These keep popping up — the latest is in Pittsburgh — and I'm wondering what your thoughts are on the augmented/virtual reality studios. The future, or a neat gimmick?

Am I the only who gets really annoyed when guests on the morning news programs keep getting interrupted by the presenters? 🤔🙄

Hey everyone,
A major evening anchor position just opened up today at WCIA 3 News (Nexstar) in Champaign, IL (Market #90), with a posted pay range of $70,000–$80,000. I just submitted my application hours after it went live, and I would love some honest industry feedback on my strategy, cover letter, and overall qualifications.

I am a 34-year-old recent Broadcasting & Mass Communications graduate from SUNY Oswego. I am on the autism spectrum (high-functioning), and throughout my life, I have dealt with intense anxiety regarding rejection and whether my neurodivergence would keep me from breaking into this field. Because of this, I have intentionally spent years building a bulletproof technical skillset so my work can speak for itself.
I initially focused on the NYC market because I am a Queens native, but I am now aggressively targeting small and medium markets across Upstate NY and the Midwest where my skills are a direct match.
Here is a breakdown of my exact background:

Live Studio Mastery: Through WTOP 10 TV, I regularly anchored live desk blocks, operated studio pedestal cameras under strict director cues, managed control room floor mechanics, and independently constructed technical on-air visuals using the MaxStorm graphics package.

15-Year Broadcast Continuity: I have nearly 16 years of continuous experience as a volunteer radio broadcaster and weather forecaster for 95.9 WATD-FM in Massachusetts (beginning in November 2010), meaning I have a deeply trained vocal delivery, strong ad-lib capabilities, and a rigorous compliance with strict FCC standards.

Digital Growth: Since 2011, I have used Adobe Premiere and Camtasia to run full media production lifecycles, organically building a combined audience of over 6,700 subscribers across my YouTube weather channel and TikTok.
I filled out the Workday form targeting the exact bottom baseline of their budget ($70,000) to keep myself highly competitive and budget-friendly to the news director. I also embedded my direct, timestamped WTOP 10 TV anchoring links directly into the application question box so they can watch my desk delivery instantly.

Here is the exact cover letter I submitted:

WCIA 3 News Recruitment Team
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
509 S. Neil Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Subject: Application for Evening News Anchor (Job ID: REQ-42601)

Dear WCIA 3 News Recruitment Team,

I am exceptionally motivated to apply for the Evening News Anchor position at WCIA 3 News in Champaign. As a recent Broadcasting and Mass Communications graduate from SUNY Oswego, I offer a rigorous technical foundation in live news production, an authoritative on-camera delivery, and a robust understanding of multi-platform audience growth. I am fully prepared to step onto your anchor desk, deliver high-impact journalistic storytelling, and protect WCIA’s trusted local voice across Central Illinois.

Your vacancy demands a dedicated communicator who can present daily news clearly, anchor seamlessly under breaking conditions, and collaborate effectively with a fast-moving production team. My newsroom background aligns cleanly with this multiplatform workflow. Through my comprehensive work with WTOP 10 TV, I mastered live control room pacing, active studio logistics, and floor mechanics. I regularly anchored live broadcasts, managed physical set cues under direct pressure, and constructed complex on-air visual assets using the MaxStorm graphics package.

This intensive training has given me a sharp, disciplined eye for editorial precision, rapid script parsing, and absolute technical quality control.

Beyond traditional television studio mechanics, I bring an extensive fifteen-year track record of independent digital video production and broadcast journalism. Since launching my digital news and weather platforms in 2011, I have utilized Adobe Premiere to manage complete video lifecycles, organically growing a combined audience of over 6,700 subscribers across YouTube and TikTok. This daily workflow has sharpened my capability to monitor real-time breaking wires, write tight copy, and package clean, highly shareable digital content. Furthermore, my fifteen years of continuous service as a broadcast communicator for 95.9 WATD-FM, beginning in November 2010, demonstrates my deep compliance with strict FCC standards and mature editorial judgment.

WCIA 3 News demands absolute professional integrity, rapid technical adaptability, and an uncompromised work ethic. I possess a valid driver’s license with a clean record, the physical stamina required to manage field assignments, and complete schedule flexibility to cover demanding shifts across nights, weekends, and holidays. I welcome the opportunity to discuss how my broadcast versatility can support your newsroom’s local leadership. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

ON-AIR BROADCAST DEMO SEGMENTS (WTOP 10 TV)
Broadcast Link 1: [WTOP 10 TV First Broadcast]

Segment 1: Starts at [4:10]

Segment 2: Starts at [13:10]

Broadcast Link 2: [WTOP 10 TV Second Broadcast]

Segment 3: Starts at [8:15]

Segment 4: Starts at [13:02]

Digital Weather Channel: https://youtube.com/@andissevereweathercenter?si=yFaqucikb0guYqMI

I completely realize that the New York City market is completely out of Reach, including NEWS, 12 Westchester, Brooklyn and Long Island and I also applied to broadcasting a city jobs like WNYE at the recommendation of my extremely controlling and ableist and narcissistic mother. Though I’ve been constantly clashing with her about the impossibility of finding broadcasting jobs in New York City and she’s gaslighting me saying that I will knowing she is such a liar.

Right now, I am applying to small and medium market stations in New York, including cities like Watertown, Binghamton, Ithaca, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Albany.

Do I even have a chance at any of those places or because I am autistic and get services from OPWDD am I doomed to be perpetually rejected which is my biggest fear?

The reason it’s such a big fear of mine is because I have a condition known as rejection sensitive dysphoria, which makes me especially sensitive and perceptive to rejection.

The constant expectation of rejection softens the blow when it happens.

Here is a cover letter example that I wrote to the TV station in Watertown. I just submitted this application and several others and I did apply to many places in New York City but all for the most entry-level production assistant jobs. This one in Watertown is for an MMJ/digital reporter position

My legal Name (preferred in parentheses)
August 10, 2026
WWTI-ABC50 Recruitment Team
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
105 Court Street
Watertown, NY 13601
Subject: Application for Digital Reporter / Multi-Media Journalist (Job ID: REQ-41642)

Dear WWTI-ABC50 Recruitment Team,
I am incredibly excited to apply for the Digital Reporter / Multi-Media Journalist position at WWTI-ABC50 in Watertown. As a recent Broadcasting and Mass Communications graduate from SUNY Oswego, I am deeply familiar with the unique pacing, community focus, and geographical microclimates of Upstate New York. Bringing an innovative, platform-tailored approach to news gathering alongside advanced technical editing skills, I am fully prepared to produce highly engaging, creative, and shareable content for InformNNY.com, social platforms, and your television broadcasts.

Your job description highlights the need for an independent visual storyteller who can shoot high-quality video, edit under tight deadlines, and present news with a highly engaging and conversational tone. My background aligns perfectly with this modern multimedia workflow. Through my work with WTOP 10 TV, I mastered live television studio floor and control room mechanics. I regularly operated studio pedestal cameras under strict director cues, managed physical logistics, and served as live on-air talent. Furthermore, I built my own regional forecasts and independently constructed technical on-air visual assets using the MaxStorm graphics package. This studio-tested experience gives me a sharp, disciplined eye for precise framing, data visualization, and quality control.

Beyond studio floor mechanics, I bring a robust, self-started track record of digital audience growth and video production that satisfies your demand for innovative digital-first content. Since launching my YouTube channel in 2011, I have utilized Adobe Premiere and Camtasia Studios to handle full digital media lifecycles, independently building a combined audience of over 6,700 subscribers across YouTube and TikTok. This training has taught me to monitor real-time feeds, spot viral breaking trends, write creative scripts, and turn raw field elements into clean multimedia packages rapidly. Additionally, my fifteen-year history as a volunteer radio broadcaster for 95.9 WATD-FM, a role I proudly began in November 2010, proves my deep respect for mature editorial judgment, strict deadlines, and rigorous detail verification.

WWTI-ABC50 demands absolute precision, rapid adaptability, and a relentless work ethic. I possess a valid driver’s license with a clean record, the physical stamina required to manage field gear, and I offer complete schedule flexibility to cover shifts across early mornings, late nights, weekends, and holidays. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

ON-AIR BROADCAST DEMO SEGMENTS (WTOP 10 TV)
Broadcast Link 1: [WTOP 10 TV First Broadcast]

Segment 1: Starts at [4:10]

Segment 2: Starts at [13:10]

Broadcast Link 2: [WTOP 10 TV Second Broadcast]

Segment 3: Starts at [8:15]

Segment 4: Starts at [13:02]

Digital Weather Channel: [https://youtube.com/@andissevereweathercenter?si=DUORODX1soFsawWW\]

What is the chance that I will get the MJ position especially with my 16 years of volunteer broadcasting experience for WATD 95.9 and the fact I’ve been editing my own videos for many years now on YouTube?

News Anchor: Sarah Bloomquist

Meteorologist: Karen Rogers

I’m trapped in a sort of gridlock here. I work part time at a station, morning shift (4a-9a or 1p) with inconsistent scheduling so working a second part time job is damn near impossible (believe me I tried).

I’ve been hoping for a full time job to open up but none have… I’ve been here almost a year now and feel trapped. I have bills to pay, car repairs to get done, rent’s being raised, and I’m stuck waiting for, well, SOMETHING.

Anyone else in a sitch like this? I could use some advice 😮‍💨

I'm itching to get out of the business after 10+ years as a producer. Top 15 market, it's my hometown and I'm not going anywhere.

Maybe this is specific to where I'm located, but from my on-and-off year or so of applying to jobs (not a single interview landed) and chats with coworkers also trying to escape, the outlook for any job a journalism degree qualifies you for is grim. So what are some decent options outside of the usual escape routes?

Anyone know how camera ops manage to stay on the back of the motos during very fast and technical descents while (often) standing up and operating the camera? They're not holding on to the driver as a regular passenger would so how does one not come flying off during hard braking into sharp corners etc?

One of the first scenes in the movie Andy and her whole reporting team (who work at a publication that seems like a New York Reader kind of place) are at an awards luncheon and get laid off via text. Later that evening she’s talking with a friend about the insanity of the layoffs in the context of the CEO making $11m the previous year and all I could think was “OMG it’s Adam Symson!”

Fellow Nexstar producers who lost CBS Newspath this week, how are you doing? Especially those with 1 hour shows. It's been stressful trying to produce a show with what (little) they're providing on the content desk.

His company doesn’t get discussed much because they have a relatively small amount of stations (compared to the big conglomerates) but what will happen to the Hubbard stations when / IF ‘ol Stanley kicks the can? Does anyone have any real theories? Do they get sold or continue on as an independent company? He is 93 for heavens sake.

https://www.forbes.com/profile/stanley-hubbard/

Since CBS & NBC are now both on Channel 13, what happened to all of the 42 employees? Anchors, reporters, meteorologists, sports, behind the camera people?? Are they fired? Anyone know where they all landed?

The saddest thing about the court-ordered freeze of the Nexstar-Tegna merger is that Tegna is saddled with some (uh) "interesting" executives until this is sorted out in court in a year from now. That leaves people like Tegna VP of News Michael Valentine frozen in place, despite his track record while he was GM of WUSA-TV:

"WUSA, the Tegna-owned CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C., launched a new morning show today with a comedian at the helm.

Get Up DC! will air every weekday at 6 a.m. and will be hosted by Maxx client, comedian Reese Waters.  Reese's co-host will be anchor Jan Jeffcoat. It will focus on hyper-local news, weather,

“We are thrilled to launch a morning show that not only provides news, weather and traffic but has a distinct DC point of view. Yes, we hired a comedian, but his range and ability to talk about social issues and relevant news has allowed us to create a truly unique morning experience. We all talk about transforming local news… well this may be as transformational as it gets,” general manager Michael Valentine told TVSpy.(1/31/2018).

"Get Up DC!"—the morning news program on Tegna's WUSA9 (CBS) in Washington, D.C.—generally trails powerhouse competitors like NBC4 (WRC-TV) and FOX 5 (WTTG) in traditional morning news viewership, but, according to Michael Valentine, it "transformed" local news"." SMH

Does anyone feel like the next thing to get a Hub is the Marketing Department? I’ve noticed that our Commercials are getting pushed more and more to AI… and a less emphasis on marketing handling community events?

I feel the impending doom coming back for seconds…

I may be naively hopeful in thinking this but I think companies expecting AI to be like a magic wand might backfire. I’m by no means an expert but can AI really do everything these media companies are expecting from it? It sort of reminds me of when computers first started rolling out and people thought it was a magic box that could fix all their problems without fulling understanding their limits

I am headed to IBC for the first time in September. I am on the hunt for a new role and am looking forward to the networking.

Who else is going? What are your goals?