| Topic Name: |
Question for Charlotte |
| Message Name: |
They're paid less |
| Date Posted: |
06/14/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
Ummm ... okay ... if you say so.
Sure, News 14 may be unwatchable at times, but ALL the Charlotte stations are unwatchable at times. ALL have embarassing technical glitches. ALL have sub-par anchors (anyone watching channel 36 this morning??) and sub-par reporters. I'm not sure I'd want to be in the "same league."
Add in the fact that News 14 staffers face some unimaginable challenges, and it all seems to even out to me. Yes, News 14 can and should be A LOT better than it is, but I think you could say the same thing about ALL the stations here.
Oh, and someone asked what happened to the ND? He's still the ND. Ron Miller was the GM. |
| Message: |
Fact is, News 14 reporters are paid less -- a lot less -- than their counterparts in the market, and are expected to do more (shoot, report, edit ..)
Many of them have more experience before they get to Charlotte than reporters at other Time Warner 24-hour stations, because Charlotte was set up differently (although THAT changed). Most also have less experience, however, than reporters in comparable positions at WBTV, WSOC, and WCNC. That accounts for some of the rough edges. (They are NOT the only reporters in this market with rough edges, however!!!)
The one-man-bands are not alone there, either, like they would be in some markets. All of the big three stations have omb's in bureaus who also run their own live trucks. You'll never catch a News14 reporter running his own live truck. Another perk of having a former photog for an ND.
And a word about the ND -- one of the coolest, most laid back managers you'll ever know. He definitely lets you know what he expects of you in the morning, and then he lets you do it. If you mess up, he'll let you know. But there is no daily berating or micromanaging like there is in most broadcast TV newsrooms. Everyone knows their jobs, everyone gets along. Just ask them.
As for technical stuff -- just chalk it up to the fact that News 14 is a different animal. 24 hour news will have its differences from broadcast -- that's just the way it is. Since the change, though, they don't even have the autonomy to swing with breaking news or try anything daring because the "finger on the button" is in Raleigh.
God forbid someone accidentally cut the fiber connection somewhere between here and there!
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