© Millennium Media Entertainment
I have never written an editorial, but I think one is needed now. I don’t fault Broadcast companies who are determined to improve their stations’ ratings/revenue performances. In fact, they are supposed to do just that.
Complacency crept into the business during the 80’s. You would hear that it took two years for a reporter or anchor to gain viewer awareness, as well as a myriad of other excuses about where ratings growth was or wasn’t.
Talent and management more or less coasted and rarely were there large scale dismissals or early terminations. That has radically changed in the last four months.
Tenured Talent and management have been the targets. These new super groups want results and will do whatever it takes to get them. Tenured Talent should take steps to safeguard the jobs.
There are plenty of ways for them to remain attractive to their managements:
- If you gained weight over the years, lose it.
- Do not be complacent, ignoring what is going on around you.
- Refresh your on air brand, so your management sees perceived value in your work. Reintroduce yourself to your employer through your work.
- Contribute story ideas in morning or afternoon meetings.
- Hire outside help with your presentation/performance and look. New people really need to get their presentations in order. Should be a write off, so you get your career investment back. That is cheaper in than not having a job at all, plus you can usually write it off.
- Consider that aspiring actors, waiting tables, find ways to hire acting coaches. For some reason TV Talent doesn’t.
- Always have an updated demo. A new one could be hard to create if you are dismissed.
These station dismissals are going to continue and have become standard operating procedures, when stations don’t get what they want.
This is creating a job vacuum, which is good for younger Talent, if they are ready, which most are not. Newer Talent need to understand that if stations toss out tenured people, they are not going to replace them with under motivated, inexperienced people.
It is now harder for new people to move up in an environment where tenured, experienced people are being dismissed.
Those tossed out are better than you are, so the jump bar has been raised higher.
But there are things you can do:
- Get Ambitious and work for it.
- Stop listening to your peers who know no more about the business than you do.
- Lock down your presentation performance and develop your on air brand.
- Learn how this business works.
- Get in shape.
- Again, consider outside help with your presentation/performance and look. New people really need to get their presentations in order. Should be a write off, so you get your career investment back. Consider that aspiring actors, waiting tables, find ways to hire acting coaches. For some reason TV Talent doesn’t.
- Have a fresh demo and marketing materials ready to go.
What surprises me most about all of this is how apathetic most Talent are right now. Meanwhile all hell has broken out in this business. There are many opportunities, if you take the steps to either protect or advance your career.
Millennium Media Entertainment
US News Content and Programming Consultation. Asia Content Consultant-International Press. Sales/Marketing Development Consultation for US and Asia Television Stations/Networks. Talent Career Consultation and Performance Coaching
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,
and
Programming 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
20th 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
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
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