Photog opening in sunny Florida

[Spot remover]

WINK-TV just posted on the "job listings" page.

We just lost two photogs to Miami and Tampa and need to replace them ASAP.

We've just started a weekend morning newscast and we're starting another one soon, so we're getting expanding while others shrink.

There was much discussion about WINK a few weeks ago on B-Roll(including the pay rate) and the thread can be found if you look for it.

I'll also answer questions via e-mail.

Thanks.

Randy Hansen
Chief Photographer
WINK-TV

[Shootblue]

I think we stole Brian Hammond from you didn't we? And Rebeccah?

[Bandit]

does a guy named steven white work at wink??

[McQueen]

What's up with the high turnover rate at the south Florida stations?I always see postings on the job search engines.It just seems like a revolving door that never stops.

[lost focus]

the high turnover is due to the over expansion of every station's news programming and lack of porportional compensation for its staffing levels and work load. In others words they do too much crap with too few people and don't pay well....and forget about benifits.

[Natural Born Stringer]

Yes, but what the south FL stations lack in pay these days... http://www.nutbrothers.com/Pictures/Products/PEANUTS.JPG

...they more than make up for in benefits......

http://www.neflin.org/leadership/images/sunshine.GIF

I might take a gig there when I retire... just to have something to do. :D

[McQueen]

If you retire there,make sure you can afford homeowners/flood insurance...I hear its getting hard to get...you know with all the money your socking away now.;)

[svp]

the high turnover is due to the over expansion of every station's news programming and lack of porportional compensation for its staffing levels and work load. In others words they do too much crap with too few people and don't pay well....and forget about benifits.


HMM, sounds familiar. That's exactly what's happening at our station right now. With photographers, producers, and reporters combined, all but three have tapes out and are looking for another job. They just keep piling crap on everyone but don't want to compensate.

[Spot remover]

The last five photogs who left WINK:

- went to WFOR. Miami

- went to WTVT, Tampa

- went to film school, now in NY working in film

- another went to WTVT

- became a chief in another market

The way I see it, everyone seemed to benefit from their time at my station. We pay about $26,000/yr plus lots of available OT. Two positions were added for the weekend morning show and a new 10pm newscast in October. When was the last time you heard of a station expanding and not slicing staff or going to VJs?

As far as being understaffed, we'll have 15 photogs when I get these two people hired. That's plenty for the news we do.

Don't think it's enough pay? Don't apply. Want to come to a quality station where most of the photogs move to larger markets a year or two later? I'll be waiting for your tape.

I'll also answer questions via e-mail.

[Deft Depth]

Personally, I love it here. The OT everyone gets is always steady, and always makes for a nice payday (at least for someone like me who is two year's out of college and no longer check to check).

There's plenty of news down here, and we certainly have the staff to cover it.

[long521]

does a guy named steven white work at wink??

Nope. Steven White is at WRDW in Augusta, GA. He just came here from WINK.

[Run 'n' Get 'em]

Two positions were added for the weekend morning show and a new 10pm newscast in October.
You guys run the UPN affiliate or something?

[Spot remover]

But the CW.

We don't do anything for the station except the news. The station is owned by another, separate company we do alot of business with.

In October sometime...

[jajack71]

I never understand why there seems to be this attitude of hostility when a photog brings up being paid for their craft. I mean I would not apply for a station that I felt that would not pay for my skill and time but, that's just me. I just never understand how paying someone in sun dollars justifies the fact that this person went to school and worked for free(interned) to earn a chance at making a decent wage doing a craft he or she loves?

[D.St.]

I never understand why there seems to be this attitude of hostility when a photog brings up being paid for their craft. I mean I would not apply for a station that I felt that would not pay for my skill and time but, that's just me. I just never understand how paying someone in sun dollars justifies the fact that this person went to school and worked for free(interned) to earn a chance at making a decent wage doing a craft he or she loves?

Having been a small-market chief for a while, I feel Randy's pain. But the economics of TV news isn't going to make anyone rich anymore.

There was quite a bit of discussion a few months ago when I posted a job at my station, and I pointed out that there were other reasons and rewards for working at my station than just the $$$ (which is adequate, but not stellar).

The way that I tell folks to view the small-market experience is that it's grad school. It's your first venture into television news, and you're basically there to learn what you can and move on. Few folks are going to spend their entire careers there, and those that do realize they're not going to be millionaires. Besides, nobody in grad school has any cash anyway. :)

When you have an opportunity to work at a station like WINK,WIS, or any small-market station that's dedicated to quality photojournalism, look at it as a way to hone your craft, earn your stripes, and move on to that better paying job somewhere else. And as Randy has shown, moving on is a very distinct possibility at his station.

So for all you folks who love nothing more to rip small-markets for paying sunshine (and believe me, I'm no defender of corporate televison), I'd change my way of thinking. Telling young photogs that working in the small time leads to a life of indentured servitude is short-sighted, and frankly a very narrow point of view.

[Spot remover]

Oh, no....

As anyone who has worked for me will tell you, I am not a hostile personality and take no offense when someone complains about the pay of my station. In fact, how many chiefs have posted the pay for the position on this site like I have?

I have nothing to hide and will answer any and all questions about the position truthfully.

I have tunnel vision in that I need to obtain the highest quality candidates for my staff and that is my focus of the job listing. I also think that in my 17+ years and 4 stations, this is a pretty nice place to work. OT has never been cut back(and is always available), gear is decent, people are great and the product is solid.

I'm not put out by the reaction to the pay scale at all. I'm saying the fuss and bother people post about this issue helps not at all when it comes to staffing with quality applicants- so I consider it just white noise. The choice about whether or not the pay is sufficient is up to the individual- please let them make their own determination.

And...just for the record, I strongly feel a station trying to pay people in sunshine dollars is BS. Cars, gas, rent cost the same as the snowbelt. You decide whether or not the sun and beach is an added benefit.

flame away.

[Spot remover]

bump. I promise.