I wish I had a rosier view of it all. I'm 18 years in and yesterday I had to show a reporter the right way to put a beta tape in the machine.
I've worked for the past few years at a station that was once a well revered news station and had consistent placing in the contests. Management fell off and the quality and content is not there. They used to recruit talent, now whoever lucks into that two week hiring window is the next warm body. They sure as hell don't have years of experience like they used to.
Late last year we were sold, and the new overlords start soon. I'm concerned, frankly. Increasingly megacorporate ownership has destroyed local news.
I should have left for another job years ago, but family and other reasons kept me near. I was once a really good photographer with a good skillset who was ready for a large market job. I didn't know everything, but I could have probably got most of that figured out at the next stop. 8 years later, I have all but given up on fighting the system. If the station really thinks my skills are best used by being on nights and weekends, where I largely shoot vob's, live shots, and packages about empty buildings or city council coverage, then so be it. I've lost skills because, like they say, if you don't use it, you lose it. Not just at my station, but in many others, the old school, quality, visual journalism is gone. The visual heroes of the 80's and 90's are all but out. Now we are lucky if we have a full size camera. I could only muster up one mentor in my entire career who gave a damn enough to help me learn, so I can imagine the frustration of anyone starting out and trying to learn in a largely closed system.
I've seen the meager living of those who do make it to larger markets, and the standard of living gets no better. I don't want to live in a shady neighborhood and drive a 10 year old car for the rest of my life. TV won't pay me what I have now come to realize I need to have a relatively comfortable life. I don't want to go into another station and start at the bottom again with everything. I can only imagine that when I finally find greener pastures, they will either not replace my position or hire it with some kid from studio like the last two have been...and knowing them it will be an "internal only" posting...because why would we risk hiring someone from outside who knows what they are doing? I feel like I have wasted years of my life climbing a ladder only to find out it goes nowhere. Sure I saw some great things on the way, but, I think the only answer now is to jump.