best stations

[deeb]

What are the best stations to work for as a nppa photojournalist (other than Minneapolis and Denver)?

[Fisher]

KGW
WFAA
WTVF
WHTM
KHOU
WXIA

[PhrozenPhoto]

Simply put there is no best station. If there was a perfect station to work for we'd all know about it and be sending tapes to that so called nirvana. Every station has its quirks problems or whatever you want to call it. You need to narrow your search. Maybe it is geographically, such as what cities you would like to live in, maybe it is by a news philosphy, IE, a run and gun shop vs. a shop that focuses more on long form stuff. It is a matter of finding the station that is best for your personality, style, etc. I know you said an NPPA photojournalist, but that is pretty broad at best. Good luck in your search. And for the record there is nothing wrong with Denver or Minneapolis, despite all the bickering you see everytime one of those cities comes up in a posting here. Having grown up in Denver and now working in Minneapolis I can say both cities offer so much outside of the world of television they are both great cities if you are into the outdoors, being able to get away from the rat race, yet still have a lot of the big city life as well. Maybe that isn't your thing, but things like life outside of TV are worth considering as well!

[micaelb]

You're in Des Moines where WHO is Small Market SOY and KCCI was second place. You might be where you want to be. I don't know what your experiance is, if it fits a large market or a smaller one.

[satpimp]

Quoting Fred Honsberger (long time Pittsburgh radio and later TV personality) on finding the perfect station in radio or TV...
"There is no WGOD, KGOD is harder to find, everyplace sucks"

[kutaway]

wtvj
kmsp

[kwtv9okc]

kwtv in oklahoma city

[Frank McBride]

If your question means stations that emphasize visual storytelling, then in general I would look at Belo and Gannett stations. Specifically I can vouch for KHOU, KVUE, WFAA, KENS, WTLV, and WXIA. (I'm leaving Denver and Minnie out)

Now, if you're asking do they pay your dues or send you to workshops and such, that's a different story. I can't tell you who is still shelling out for that these days.

For an unscientific method, you can go to the NPPA website and see what stations have people in the contests, but that doesn't tell you all you want to know.

Now, for all I know you have really good stations right there in Des Moines. I can only speak for what I know. I also totally agree with the above statement that there is no such thing as a perfect place to work. You need to decide what fits you best, and be ready to accept some shortcomings.

FMc

[Fisher]

Hey Frank... do you have a current email address I can email you at?

[LongTimePhotog]

It always gets me when this question is posted. It is what it is. There are many stations that follow the NPPA standards and there are many who don't give a crap. Find an area that you would like to live and can afford and go for it. Sure there are some dog owners (Sinclair) comes to mind but even Sinclair WBFF in Baltimore is a good shop for shooters(though they don't pay that well). What's important to you? I have heard people bitch about working in Denver and people happy as a clam working in Harrisburg PA. Good luck finding neverland, and when you get there tell us if they have any openings.

[Guy Critique]

Selfishly speaking WGCL in Atlanta is up and coming.
Currently looking for great storytellers with great attitudes.
See the b-roll job listings for further details-

Dave Wertheimer
Manager of Technical Operations-News
WGCL CBS 46 Atlanta
dave.wertheimer@cbs46.com
404 327 3227