Career Perspectives In Electronic Media

by Peter B. Orlik (Central Michigan University)

• ISBN13: 9780813824772
• ISBN10: 081382477X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-01
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

To many people, telecommunications is a glamorous enterprise in which the most important personnel are those whose voices stream through our radio speakers and whose faces glow on our television sets. But on-air jobs are, in many ways, just the tip of the electronic media iceberg. In Career Perspectives in Electronic Media, author Orlik offers a focused career guide that comprehensively covers job roles throughout the electronic media, as well as the industry issues, structures, and challenges with which the holders of these jobs must contend. The most salient aspect of the text consists of mini-essay profiles from practicing professionals throughout the industry characterizing their positions ' duties, talents, gratifications and drawbacks. These conversationally written profiles - nearly 50 in all - help to illustrate and further illuminate the industry issues and operations Orlik discusses. Coverage of job functions is extensive and contemporary, ranging from performance and conceptual positions (e.g., on-air entertainers, copywriters, art directors, Web writers) and production functions (e.g., audio and video engineers, camera operators, film and video editors, lighting directors) to sales roles (including station salespersons and representatives and Web sales executives), directive functions (e.g., program directors, news producers and directors, entertainment producers, sales managers) and evaluative functions (e.g., regulators, communication attorneys, lobbyists and public relations specialists, critics, media analysts, media educators). Career Perspectives in Electronic Media can effectively serve as a text at either the beginning or the end of the student 's program - the ideal second text for an introductory course sequence for the beginning student or as the provocative primary text in a senior-level capstone course in which students assess their honed abilities and attempt to match them with career opportunities.

Author Biography

Peter B. Orlik, Ph.D. has been a broadcast educator since 1966 and is the founder of the Broadcast & Cinematic Arts Department at Central Michigan University where he is currently chair and full professor. In 2001 he received BEA’s Distinguished Educator Service Award and in 2003 was named to the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame – the first educator to be so honored.

Table of Contents

Contributors	xiii
Preface	xvii
Acknowledgments	xxi
Chapter 1 Performance Functions	3	(28)
Disc and Video Jockeys	3	(7)
Talk Show Hosts	10	(3)
Newspersons	13	(8)
Television Entertainment Personalities	21	(4)
Industrial Performers	25	(2)
A Word about Agents	27	(1)
Chapter Flashback	27	(1)
Review Probes	28	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	28	(3)
Chapter 2 Conceptual Functions	31	(30)
Copywriters	31	(5)
Art Directors and Designers	36	(6)
Program Writers	42	(4)
Development Managers	46	(3)
Industrial Scripters	49	(3)
Music Suppliers	52	(3)
Web Writers	55	(3)
A Conceptual Conclusion	58	(1)
Chapter Flashback	58	(1)
Review Probes	58	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	59	(2)
Chapter 3 Production Functions	61	(30)
Audio and Video Engineers	61	(6)
Lighting Directors	67	(4)
Camera Operators, Videographers, and Cinematographers	71	(7)
Film and Video Editors	78	(3)
Directors: Technical, Assistant, and Main	81	(6)
Production Assistants	87	(2)
Chapter Flashback	89	(1)
Review Probes	90	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	90	(1)
Chapter 4 Sales Functions	91	(22)
Station/System Salespersons	91	(8)
Station Representatives	99	(1)
Web Sales Executives	100	(2)
Program Salespersons (Syndicators)	102	(3)
Promotions People	105	(2)
Production House Marketers	107	(4)
Chapter Flashback	111	(1)
Review Probes	111	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	111	(2)
Chapter 5 Directive Functions	113	(34)
Program Directors	113	(10)
Sales Managers	123	(2)
General Managers	125	(3)
News Producers and Directors	128	(5)
Entertainment Producers	133	(4)
Creative Directors	137	(4)
Owners	141	(3)
Chapter Flashback	144	(1)
Review Probes	145	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	145	(2)
Chapter 6 Facilitative Functions	147	(30)
Account Executives	147	(3)
Media Services Executives	150	(4)
Traffic Coordinators and Directors	154	(2)
Audience Measurement Executives	156	(5)
Brokers	161	(4)
Satellite Services Executives	165	(4)
Webmasters	169	(3)
Business Development Specialists	172	(2)
Chapter Flashback	174	(1)
Review Probes	174	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	175	(2)
Chapter 7 Evaluative Functions	177	(32)
Consultants and Program Researchers	177	(4)
Media Analysts	181	(2)
Regulators	183	(5)
Communications Attorneys	188	(3)
Standards and Practices Officials	191	(3)
Lobbyists and Public Relations Executives	194	(5)
Critics and Commentators	199	(2)
Librarians and Teachers	201	(5)
Chapter Flashback	206	(1)
Review Probes	207	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	208	(1)
Chapter 8 Cueing Up Your Career: One Hundred Suggestions for Breaking into the Profession	209	(18)
Ten Career Tips for On-Air Talent	210	(1)
Ten Career Tips for Electronic Journalism	211	(2)
Ten Career Tips for Advertising	213	(1)
Ten Career Tips for Online Media	214	(1)
Ten Career Tips for Engineering	215	(3)
Ten Career Tips for Production	218	(1)
Ten Career Tips for Corporate Media	219	(1)
Ten Career Tips for Sales	220	(1)
Ten Career Tips for Programming	221	(1)
Ten Career Tips for Management	222	(1)
A Final Flashback	223	(1)
Review Probes	224	(1)
Suggested Background Explorations	224	(3)
Appendixes	227	(4)
Key Electronic Media Professional Associations	227	(3)
Major Unions Active in the Electronic Media	230	(1)
Notes	231