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Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism University of Southern California
Producers

A,B,C Easy as 1,2,3

It's not a surprise that many of us at ATVN hope to pursue careers in the broadcast journalism industry. Whether it's being a reporter, producer or involved in news management, we all have dreams. For many of us, all these dreams come together in one place, ATVN.

For me, I always wanted to be a reporter. That's the kind of job I want to get out of college. I saw the anchor desk as somewhere I'd hopefully sit when I was older and more experienced. The anchor desk seemed too far from the exciting action 'out there' in the field. Then, this semester, I took producing. Suddenly the newsroom had all the action.

What I love about producing is your ability to create a rundown, your ability to create a show and your opportunity to tell a story. Yes, reporters are out there gathering the elements, but it's the producers who decide which elements they want. In the end, it's the producer's show.

Each format, a simple choice between a SOT-VO or VO-SOT, depends on so many factors. Even the order of the show takes time and consideration.

So if you ask me now what I want to be? Well, if there's a job out there for people who produce what they report, sign me up.

There are so many opportunities out there in the world of news. I believe all of those opportunities or given to those who are ready, those with experience. And the best way to gain experience is to learn from your mistakes.

In a few days, the producing class will have a chance to visit the local ABC station, KABC. We'll see the newsroom and interact with reporters, anchors and other people working there. We'll have a chance to hear about their experience. Even better? I want to know about their mistakes and the steps they took to get where they are now.

What did you do in college? How did that prepare you for your first job? How did that job lead to your next, and so on?

What do you look for when it comes to job applications? What about job interviews? What about specifics? What programs should we all know how to use?

What do you suggest reporters/producers do while searching for jobs? What are some things we should know about our first job?

What makes a good news story? How do you cater a story to your demographic? How important are ratings?

Finally, when it comes to huge stories national stories such as the Boston Marathon bombing, how do you keep it local? How important are affiliates/sister stations?

Many of us are so close to graduation. Some of us in 403 are already actively looking for jobs. It's time we ask the right questions.

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