NYSBA Wants to Hear Your Story

Those of us working in local broadcasting are fortunate enough to have an exciting career in an industry that serves local communities across New York State. Regardless of whether you are an on-air news anchor, on-the-street reporter, account executive, producer, or marketing specialist, you can make a difference in your community.

It’s time to help the next generation. Every year students across the state are making decisions about their careers. Many students do not understand or realize the opportunities that exist in local broadcasting. Some need help in landing that first job or internship.

To remedy this situation, NYSBA seeks to obtain a library of short videos that describe what it is like to work in broadcasting. This initiative aims to encourage students to select broadcasting as a career. We will be collecting videos through January 5, 2023. You may submit up to 10 videos on the different topics outlined below. Our goal is to launch the program in mid-January.

We will collect these videos and upload them on a news career page of our website and share them across our social media platforms. If your video is selected and posted by NYSBA on its website or social media accounts, you will become eligible to win a $100 gift certificate.

The videos will be arranged by topic/profession and must be less than a minute. We want to create a short “bite-size” video library that will give students industry tips/advice about the benefits of a career in broadcasting.

The videos should be recorded on your phone in a well-lit area with no background noise. Please note that videos must be recorded vertically so that formatting remains consistent upon upload.

When completed, please send the recording to the Director of Communications, Trevor Elmendorf, at telmendorf@nysbroadcasters.org. All submissions become the property of NYSBA and the decision to use a particular video will be made by us and is up to NYSBA’s discretion alone. However, we will obtain your permission before posting a video.

Here are some suggested topics for each video:

*Each person should introduce themselves with their job title, radio/TV/digital, and location.*

General Questions

• Why do I love my job?

• What does a typical day look like?

• Why is broadcasting “in style”?

On-air talent (Entertainment)

• The best part of being on air

• What it’s like being a radio show host

• What it’s like to be a local TV host

• Internship opportunities/experiences (i.e., the benefits)

• Relevant coursework/clubs/extracurriculars to consider at school

On-air talent (News and Sports)

• What it’s like being a newscaster

• What it’s like being a sportscaster

• What it’s like to be a broadcast reporter

• Internship opportunities/experiences (i.e., the benefits)

• Relevant coursework/clubs/extracurriculars to consider at school

Production

• What types of content do you produce?

• Can you be creative?

• Do you produce both traditional broadcast and digital content?

• Do you produce commercials?

• Internship opportunities/experiences (i.e., the benefits)

• Relevant coursework/clubs/extracurriculars to consider at school

Sales and Marketing

• Why broadcast sales?

• What is a typical day like?

• How did you get into sales?

• Internship opportunities/experiences (i.e., the benefits)

• Relevant coursework/clubs/extracurriculars to consider at school

Technical/Engineering

• Do I need an engineering degree?

• Do I have to focus on a specific area such as RF, software, IT, or electrical?

• What is a typical day like?

• How do you get into the technical side of issues?

• Internship opportunities/experiences (i.e., the benefits)

• Relevant coursework/clubs/extracurriculars to consider at school

Other Short Videos to Address General Issues:

Small market vs. big market

• Advantages of starting a career in a small market

• Advantages of working for a company with multiple stations in other markets

Work/life balance

• How do you balance the demands of work

• Is this a 9 to 5 job?

• What is essential to know before getting into the field?

How to get a job

• Is there a specific major to take such as journalism or business

• What outside activities should I focus on – college radio and TV?

• Should I begin to use social media to learn on-air skills

Internships

• How important is entering?

• How do you get an internship?

• Does it matter if an internship is paid?

• How many internships should you have?

• When should you start thinking about internships?

• Do you look for internships on resumes?

Interviews

• What do you look for when interviewing a person?

• Some of the “dos” and “don’ts” of the interview process

• How to properly prepare for the interview

Send us your videos today and become eligible for a $100 gift certificate! If you have any questions, contact Trevor Elmendorf at telmendorf@nysbroadcasters.org.