CBS Asks if Millennials are Too Spoiled for the Workplace In A Recent Report. Many Local Stations Wonder About So Called “Millennial” Talent. Great Career Opportunities for Exceptional Younger Talent.

The Station News Business is changing. This post may give you ideas about how to benefit from these changes and thus, further your career.  Fairly or unfairly, biases against this demo are growing, in the News Business.

Stations have developed an attitude toward so called Millennials.  Hopefully, this will make younger Talent aware of this development and stay out of trouble with News Managements. 

There a major growing station management resentment and those who buy out existing contracts to leave a current job, have a shelf life in this business.

If you are a a so called Millennial, you need to be careful in the Station News business.   However, if you are ambitious and hard working, you will stand out.  Everyone is looking for smart young Talent.

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 have talked with several News Directors and Recruiters about this and all agree there is a problem with finding qualified, unknown Talent, with a solid work ethic. I sincerely hope Dear Reader you not anything like what I have described herein.

It will get very difficult to stay in this business if you don’t work hard. I also have head that Stations might demote or let recent hires go, because they don’t get or won’t work hard enough.

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

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.

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.

Many companies now only care about that and 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.  There is the opportunity for the ambitious who really want to move up.

This trend affects all market sizes and eventually, most people on air. No matter if you are coming up or tenured, it totally is all about presentational performance, which management believes in.

 

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

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 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.

 

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

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         

Television Talent Dietary Tips: Polynesian Ha’ka For A Healthy, Mostly Texan, Part Polynesian Chili Ha’ka, With A Hint of The Philippines.

©Millennium Media Entertainment, Inc. ©MME Television Services Asia

One of my purposes here  is to continue advising Clients about menu and dietary concepts designed to help them look, feel and most importantly, perform at their very best, in front of a camera.

It occurred to me the other day that Texas and Polynesian cooking share allot in common.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both Texas and Polynesians do quite a bit of cooking outdoors and indoors, they make (boil) stews and things like Chili.

People in my home state of Texas argue more about Texan cooking than they do politics.

Most Texans don’t think that highly of politicians anyhow, which is one reason our elected officials only meet every two years and have six weeks to get their legislative business done.

We figure that gives them two years to hash out their differences and therefore six weeks ought to be enough time for passing laws. If nothing else, this practice saves money.

I can’t help but think Washington would do better by Americans, if Congress’s time for passing laws had a shelf life. They seem to wait to the last minute anyhow. Maybe they should take a look how things are done in Texas.

 

What we do care passionately about is our native cooking. People argue about whether brisket should be cooked outside fat side down or up and if it should be marinated or not.

 

No one ever changes anyone’s mind, and the end product is always tremendous.

Note: Unlike other parts of the US, Texans generally don’t baste their ribs, chicken or brisket as it cooks. Bar-B-Q sauces and other condiments are served on the side.

The other great debate is over Chili. Non Texans use ground meat. That is a sin to us. We use cubed pork, lamb, goat or beef.

Another sin committed by non Texans, in our opinion, is that they use the wrong beans, like kidney beans. Chili that is overly bean heavy is also considered sinful.

This is supposed to be a Texas meal, in which meat is the main course and beans are a side dish. Same hold true for beans in Chili. They are second fiddle to meat.

Texas Cooking has a very heavy Mexican influence, too. We generally use pinto beans for about every kind of Tex-Mex dish. We also like jalapeño peppers in about everything except ice cream and desserts. Some people add onions, garlic and jalapenos to mashed potatoes (Skins on is traditional).

Chili’s main ingredients are meat(s), garlic, onions, carrots (optional), tomato sauce, salt, oregano, Chili powder, cumin and without a doubt, Cilantro. 

Some people feel that their Chili needs a drink. Purists would consider nothing else than Mexican beer.

We believe that American beer can’t even come close to what they make down in Mexico. So, some folks put a bottle or two in the pot, depending on its size. Has to be Mexican beer, preferably dark.

Other fundamentals debated in Texas are whether you sear the meat and sauté the vegetables, first. I think it’s best not to sear or sauté anything. Doing so puts weight on the food, making it sink to the bottom of your pot and thus makes more work and burns the clock.

 

This being said, once you begin, the process is no different than cooking Chili Polynesian Ha’ka style, than my previous postings. 

Absolutely the same technique I have been describing here for a month or so for Italian or Filipino dishes, prepared Ha’ka style. (Links to previous relevant blogs will be provided at the end of this post)

The beauty of cooking like Polynesians is:

• No sugar, salt or oil
• No unnecessary extra steps
• Easy and fast to do
• Everything is cooked together
• Inexpensive
• Very healthy
• Allows you make multiple future meals

 

 

 

I have made some minor adjustments, though. I recommend using a wok and suggest you use whatever ingredients you want, assuming you know what the basic ones are

The basics are some kind of meat, onions, oregano, basil and garlic. Feel free to add other vegetables like carrots, spinach, cabbage or my favorite Pechay.

This Ha’ka does have a five minute step the others didn’t. Cover a quarter liter of dried beans in water 24 hours ahead of time.

What this does is soften the beans and makes cooking them faster.  I use white Filipino beans. One reason is I have never seen Pinto beans in The Philippines and other is, I like them.

A major benefit of using local Filipino beans is that they have been cleaned and picked over already. All dried beans in the Western Hemisphere have to been cleaned up and washed.  

Here, they don’t. You rinse them off and you are good to go.

So, once again bring a couple of quarts of water to a boil and put in a half kilo of meat with 1/4 kilo of drained pre-soaked beans. Cover the wok and bring it up to a rapid boil. Then reduce it to a rolling boil.

You have about ten minutes to kill, so cut up your vegetables and add them to the Ha’ka. Yesterday on a whim, I put in about a cup of shell pasta.

Remember to keep an eye on the water level. You want the water to cover, not immerse, your food. Stirring is to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom and everything is blended.  I think I added more water four or five times, yesterday.

For vegetables I use pechay, beans, carrots, onions and garlic. Spices are Chili Powder or ground Chili seeds, cilantro, ground cumin, basil, oregano and a little soya sauce.

Your Ha’ka is now far enough along for you to add everything.  Sir and see how the Ha’ka is doing and add 500-750 milligrams of tomato sauce. Stir it and it’s ok to cheat a little. I did. I put in a package of mushroom gravy. Stirred/folded it all together. Tasted it and added what spices I though it needed more of.

Turned off the fire and left it covered for about ten minutes and it was ready. I made enough for lunch, served some of the staff here and stored five more meals for myself.

I am sure some of my countrymen and women would be most likely howling over how I made the Chili, if they knew. So, don’t tell any Texans you may know.

I would respectfully reply that I am a Texan and that I will do whatever I want, as is my right a citizen of the Lonestar State.  Our golden rule is simple.  Do what you want. 

 

Just be sure not to bother another person.

Furthermore every real Texan knows and appreciates that rules are made to be broken, if you have a good reason. Furthermore, there would not be a Texas if everyone just followed the crowd.

Also, you may want to consider adding a packet of dried coconut cream and join me in my heretical ways.

Here are the links to previous Polynesian Ha'ka Cooking:

http://johnsheehan17.blogspot.com/2012/12/fast-easy-to-do-healthy-cooking-from.html

http://johnsheehan17.blogspot.com/2013/01/polynesian-haka-goes-italian-great-for.html