BY DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN In the 32 years since I started my career at KTLA, then an independent local TV station in Los Angeles, television has changed a great deal. But television stations haven’t. Sure, technology has advanced in ways we never dreamed of — the first promos I ever cut were on two-inch quad videotape reels the size of trashcan lids — but the basic way we operate is still the same. Good programming and promotion still draw big audiences. Solid news reporting still wins awards (and hopefully viewers). Capable sales staffs still bring in ad dollars, and the overnight ratings still serve as the daily report card. Today, our little TV powerhouse, KUSI in San Diego, is the closest station I know of to what KTLA was in Los Angeles from the late 1940s until the early 1980s…the local independent where viewers turn first when local breaking news happens. They turned to KTLA first because they knew KTLA would cover the story longer and better than anyone in that coverage area. They could stay with a story for days without having to worry about pre-empting network programming. When the wildfires broke out in San Diego this past October, KUSI Newswas able to stay on the air live without commercial interruption for 100 straight hours. It was exhilarating to be in a newsroom during that week. I had heard many stories from my coworkers about the station’s coverage of the 2003 wildfires — reporters facing walls of flames to get the tragedy on tape, anchors sitting at the news desk for 14 hours straight. But it wasn’t until I lived through it myself that I understood what drove these dedicated news professionals. It was a commitment to bring the news to our viewers; news that could save lives. They recognize that the work they do is important, and they care about the public they serve. Sure, there are challenges. In my area, Creative Services, I have a smaller staff than the network affiliates. Yet we turn out just as many promos (more in fact, since with eight hours a day of local news, we do nearly twice the number of topical spots as our nearest competitor). Artists fresh out of school create news graphics the quality of seasoned veterans, reflecting the same dedication as our news team. It all happens because this team cares about its work, and while that may sound cliché, it’s a quality that I hear over and over again about our station from the public. Working at a family-owned indie like ours in a mid-size market such as San Diego also allows us to try things that our competitors can’t. We can turn on a dime, experiment and try things that would be shot down before seeing the light of day in the hierarchy of the corporation-run affiliates. Whether it’s producing a news special on a few hours’ notice, or creating unique contests and promotions, decisions can be made quickly and the product created more efficiently. And it can be great fun too. The environment at a smaller station breeds a competitiveness in the vein of David vs. Goliath. Technically we may be using our slingshot against the arsenal of bigger network guns, but we enjoy the flexibility that allows us to taunt the big guys and pull off some pretty amazing success stories. Station size and affiliation aside, one other element of the television business hasn’t changed. The movement of the typical television executive, whether it’s in news, promotion, sales or other departments, is to move from small market to medium market to large market over the course of their 20s and 30s. Many of us who grew up in large markets sometimes also need to move in order to get that first management experience (I moved from Los Angeles to Philadelphia to grab my first director’s title). During my final year at Genesis/New World Distribution, in 1996, I oversaw $20 million in spending on advertising and promotion for 10 syndicated shows, launching Access Hollywood and continuing hit programs such as Real Stories of the Highway Patrol and Tales from the Crypt . But the satisfaction of helping one station, here in San Diego, to number one in an important time period is just as fulfilling. Big things can come in small packages. The opportunities for personal growth abound when working for an independent in a mid-size market. Unlike large market stations with very regimented structures that see very little inter-departmental movement, here we are encouraged to expand our knowledge, to try new things and learn as much about the entire broadcasting business as possible. We’re all part of the same team here. There’s no ‘us vs. them’ and everyone contributes ideas on how to make things work even more smoothly. Developing camaraderie with co-workers, whether department heads or interns, is easy. Whether a pat on the back comes via the company picnic or recognition in the company newsletter, employees are told they’re important, and are driven to contribute even more. In conclusion, TV has changed a great deal. But at local television stations like independent KUSI, where the business of running a TV station depends on dedicated employees who are driven to excellence, things haven’t changed at all. V I D E O • A G E JA N U A R Y 2 0 0 8 16 U . S . T V B r o a d c a s t Local Independents Still Count Douglas Friedman is director of Creative Services for KUSI Television, San Diego
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