A student recently asked me questions for a paper he is writing for his Master’s class.
My replies are below, but how would you answer the questions? Please share your thoughts on one, two or all of the questions in the comments section below.
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Many years ago, we published a story in the STAA website headlines about a sportscaster getting busted for drugs. That afternoon, someone with a Major League Baseball team correctly pointed out that STAA had traditionally celebrated sportscasters’ successes. He thought publication of news about a sportscaster’s hardship was misplaced.
I agreed.
Since then, we’ve avoided dozens of stories, ranging from drug and alcohol abuse, to domestic violence and embezzlement.
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Less is more.
When it comes to the written and spoken word, less is almost always more.
Less is easier to comprehend. It’s why sportscasters should use statistics sparingly. It’s why you want to keep your resume to one page. It’s why shorter emails receive more replies. It’s why interview questions should be kept short.
Don’t say something in 20 words that you can say in 12.
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The football play-by-play season is kicking off!
I’ve put together a collection of resources that will help you make this your best season yet.
I started my first play-by-play job 25 years ago this week, and it was a move I don’t think many would make.
I started in the broadcasting business at the ripe old age of 19, having been given the “reigns” of producing a five-hour sports talk show at WBNS-AM, in Columbus, Ohio. At that time, the station did not own the broadcast rights to Ohio State football and basketball games, so I was basically flying blind trying to keep the show afloat against our chief rival, which at that time DID own the OSU rights.
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An employer was interviewing a finalist for a play-by-play job. Things were going well until the employer asked the candidate how he was using social media to promote his broadcasts. The candidate replied, “I Tweet a reminder about the start time for our broadcast.”
End of answer. End of interview.
You must be social media savvy to work in sports broadcasting today. It’s a topic we covered in-depth at STAA’s recent play-by-play retreats in San Diego.
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At one point in my broadcasting career, I had a boss who ruled through fear. He created an atmosphere where employees feared they were one mistake away from losing their job. His leadership style was the direct opposite of that advocated by legendary coach John Wooden.
“Great leaders are always out in front with a banner, rather than behind with a whip,” says Wooden.
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A sports talk host I know was laid off from the radio station where he had worked for eight years. Budget crunch. Still, he stayed in touch with the station program director.
Later, when the PD moved to a national network, he hired the host who he’d let go several years earlier.
If you had a good relationship with a former employer, stay in touch. You never know when they might be able to help you in the future.
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A guy I know was a sports talk host at his station for many years. When a better time slot opened at a cross-town station, he mentioned to his producer and board op that he had applied. Soon after, his program director heard the news. Within hours, the host was fired.
Looking for your next job while currently employed is not uncommon. The best time to look for a job is when you already have one. However, there are certainly smart ways to do it.
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A radio station in Charleston, SC had an opening for a producer. An individual who was looking to transition from another career into sports radio thought it would be his perfect entry. He told the employer, “If I can have just five minutes of your time to deliver my resume, I’ll stop by on Thursday.” He did stop by. The employer spent several hours with the candidate. That afternoon, he accepted the job offer before heading back home.
Home was Los Angeles, California.
