Producing: Find Opportunity in a Job Lost

Dow Smith

If you’ve been in television news for any period of time, you know firings and layoffs are common.Some cynics say you really aren’t a veteran until you’ve been fired at least once. And yes, I’ve been fired more than once so this is hard-earned, personal advice.

Unfortunately, we previously haven’t faced the kind of layoffs we’re seeing now in solid, wellrun stations. Even good stations can’t escape this economy. The result: good news people are fi nding themselves out of work in a constricting job market. Now’s the time to develop a survival plan for tough times and get mentally prepared to handle a dismissal.

You can try to avoid being the victim of a layoff by being the very best employee you can be. Sure, sometimes layoffs are done by seniority, but if you arrive with a long list of engaging story ideas every morning or consistently build creative newscasts that follow the station’s news vision, you may be too valuable to lose. Now is not the time to turn down overtime or refuse to take on additional tasks.

At the same time, make it a goal to have enough money saved to keep you going for at least six months. Also, don’t
make any major purchases (like a home) without fi rst consulting your news management. Legally they can’t guarantee
you’ll have a job but they can warn you if layoffs are in the wind.

If the layoffs materialize, and you are one of them, there are some things you can do get back on your feet quickly.

Negotiate the best possible deal with management. Most managers don’t really like giving someone a pink slip; it’s
stressful for them as well as for you. Hard as it might be, now is a time to keep a cool head. Don’t agree to any terms or sign anything until you’ve taken some time to review the details. Don’t be afraid to ask for additional severance money or a letter of recommendation.

Handle the situation with as much professionalism as you can muster. Don’t create a scene; this is a small industry
and word will spread if you don’t handle it well. Of course, there may be legal issues involved, such as age discrimination, but refrain from saying anything until you’ve consulted a lawyer who knows employment law.

Assess your personal situation.There are many emotions involved with being fired or laid off—from frustration to depression to a real sense of failure. All are normal, but don’t dwell; perhaps this is actually a good thing. Step back and ask yourself some tough questions. Did you really like reporting or producing? Are you happy in this career?


If you answered yes, evaluate your ability and/or willingness to move to a new city if jobs are scarce locally. If you need to stay in the market, can you take a lesser position at another station or make yourself available for freelance work? With reduced staffs, newsrooms will have to turn to freelancers to get by. This is a chance to prove your value to a new station. If you’re a reporter, would it make sense to switch to producing, a job always in demand?

When you can’t move, look at related careers that may offer opportunities for someone with the skill set of a
producer or reporter. You know how to dig and get information, you can write quickly and well, and you should be able to present yourself with authority. There are lots of careers that need those skills. Of course, public relations is one option or your could get a teaching degree. Are you good with video and the web? There is a growing number of jobs for people with multimedia skills.

Once you open your mind to new possibilities, you will be amazed at the diverse skills you’ve gained in television
or radio news.

The most important thing you can do when you are laid off is to look ahead. That’s tough because it can be hurtful, but looking to the future will mean you are back at work sooner and in a better place.

In my own personal experience, getting fired led to the best job I ever had in television, my fi rst news director’s job at WPLG-TV in Miami. The last time I was fired, by new station owners, it gave me the money I needed to move and
survive until I was able to land a wonderful job teaching at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School.—After 13 years as a broadcast journalism professor at Syracuse, Dow Smith retired last June. In retirement he is spending the next three years creating a new electronic media program at Siena College in Albany, NY.

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