Local News Turmoil Might Be A Career Opportunity

©Millennium Media Entertainment

The Station News Business Has definitely changed. This may give you ideas about how to benefit from the recent personnel turnover/turmoil, thus furthering your career.

There's has been unprecedented upheaval with station news personnel over the last four months. Some groups seem to be treating their stations like pro sports franchises.

No matter if you are coming up or tenured, it is all about presentational performance. Stations now are demanding the best performance from Talent.

We might be able to help you in this new business environment. Our Talent Services are successful for clients. I have a client who was in Market 197. We worked hard on his performance and did a demo. He has two upcoming meetings in MKT 6 and an offer from a Top 30.

Companies are more demanding than ever about solid, consistent presentational performance. If they don’t see it, then they will find Talent who can give them what they want, just as a pro sports team does with players.

Here is the opportunity for the ambitious, who really want to move up.

 

Take a look at this posting on my Blog:

Local Television Stations Continue Aggressively Dismissing News Management And Talent Across The Industry. What Talent Should Be Doing. http://johnsheehan17.blogspot.com/2014/12/local-television-stations-continue.html

And, this trend affects all market sizes and sooner or later, most people on air. They really want new young people. But, Stations have developed an attitude toward so-called Millennials.

CBS just did a rather scathing report on this demo group. 

Are millennials too spoiled for the workplace?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-millennials-too-spoiled-for-the-workplace/

I sincerely hope you are nothing like what CBS reported. If you are, this is the wrong career path, if you can't adjust to what News Management expects. Television tends to be an unforgiving Industry

I have talked with several News Directors and Recruiters about this and all agree there is a problem with finding qualified, unknown Talent. This is a supply and demand industry. Currently, there is demand but not enough supply.

There is a wonderful job market for smart young people, who will work for it.

The young Anchor/Reporter mentioned above is getting tons of attention.  He is in his mid 20's and only worked in one little station. He is young, smart and hard working and exactly what Big Stations are looking for.

I enjoy working with him. We both put in long hours over his work, so he could make a jump. He can jump 160 Markets, at this writing. But, he has two upcoming meetings in the San Francisco DMA.  Isn’t this what you want?  The ability to move up to a great job?

I was thinking the other day about aspiring actors waiting tables in LA or New York. Some how they find a way to hire acting and voice coaches. But, aspiring TV Talent rarely does the same.

All these industry changes caused us to realign our Talent Development Services, suspending our representation services, except for existing representation clients. There is no point due to a shortage of Talent ready to move up.

So, We have decided to focus on our first and oldest service, Talent Performance and Career Development. Our mission is now to work with people on their presentations so they can meet this new demand.

Thanks for reading this and I hope you found it useful.

John Sheehan
Millennium Media Entertainment
http://johntsheehanmme@gmail.com
Blog: http://johnsheehan17.blogspot.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Millennium-Media-Entertainment/74464753836
Skype:  John.Sheehan67​

 

 

Millennium Media Entertainment

Talent Presentation and Career Development Services

Millennium Media Entertainment is a Television News, Programming Development and Marketing Consulting Firm, continuing to do business in the United States.  The Company is  actively involved with Television Talent Performance and Career Consultation.

Below is a service outline. This list is designed around individuals and isn’t a Consultation Template, because no two clients are the same.

• Anchoring and Reporting Performance Consultation: Pace, Delivery, Voice Tonality, Voice Overs and developing a Conversational Presentation Style or Brand. Your Brand is your unique presentation signature and how viewers identify with you/your work.
• Daily Performance critiques based on Client provided Links. Feedback via email and/or Skype. At least one status review per week, via Skype.
• Appearance... i.e.…Clothing, Colors, Makeup and Hair
• Health/dietary programs to improve overall health, look and increase performance energy
• Producing, writing and packaging
• Performance Training that fits with Station or Network Brands, industry trends and Strategic Career Planning
• Provide leads, posted job openings and job hunting focusing on the quality companies like Hearst and NBC, avoiding the problematic companies, as I explained yesterday.

• Demo Development and Consultation.
• Provide Marketing Material Templates...i.e. Stationary, Generic Cover Letters and Bios.
• Consultation Pertaining to New Employment Opportunities.
• Advice for Negotiating New Employment Deals and Contracts.
• Suggested Tax Write Offs...Such as all Costs Associated with MME Services. (Also cable and computer, phone...Etc.)

President and Chief Executive Officer John Sheehan has over 30 years of Senior Television Management Experience, Consulting Television Station Group Heads, Network Executives, Syndication Presidents, Chief Financial Officers, General Managers, Sales Managers, News Directors and Creative Services Managers about almost every aspect of the Television Business.

Sheehan was Chief News Consultant for Group W Television, later The CBS Owned and Operated Stations in 12 Major US Markets, from 1991 to 1999, responsible for News Content Development, Station Branding and Talent Development.

Besides News, Sheehan consulted several Nationally Syndicated TV Shows including: Win, Lose or Draw, with Burt Reynolds, A Current Affair, The Gail King Show, and Evening Magazine.

Sheehan started Millennium Media Entertainment as a News Program Syndication and Consulting Company in 1999, after being President of the Clemensen Sheehan Rovitto & Company since 1991.

While with CSR, Sheehan worked closely with the CEOs and managements of Allbritton Communications, Anchor Media, CBS Owned and Operated Television Stations, Group W Television (Westinghouse), New World, 20th TELEVISION, Group W Productions, Granite Broadcasting, and CBS’s EYEMARK ENTERTAINMENT.

Sheehan was President and General Manager of Audience Research & Development, from 1988 to 1991. As president, he directed a staff of nearly 60 highly skilled television professionals, providing broadcast research and consulting services to over 120 stations, broadcast and cable networks and syndication clients.

Prior to that, he managed AR&D’s sales and marketing from 1985 to 1988, as Vice President of Client Development. During his time with AR&D, Sheehan increased revenues by over 100%, quadrupling the company’s client base.

Before joining AR&D in 1985, Sheehan was Executive Vice President of SRI Research Center, now The Gallup Organization. He started as Production Manager for SRI in 1978 and within two years, was named Executive Vice President, overseeing all market research and financial operations with a staff of more than 80 people.

Prior to SRI, Sheehan served in the Peace Corps from 1974 to 1978 in the South Pacific. He spent his first year in the region as Director of the Solomon Islands’ Information and Broadcasting Department overseeing a weekly newspaper and the national radio station. He was responsible for each medium’s content, staff development and sales.

In 1974 he was assigned to Kingdom of Tonga as general manager of Tonga Feeds the country’s only source of livestock feed. Sheehan managed all aspects of the company including accounting, inventory, pricing, importing/exporting products, new product development, a farm, government relations, staff development and negotiating foreign aid packages.

When Sheehan left Tonga Feeds, nearly bankrupt when he arrived, the company was earning a 30% profit and influenced 25% of the Kingdom’s economy. Sheehan was offered senior management positions by both the New Zealand and Kingdom of Tonga Governments. He returned to the US in 1978.

Sheehan earned a BA in Journalism from Creighton University. He fluently speaks Tongan, Melanesian Pidgin, with a working knowledge of Cebuano and Tagalo.

Sheehan also served in The United States Marine Corps.

Below is a partial list of the stations and companies that Sheehan has had working relationships, during his 30 plus year career:

Station Groups, Production,  Programming and Syndication Companies

Allbritton Communications

Anchor Media

ABC News

Belo

Buena Vista Television

CBS News

CBS Television Stations

Cox Communications

EYEMARK Entertainment

Gannett Television

Group W Productions

Group W Television

Granite Broadcasting

Guy Gannet Broadcasting

Hearst Argyle Television

NBC Universal

New World Television

Storer Television

20^th TELEVISION (FOX)

United/Cris-Craft Television

Television Stations

Waga             Atlanta

Wjz                Baltimore

Wbz                Boston

Wsbk             Boston

Wbbm            Chicago

           Wjw                Cleveland

Koaa              Colorado Springs

Wdtn             Dayton

Whio              Dayton

WFAA             DALLAS

Kdfw              Dallas

Kcnc               Denver

Kcci                Des Moines

Wdiv               Detroit

Wjbk               Detroit

Wtvx              Ft. Pierce

Wlbt              Jackson

Kctv               Kansas City

Wdaf              Kansas City

Kcbs               Los Angeles

Kcop               Los Angeles

Wfor             Miami

Wtvj              Miami

Witi               Milwaukee 

Wcco             Minneapolis

Wsmv             Nashville

Wcbs              New York

Wesh              Orlando

Week              Peoria

Kyw                Philadelphia

Kpho              Phoenix

Ksaz               Phoenix

Kdka              Pittsburgh

WTAE            Pittsburgh

            Katu              Portland, OR

Wgme            Portland, MA

Wtvr             Richmond

Wset              Roanoke

Wrex              Rockford

Kovr               Sacramento

Kutv               Salt Lake City

Ksbw               Salinas

           King                Seattle

           Kmol               San Antonio

          (Woai)

          Knsd                San Diego

          Kpix                 San Francisco

          Wggb              Springfield

          Wtvt              Tampa

          Wtsp               St. Petersburg