What Makes a Good Producer? Find Out Here | Uniset

What Makes a Good Producer

Whether recent changes have you eyeing a new career in TV production or you’re an experienced producer looking to step up to the next level, news production is an exciting and quickly changing field, and what you learn today can help you land that dream job tomorrow. The good thing is that while journalism degrees dominate positions in front of the camera and behind the news desk, a news producer is judged more for their ability to tell a story and their knack for sequencing images for broadcast than their credentials, which means you may already have honed your skills in a related field or hobby.

What does a news producer do?

As the person that packages all the ingredients — stories, voiceovers, reports, images and graphics — for broadcast, a TV news producer’s job description is more akin to a filter or funnel as their efforts are centered around the big picture of the broadcast itself. It’s the producer’s job to bring everything together and create a final broadcast, either live or as part of a pre-packaged show, that viewers can understand and enjoy. Working closely with the news director or executive producer, a news producer builds the newscast by sequencing all the stories and elements that make up a completed broadcast. While some stations and production houses have the anchors and journalists write their own copy, others require the news producer to jump in and help out by coming up with copy on their own or in concert with the on-screen talent. Additionally, many producers are strong video editors, and in many instances are asked to edit the final broadcast itself while sitting next to the director or another creative lead.

If you’re wondering how to be a better news producer, here are the essential skills that every news producer should have:

  1. Know how to write a story.

    • As the person that is ultimately responsible for the final broadcast itself, the story doesn’t stop after you receive all the materials. Organizing, rewriting and otherwise massaging an unfolding story is the news producer’s responsibility, and if viewers don’t get it or lack the interest to follow a story, it’s the producer’s job to break things down into the exact story to be told, no more and no less.

  2. Know how to edit a video.

    • While many larger channels and broadcasts may employ multiple video editors, smaller or independent stations rely on the video editing capabilities of their producer. After all, isn’t the person with the overall broadcast in mind the best one to edit the final on-air material? Even with the support of a video editor, a news producer may be asked to edit clips of reporters and other segments long before it all hits the air.

  3. Know how to stack a show.

    • Certain stories like major breaking news and other important clips should always lead the show. Human interest stories or “fluff” pieces typically go towards the end or may need to be pulled altogether if time is an issue. In the back of their mind, the producer should always be ready to juggle a show for the best, most informative order, and that means designing a broadcast that flows, informs, but never bores.

  4. Have excellent communication skills.

    • Producers talk with everyone — the on-air talent, reporters, directors, as well as tech leads and everyone else that supports the broadcast. The last thing a producer needs is to be surprised minutes before air or during a live broadcast that an additional shot will be coming in or that extra equipment is needed. That said, a producer also needs to know when to back off as constant interruptions will make it harder for everyone else to do the jobs that the broadcast and the producer relies upon.

  5. Time management.

    • As each broadcast is ultimately a series of defined time blocks, it’s important that a producer manages their time as well as they manage their on-air material. Most shows and newscasts run only 30 minutes, and pre-production and prep may only take place over a few hours each day. This means that a news producer has to quickly decide and move, pivoting where it is necessary but not lingering on problems or time-wasting activities. On live TV there are no do-overs, and even pre-recorded broadcasts never really have enough time prior to deadlines and airing.

With these tips, we hope you have a greater understanding of what makes a good producer and how your existing skills may help you in a career as a news producer. For more on how we help producers on-set, please contact us.

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