Television Industry Salary Tools Key Terms

Understand the tools that are available to help you negotiate a fair salary
By Thomas Langford The television industry is known for having a wide range of salaries, depending on both job title and location. For example, a news anchor makes much more than an editor in the same city. And a reporter in a large city makes much more than a reporter in a small town. This makes television industry salary tools all the more important. Whether you're the job candidate or a boss doing the hiring, you should fully understand key terms such as salary calculator, salary finder, employer surveys, market profile, and median salary.
 

Salary calculator

A salary calculator is a useful tool during negotiations where an hourly rate for a television industry job is discussed. Simply take an hourly rate that is quoted during negotiations and put it into the calculator. The calculator will then give you the equivalent yearly salary, assuming 40 hours are worked each week.
Try: To see a good example of a salary calculator, and to try one out, check out Broadcast Employment Services.

Employer surveys

Employer surveys are an excellent way to compare salaries and benefits between television stations. Surveys poll current employees of television stations about their salary, benefits and workplace conditions. The answers are typically anonymous and candid.
Try: The TVSpy website from Vault is a great place to see examples of television employer surveys. The company has hundreds of surveys available that provide information about salary, diversity and opportunity for advancement in the television industry.

Median salary

The median salary is the what you can expect to be paid if you are in the middle of the pay scale for a television industry job. With salaries varying greatly in the television industry, the median salary is a more realistic number than an average salary.
Try: Several websites post median salaries for various television industry jobs. PayScale posts them for producers, directors, anchors, editors, reporters and meteorologists.

Salary finder

A salary finder is a useful tool for employees and employers in the television industry. Input an employee's or a potential employee's qualifications into the salary finder and receive a salary estimate based on the person's education, experience and skills.
Try: Beyond.com is a good place to see an example of a salary finder for the broadcast industry.

Cost of living calculator

A cost of living calculator is very useful in the television industry, because so many professionals move to different cities during their career. With the calculator, you input a salary from one city and it tells you what the equivalent salary would be in a second city. This tool is handy for job seekers and those doing the hiring.
Try: To check out a great salary calculator, and learn more about how it works, visit CareerBuilder.com.

Market profile

A market profile is essential reading if you are trying to figure out a fair salary for a television industry job. Pay in the TV industry is constantly evolving, and it can vary from station to station in the same city, based on which station is making money and which station is not. A market profile will give you a good idea of the revenues and ratings for stations in a market, so you can adjust your salary expectations accordingly.
Try: To see several great examples of market profiles, check out Nielsen Business Media.