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Broadcasters get the scoop on negotiating salaryBy Jeff Roulston NABJ Convention Online Staff It’s not a crime to ask for more money. You just have to know what you’re doing when you ask. That was the theme Friday at a workshop titled “Negotiating A Broadcast Personal Service Contract” at the NABJ Convention in Dallas. Most of the nearly 30 attendees were professionals who had been working in television news for five to 10 years or more, though a few students and recent graduates were in attendance as well. Panelist Tom Carpenter, a lawyer from the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), encouraged attendees not to be afraid to ask for the pay they want. “Do some research about what you should be making,” he said. “Organizations like the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) and the RTNDA (Radio and Television News Directors Association) publish surveys on this sort of thing.” Another panelist, Bay Area NBC 11 reporter Linton Johnson, said the workshop was important because, “If you’re in the [television] industry, everyone has a contract, and you want to be able to live under the conditions of the contract.” “I think this workshop is a useful tool for people to ask questions,” Carpenter said. “I have information and resources [about negotiating broadcasting contracts] that I can make available to people.” Reporter ReShonda Tate of FOX-26/UPN-20 in Houston said she attended the workshop to get more information about negotiating her contract effectively. “I don’t have an agent, and I’m not good at negotiating, so I wanted to get some tips to help me with that.” Moderator Beverly White, a reporter at KNBC in Los Angeles, led the group in discussing contract issues such as non-compete clauses, Right to Work (the ability to choose whether or not to join a labor union) and agency contracts. Lisa Washington, a reporter at CBS NewsChannel 19 in Huntsville, Alabama, said the part of the presentation that stuck with her most was Johnson’s biggest point, which was that you have to be willing to walk away from an offer if you deserve more. “The workshop gave me a lot of good tips that I will use in the future,” Washington said. “Being at work is a significant portion of your life,” Johnson said, “so you want that contract to make your work environment something you want to come back to every day.” |
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