| Topic Name: |
Houston's ratings race |
| Message Name: |
I'll tell you a few nice things... |
| Date Posted: |
06/01/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
Do Bob and Lori count? |
| Message: |
As a photog, KTRK vs. Other stations I've worked for:
I love (LOVE!) having engineers to operate the trucks each and every live shot. Most stations in Dallas don't even have that. With most stations in America, in fact, it's shoot, run back to the station, write, edit, load-up in a truck and haul a$$ back out to set up your shot.
I love that there is a plethora of tallented editors on staff daily. Editors that don't just slap and paste. I've never left a pkg or vosot, or whatever with an editor at KTRK and walked away worried how the final product would turn out. I've had editors here school me in the edit bay, and I have a wall full of awards to compliment my ability.
I love that I don't have managers standing over my shoulders shoving "style" down my throat or telling me how to shoot and edit my pieces. (Something many photogs here take for granted. It's easy to become lazy when managers give you the freedom to shoot and edit however you choose.) I've spent a lot of years at "style" shops, and let me tell you, the freedom we have here is a nice thing.
I love that overtime flows like water. Take it if you want, leave it if you don't. Many, many stations across the country are cutting OT completely. Photogs are sent home early, schedules are adapted to compensate. I've been there. And I feel lucky this is not the case with KTRK.
Call me a newbie, or a junior, or whatever you will, but this is, by far, the best and the easiest job I've ever had as a photog. I won't speak on behalf of reporters or producers, or anyone else. But if Killer really is a photog, he hasn't been around enough to know how good he's got it here.
So here's what I say to Killer (photog or not) and to any other photog out there reading this board and wondering what kind of shop KTRK is:
Next time you're out in the field, (in town or out)take a good look at the other photogs standing around you. I'll bet you a paycheck half of them are jealous of you.
You're getting paid more than 85% of photogs in the country. You're rolling around town in a big a$$ Expedition (probably new.) You have engineers on every shot. You have a huge photo staff behind you to pick up the slack. And your managers expect very little from you in return. (No offense to anyone, but I've seen many-uh BAD video hit the air here.)
Keep it in perspective, Killer. Photogs at KTRK have it CUSH compared to most shops in America.
Numbers? Who asked you to take responsibility for the ratings anyway? Why don't you just sit back and be glad that's a headache you DON'T have to deal with. Mr. Strickland has a lot more on his shoulders everyday than a four-year-old betacam.
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