…do you really think as a PR professional that you will be immune from the need to retool and innovate?
See what the Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rosenthal reports today about restructuring at WMAQ-TV, Chicago’s NBC affiliate.
News producers, writers and editors at NBC-owned WMAQ-Ch. 5 were told Wednesday they must reapply for new multi-faceted positions, the demands of which reflect the station’s efforts to provide content not just for TV but the Internet, mobile devices and other emerging platforms.
The new jobs – with titles such as platform manager and content producer – are to be posted beginning Thursday, not just for internal candidates but outsiders as well.
In response to concerns about whether existing staff will be able to adapt, station manager Frank Whittaker says WMAQ plans to make training available.
“We’re going to try to help them, but they’re going to have to help themselves, too,” Whittaker said. “Now if they’re editors and learning to write, are they going to be Hemingways? Probably not. But as long as they can write a basic script, then they’ve met the basic qualifications.
“That’s going to be the biggest challenge,” he said. “People are going to be asked to do a number of different skills vs. what they’re doing now.”
Read the whole article.
If any members of the WMAQ gang want to get a head start on their training, that’s what SMUG is all about. We’ve got a whole curriculum. And it’s free.
And if you’re not currently working in the media, but are in PR or some other related field, becoming a SMUGgle is one of the best ways for you to explore how you can upgrade your knowledge and skills to take advantage of the opportunities this new environment presents.
