suits your ND that day. As Dropham Pants said, it doesn't look good.

[Marty McFly]

Wow... talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water!

You said 'rookie reporters' were 'filling in' for meteorologists.

1) What qualifies them as rookies?
2) Where were the primary meteorologists? Sick? Vacation? Boycotting?
3) Had the 'rookie reporters' NOT filled in, who would have done the weather forecast?

[Another side]

I'm with Marty ... my question was going to be, "What were the ND's options?"

[TAFKA wacowx]

Marty,

I'm with you as well. I posted something similar as a response to this very thread on the WX side of the board.

There's a reason for the specific wording...wanting all of us to say automatically, that it's wrong. More to this post than meets the eye...

I have had times when I was very greatful for newsie help in weather when I happened to be the only met available in certain situations.

If the ND passed over a met who happened to be readily available in house, then maybe I would have a problem...but we don't know from the details.

[ November 01, 2007, 11:18 AM: Message edited by: The Artist Formerly Known as wacowx ]

[TAFKA wacowx]

Depth of Field,

Looking back at your posting history...

Yes, it's time to jump ship. You obviously can't be happy where you are(or perhaps anywhere else).

You have complained a lot about your shop/coworkers and while you MAY see improvement in another market/station/job...you also may not.

[adam & doctor drew]

if you're that unhappy, yes, you should leave.
life's too short.

[William_Jefferson_Clinton]

Even a Monkey's got chance!
http://www.geocities.com/california_state_unfair2002/bill_clinton2.jpg
They didn't have anyone qualified
at the White House either?

[TAFKA wacowx]

I'm sorry, but you come here and start topics that ask if we feel if what your new director is doing is wrong and we tell you that in some cases it is and some it isn't. You obviously don't like your ND and feel you are not a match for your shop. That's fine. But you may not find it much better in other shops. NDs have priorities in different places and things are often not done the way we want them to be.

In this current situation, could it be that your anchor who did a good job wasn't available? In the same respect that your mets...weather people...need time off, this anchor does too and the only option was to use a younger reporter. In most markets your size, the on-camera weather talent is also 'rookie' and fresh from school. In some cases, even the chief might not be more than a year or two out of school, and in a sense, a 'rookie'.

I apologize for rubbing you the wrong way, but your posting just amounted to a pity party. It wasn't really soliciting advice, just asking if your news director was wrong. I know, we all need to blow off steam sometimes, but you seem to really just not like the way things are done where you are. Maybe you are hoping to see that it's not like this everywhere and wanted immediate regognition that what she did was wrong. You didn't get that, so maybe it's not so bad?

OK...here's a solid answer to what you asked in your second post:

It's OK to have a talk with your ND about the 'rookie'. Approach it like you thought that the 'rookie' didn't work out too well and suggest the anchor do the fill-in. She may indeed say, "I agree, but we were just so short that day I was hoping rookie would have worked out better than he/she did." Or she may say "f-off!" Coming here and stewing over work issues is not going to help you now or in the future. Talk to your news director when you have concerns. Not in a confrontational way, of course, but you may be surprised at her view and perhaps see the reasoning behind the things she had to do. I mean, even without knowing anything about the situation, I noticed a lot of us on the WX side showed you it's OK depending on the situation and happens a lot.

Dr. Phil OUT! :D

[SamG]

Originally posted by depth of field:
i really appreciate advice from someone i don't know. Then what the f--- are you doing asking for advice on an internet message board?

As far as your issues... you signed a contract with the STATION, not with the ND. Therefore, having a new ND is not grounds to break it.

BTW, I'm still at my first station out of college... 17 years later. A "rookie" (IMHO) is someone with less than a year of experience. That might apply with your situation but you don't say. Keep in mind, YOU are a rookie... you say you're a "first time producer".

Does your contract give you any responsibility regarding staffing? I think not. If I were you, I'd keep my head down, do my job, and let the ND's bad decisions bury her.

[Brain Cramp]

Hey, at least your news director uses a reporter. At my last station, the chief meteorologist was required to put in hours and hours training a new, cute ADVERTISING SALES REP on how to be an on-air weathercaster because the SALES MANAGER (not the ND) thought she was hot and should be on TV. I kid you not. The sales rep had never had any experience in front of a camera, in front of a crowd or any kind of public speaking for that matter. They actually put this poor girl on TV one weekend ... again, because the sales manager thought her hotness would attract viewers. She was a disaster, as you can well imagine. She was also embarassed beyond belief (who wouldn't be) and the sales manager who started it all simply shrugged his shoulders and copped the "oh, well" attitude. Pure lunacy.

[Obewon]

Originally posted by Brain Cramp:
Hey, at least your news director uses a reporter. At my last station, the chief meteorologist was required to put in hours and hours training a new, cute ADVERTISING SALES REP on how to be an on-air weathercaster because the SALES MANAGER (not the ND) thought she was hot and should be on TV. I kid you not. The sales rep had never had any experience in front of a camera, in front of a crowd or any kind of public speaking for that matter. They actually put this poor girl on TV one weekend ... again, because the sales manager thought her hotness would attract viewers. She was a disaster, as you can well imagine. She was also embarassed beyond belief (who wouldn't be) and the sales manager who started it all simply shrugged his shoulders and copped the "oh, well" attitude. Pure lunacy.Proving once again my long-standing assertion that management decision making in local TV is nothing more than machine gunning into a dark closet

[Spike]

Or your station could have brought in a couple of guys the GM saw at a talent show to RAP the weather, like that NBC station in Raleigh.

[wxgeek]

Originally posted by depth of field:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by The Artist Formerly Known as wacowx:
Depth of Field,

Looking back at your posting history...

Yes, it's time to jump ship. You obviously can't be happy where you are(or perhaps anywhere else).

You have complained a lot about your shop/coworkers and while you MAY see improvement in another market/station/job...you also may not.thanks a lot doctor phil. i really appreciate advice from someone i don't know. you want details? how about these:

1) no, i wasn't passed over. i'm a first time producer who wants to know if this practice is common, or if it provides further evidence my ND is a whack job.

2) i would go somewhere else, but unfortunately i'm bound by a contract that i signed under an old ND, but one that is still held up by current lawyers. and please, don't try to assume where i'd be happy (see above).

3) we're using rookie reporters (for those of you who asked, i use the word "rookie" to define someone on their first real job, straight out of college)...we're using rookie reporters because management ran off one of our weather people (i don't like the "m" word). because they are slow at hiring people, we need to give the "m"-people some days off. understandable. in fact, i had one of my anchors fill for weather last year. the difference was, he was polished and good. THESE PEOPLE ARE F-ING ROOKIES.

this is the latest in a series of bad decisions made by a new ND since she took over last year. i need to know from seasoned professionals, as yourselves, if i should speak up, or keep my mouth shut until the contract expires.

you must understand, i have to sit in that damn newsroom for 9+ hours everyday dealing with an ignorant EP and ND. i need out! so if i seem a bit harsh, bitter, angry, depressed, etc....it's not me, it's them.

BUT if anybody wants to hire one of the last young producers who can shoot, write, edit, and produce, let me know. i have no qualms about breaking a contract*

*(i haven't broken my contract yet because i have a prospect with a major news organization. but they want me to fulfill my contract since they do business with us)

is that enough details, or should i go on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on.....</font>[/QUOTE]You refuse to call your weather people "meteorologists" but you accuse your EP and ND of being ignorant? Pot, I'd like you to meet Kettle.

[Spike]

Originally posted by wxgeek:
You refuse to call your weather people "meteorologists" but you accuse your EP and ND of being ignorant? Pot, I'd like you to meet Kettle.Maybe they're not actually meteorologists, but just weather people. If you didn't do the physics, do you really deserve the title?

[wxgeek]

Originally posted by Spike:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by wxgeek:
You refuse to call your weather people "meteorologists" but you accuse your EP and ND of being ignorant? Pot, I'd like you to meet Kettle.Maybe they're not actually meteorologists, but just weather people. If you didn't do the physics, do you really deserve the title?</font>[/QUOTE]The post implies that they ARE meteorologists but he doesn't want to give them that title. Obviously, if they haven't done the physics, they don't deserve the title.

[gdiamante]

depth of field, check your PMs.

[Marty McFly]

Originally posted by SamG:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by depth of field:
i really appreciate advice from someone i don't know. Then what the f--- are you doing asking for advice on an internet message board?</font>[/QUOTE]http://www.kamikazemicrowave.com/andrew_ftp/pwnd/owned-bike.jpg

[The Thrill]

Jump ship?

http://theconalt.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/titanic1.jpg

Why? Seems OK so far... :eek:

[Roy Hobbs]

I'd say teevee news looks more like this right now...
http://members.tripod.com/~titanic3/titanic2.gif

...except of course this time the cry is "Women and children last!"

[tom servo]

Originally posted by depth of field:
thanks a lot doctor phil. i really appreciate advice from someone i don't know. you want details? how about these:Well as Dr. Phil might say... What, are you stupid? Your original post is specifically asking for advice from people you don't know.

1) no, i wasn't passed over. i'm a first time producer who wants to know if this practice is common, or if it provides further evidence my ND is a whack job.this shows that you have an axe to grind and will dismiss advice that doesn't go directly toward grinding it.

(i don't like the "m" word).Why? That's what they are, assuming they hold a meterological degree. Maybe they should call you "desk weenie" because they don't like the "p" word?

i had one of my anchors fill for weather last year. the difference was, he was polished and good. THESE PEOPLE ARE F-ING ROOKIES.So your problem is not with meterological competence (it takes a lot more than reading a teleprompter to prepare a forecast), it is with delivery style. It's your first job in a small (presumably) market station. People are going to be unpolished. So are you, and as your coworkers put up with your screw ups, you should put up with theirs. I'm still unclear on something, by the way. I *assume* the anchor did not actually prepare the forecast. If so, who was preparing the forecast, and why did THEY not go on the air with it?

you must understand, i have to sit in that damn newsroom for 9+ hours everyday dealing with an ignorant EP and ND. i need out! so if i seem a bit harsh, bitter, angry, depressed, etc....it's not me, it's them.I would submit that it is, indeed, at least partially you. Your attitude in this thread sucks. If you think getting out of that shop will land you in the La La Land shop of dreams you're out of your mind. There's stupid **** that goes on at EVERY station, even the best ones. You will NEVER escape it. If you can't handle it, you need to get out of the business. Hell you'd be better off anyway, since you'll get paid more pretty much no matter what you do instead.

BUT if anybody wants to hire one of the last young producers who can shoot, write, edit, and produce, let me know. i have no qualms about breaking a contract*Yep. That'll have hiring managers beating a path to your door. "Lessee, if we do something he doesn't like he'll run out on his contract. Yeah, next?"

[adam &amp; doctor drew]

also sounds to me like this person has a VERY high opinion of himself.

[HolyToledo]

The more that Depth of Field writes, the deeper he/she digs his/her hole.

Can ANYBODY be this arrogant AND ignorant?

How does he/she manage to get a 'cast on the air, after devoting so much time to high-pitched whining?

Every one of your responses indicates that the only reason you posted on this board was to seek validation for your "right" to pout and feel "put upon."

In the Dark Ages (Pre-Political Correctness), your bosses and coworkers would haul you in for a little "attitude adjustment." Your superiority complex would be sliced and diced faster than a carrot through a Ronco Veg-A-Matic.

LEAVE, Depth.

Break your contract.

PLEASE.

Your coworkers' attitudes and your newsroom's air product will be so much the better for it.

[newsdoc]

Everybody need to step back and take a deep breath.

Remember, producing a newscast, and putting it on the air, is a "TEAM" effort. Each of you should do your job to the best of your ability, knowing full well that everyday is going to be different. Some are easy, some can be monsters, but it is that "TEAM" that makes it happen.

[wx or not]

Originally posted by newsdoc:
Everybody need to step back and take a deep breath.

Remember, producing a newscast, and putting it on the air, is a "TEAM" effort. Each of you should do your job to the best of your ability, knowing full well that everyday is going to be different. Some are easy, some can be monsters, but it is that "TEAM" that makes it happen.True. However, the more info that Depth has provided leaves me with an impression of Wally, in the Dilbert comic, when a competitor's HR is reviewing his resume, he mentions "So, every single one of your bosses was an idiot?"

[adam & doctor drew]

anynomity is wonderful!

it's even better if you can spell it.

[Clubbeat]

...just that! For starters, do not come on a public message board looking for advice, thenshoot down those who do becasue some of what you stated did not include many details or did not appear to suit what you wanted to hear. (both in your case).

For the record...sounds to me like your contract only includes being a producer. So do just that, stop worrying about what the ND is doing and get your work done. If you're that unhappy, look elsewhere although I'm sure others have already stated here, that the grass isn't always greener on the other side or in other pastures.

Posting on this board is fine as you're dealing with a lot of people who have been there, done that. So venting is cool as long as you understand that you could be criticized harshly or otherwise.

[TAFKA wacowx]

like i'd ever submit my real name on a message board. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! that's what handles are for. if we can't come here and blow off some steam once in a while, what's the point?

sure i could blow off steam in my boss' face, but then i'd get fired. this is much safer. anynomity is wonderful!

Based on info culled from many of your previous posts, it wouldn't take much to figure out who you are.