Television producer

By Cox News Service
Published January 28, 2005

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Television producers make sure that television shows run smoothly in all details and take responsibility for everything from coordinating writers and performers/correspondents right down to overseeing the fact-checking of credit names and titles.

Producers hire or approve the selection of directors, principal cast members, and key production staff members. They also negotiate contracts with artistic and design personnel in accordance with collective bargaining agreements and guarantee payment of salaries, rent and other expenses.

Producers ultimately take credit for a successful broadcast but also have to take the blame for anything that goes wrong on their watch. Producers organize rehearsals and meet with writers, designers, financial backers and production technicians. They experience stress not only from these activities, but also from the need to adhere to budgets, union work rules and production schedules.

This job requires a bachelor's degree with at least two to four years of experience. College course work should include English, journalism, history, political science and American studies for those interested in going into television news production, and classes in other areas - such as drama, meteorology, or business - for those who wish to enter a specialized area of TV production. A few producers attend graduate school in journalism or film, but it is not required. Competition for entry-level positions is intense, and many aspiring producers take any available job.

The average annual salary for a typical television producer in the United States is $39,944.

Sources: The Princeton Review (princetonreview.com); U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov); salary.com.