market drop worth it?

[news rookie]

I'm faced with a difficult choice; and looking for some feedback on what call you'd make.

I'm a one man band reporter in a 90's market. 23 years old, graduated college spring 2006. working for a company that has a lot of plans in the near future - potentially adding shows, or adding stations in higher markets.

Thing is - what I really want to do is sports. Theres a job in the 170's that's opening up - weekend sports anchor, and I contemplate if I'm better off sticking on the news side in the 90's, hopeing one day they'll give me a shot at sports in the near future, or taking the road where I'm definately doing sport and starting my sports career - just in a much smaller place.

hope that made sense. what would you do?

[s'news]

Go where you can get the skills you want. But be forewarned that sports jobs are limited.

[DoctorDepends]

...and becoming more limited

[Sir Dropham Pants]

Market size is not terribly relevant. Think in terms of what you'll get out of the move; in terms of work and life. You could have a nice comfortable life in market 170. On the other hand it could be worse than where you are now. The station and its ownership matters. Some owners have small market stations that play big. Others vice-versa. Only you can weigh the life factors and professional factors of the two places to make an educated decision.

[WalMartNation]

Originally posted by news rookie:
I'm faced with a difficult choice; and looking for some feedback on what call you'd make.

I'm a one man band reporter in a 90's market. 23 years old, graduated college spring 2006. working for a company that has a lot of plans in the near future - potentially adding shows, or adding stations in higher markets.

Thing is - what I really want to do is sports. Theres a job in the 170's that's opening up - weekend sports anchor, and I contemplate if I'm better off sticking on the news side in the 90's, hopeing one day they'll give me a shot at sports in the near future, or taking the road where I'm definately doing sport and starting my sports career - just in a much smaller place.

hope that made sense. what would you do?Playing the 'maybe they'll give me a shot' card is kind of tricky... after a year or so a ND or GM could easily say "well, you've established yourself in news, and we don't want to confuse our viewers" or some other B.S. line.

Also, stations babbling about adding shows... usually means they want to saddle the staff with more work in the form of a new show to fill... with very little to no staff added to get it done... don't let them spin that as too much of a positive for you, unless it means a 3rd sports anchor job will for sure open up... still, you may run into the problem a GM or ND would say which I explain in paragraph 1.

If you are one man banding in a 90's market, you're getting screwed. You may get screwed doing sports in market 170, but at least you'll be doing something you like. The other posters are right, sports jobs are getting harder and harder to get... if you have a chance and really want one.. better take it.

After my part-time paid job/intership in a small market ended, I got a #3 sports job in a 120's market where I filled in on the desk occasionally, did OMB stories, and shot news one day a week so I could be full time. I took a weekend sports job in a 170's market... people I worked with at the time told me I was an idiot and that it was not smart to drop markets. I took the 170's job because it was sports 5 days a week (sometimes 6 or 7), 2 anchoring, 3 reporting/shooting. It was also a $3 per hour raise, and the cost of living in 170's market was nearly half of the 120's market. After a year I was the sports director in 170's market, then a year and a half later I was doing weekends in an 80's market.

You only live once, and if sports is what you want to do, then take your shot at it... you could still fall back on news if it isn't working like you hoped. Most of us never want to wonder "what if?" Unless, you stay in news and get mondo large paychecks every other week.

[adam & doctor drew]

previous posters are right: with more and more stations reducing sports and/or eliminating it altogether, sports openings are very rare.

if sports is what you wanna do, and you've been offered a job doing it in a place you like, take it.

don't worry about market size.

(and remember, try not to call the local team "we") tongue.gif

[ May 28, 2007, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: adam & doctor drew ]

[MyracleMan]

Originally posted by news rookie:
I'm faced with a difficult choice; and looking for some feedback on what call you'd make.

I'm a one man band reporter in a 90's market. 23 years old, graduated college spring 2006. working for a company that has a lot of plans in the near future - potentially adding shows, or adding stations in higher markets.

Thing is - what I really want to do is sports. Theres a job in the 170's that's opening up - weekend sports anchor, and I contemplate if I'm better off sticking on the news side in the 90's, hopeing one day they'll give me a shot at sports in the near future, or taking the road where I'm definately doing sport and starting my sports career - just in a much smaller place.

hope that made sense. what would you do?What 170's market,... maybe I could tell youa little about it.

[Charlie Brown]

I am far from an expert on this topic, however I was faced with this decision recently.

A lot of recent grads and people with a minimal amount of experience under their belts obsess over market size. It's all my friends and colleagues talk about when the "where do you want to go from here" topic comes up in conversation as it almost always does.

When I brought this up to friends in the industry, they told me this - it's not the size of the market that matters but the quality of the opportunity. Quite frankly I believe this should be preached in every j-school and to every person who dreams of becoming a broadcast journalist.

If you can go somewhere and do a lot in a short period of time, you're better served there than going to a larger market that doesn't have what you need to get better. When it comes to televison markets, size doesn't always matter.

[Sparky]

If you're talking about a certain sports job at a certain station in the western part of a midwestern state that has the same last name as the state above it and this station begins with a "K" and ends with an "A" ( graemlins/eusa_whistle.gif ) know that you'll be receiving a pittance of a salary. I'm talking lower than the going rate at any small market station in the country. If you can bear living on mac and cheese and free horsdouvres during happy hour for a year or two, go for it! Especially if it's what you want to do.

[AlterEgo]

I never understand why people don't take opportunities to do the things that they want to do. If you want to do sports, then do sports. Market shouldn't matter, just make sure that the place you go is a good learning environment.

[news rookie]

hey y'all.

thanks for the responses. i think that deep down i know that i shouldnt sweat the market drop so much, i just get nervous that i'll look back and wonder 'what if i hadn't.'.. so hearing it from seasoned (and even not so seasoned!) people in the field is great assurance. i think the fact that i'd be from the number 3 90's market station, to the hands down number one 170's station is even bigger reason to go for it.

the 3rd gig is going to open at my current station.. within the year.. probably six months. - we're a startup operation and shows are being added quicker than we can already handle - but that doesn't stop management from piling more on... whether or not i get a shot in the future, theres no telling for sure.

and to the poster asking about the K ... A station in a midwestern state etc etc, I don't think we're talking about the same place..

[The Mockingbird]

we're a startup operation and shows are being added quicker than we can already handle That's usually not a healthy sign. That means management is already trying to increase revenue out of the gate instead of building a core audience.

Any startup business plan in TV News that didn't already account for this is a bad one.

Plus, a startup in 2006? Jebus, someone's a little optomistic about the future of the medium, that's for sure.

Take the Sports job.

[dlr2133]

News Rookie-

Are you in Market 98?

[news rookie]

Nope

[MyracleMan]

Nah, the rookie and I have already discussed stations and states... it's not the K....A rookie's asking about. With that being said...

you're young, unattached, with no commitments...

follow your dreams, man... follow your dreams.

[news rookie]

man? who says....

smile.gif

[east coast producer]

Right now, with 6 years broadcast and 5 years print experience, I'm working in the smallest market of my tv career (same position), but making by FAR the most money... so you can't always equate market size with money (a morning producing gig at a Miami O&O offered me $35 a few years back).

But dropping THAT far to a 170's.... I don't know. I'd try lobbying your boss to let you fill-in on Christmas, etc... the days that NO ONE wants to work. Bribe production people so you can create a tape of you on the desk doing sports.

[New and improved...No Talent Hack]

Wow $35 a year...isn't that what Nike pays their employees?

Kidding.

Just make sure your parents can pay your rent for you, because you won't be making enough to get by on your own - unless you want a second job.

Or, if you've got a spouse/significant life partner with deep pockets, you'll be good.

I say take the chance - you're only young and pretty for so long!

[Roy G. Biv]

Originally posted by Sir Dropham Pants:
Market size is not terribly relevant. Think in terms of what you'll get out of the move; in terms of work and life. You could have a nice comfortable life in market 170. On the other hand it could be worse than where you are now. The station and its ownership matters. Some owners have small market stations that play big. Others vice-versa. Only you can weigh the life factors and professional factors of the two places to make an educated decision.This is excellent advice!! Consider quality of life in your decision. Would you rather work in a smoggy, congested city with a very small studio apartment and a 30 minute bumper-to-bumper commute, OR a nice "country" setting with a small city center, nice people, beautiful scenery and a decent sized apartment or duplex with room to relax?

I started out in my hometown-very small (170+). Once the opportunity to advance was gone, I moved to a top 50 market in a city identical to the first one I just described. I enjoyed the job, but became unhappy with the quality of life--living paycheck to paycheck, the noise, etc. (In some cases, larger markets can be "easier" because the overall thought is that they are better BECAUSE they are a bigger market. The opportunities may be there, but it doesn't mean as much when you accomplish something.) I am now at a low 100's station (number 1 in the market) and loving it. I'm in a beautiful town and the people here are friendly and my co-workers actually care about their product. Everyone actually works together and feeds off each other's knowledge. I get asked a lot why I made such a jump down (about 55-60 down), and I tell them the quality of life matters.

[ June 02, 2007, 03:15 AM: Message edited by: Roy G. Biv ]

[Dick Shun]

Lots of good advice here. And don't think the next move will be your last. It won't. Go for the job, don't worry about the market.

Think of it this way. If your dream is to become a chef at a 5-star restaurant, the fastest road there is learning how to cook... not waiting tables at the same restaurant.

Good luck.

[Ranger Bob]

Don't do it! Sports pays the worst, is first to be cut (personnel wise, etc), and if you didn't win the Heisman or batting title earlier in your career, you stand very little chance of making it to the "medium time" much less the big time. Also, the hours are the absolute worst. Sports are fun to watch, but the pits for a profession.

[news rookie]

Originally posted by Dick Shun:

Think of it this way. If your dream is to become a chef at a 5-star restaurant, the fastest road there is learning how to cook... not waiting tables at the same restaurant.shun - you nailed it right on. only thing is, the restaurant i'm waiting tables allows me to dabble in the kitchen sometimes.. (let me go to minicamp the other day..) and talk of the future, but it's just that, talk.nothing in stone, so i fear leaving and taking the drop, then three months down the road havin my current station be like okay, well, we were ready for you now...

[WalMartNation]

Originally posted by news rookie:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Dick Shun:

Think of it this way. If your dream is to become a chef at a 5-star restaurant, the fastest road there is learning how to cook... not waiting tables at the same restaurant.shun - you nailed it right on. only thing is, the restaurant i'm waiting tables allows me to dabble in the kitchen sometimes.. (let me go to minicamp the other day..) and talk of the future, but it's just that, talk.nothing in stone, so i fear leaving and taking the drop, then three months down the road havin my current station be like okay, well, we were ready for you now...</font>[/QUOTE]It sounds like either your mind is made up... or your ND has bs'd you pretty good. The advice has been given as you asked, it's your decision.

[Dick Shun]

It's clear this board is collectively telling you 2 things:
1) Local TV sports jobs are few, far between and getting scarcer (and cheaper);
2) If you still want to take a shot at doing it for a living, take the sports job in the small town.

Only you can gauge whether the opportunities to learn sports reporting (and later practice the craft) at your current shop are real enough to offset the advice you're getting here.