Novelist Lauren Clark’s Behind-the-Scenes Top Ten List for TV News Junkies!!
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to work at a TV station (the glamour, the money, the fame ….), check out this top ten list for the real deal by author and former TV news anchor Lauren Clark. If you like the list, and crave more behind the scenes action, pick up a copy of Stay Tuned today!
10. Reporters make tons of money! FALSE—Reporters at small television stations are paid a little more than minimum wage. They are required to have a college degree and often “One Man Band, ” which means that the reporter carries the camera, shoots the footage, does the interviews, then writes and edits the story.
9. Reporters meet famous people! SOMETIMES—I was fortunate enough to meet Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro who was smart and so nice. However, I also interviewed Eliot Spitzer while he was NY attorney general. Now that’s just creepy!
8. Reporters get lots of perks! SOMETIMES—Reporters do often get sideline tickets and backstage passes to events. However, it’s often a reporter attends only AFTER her or she covers the actual event, which means working for at least the first part of the concert, fundraiser, or dinner.
7. It’s always glamorous! NOT REALLY—Often, reporting took me to crime scenes, car crashes, bad neighborhoods, dairy farms, voting polls, and raging fires. My most unique assignments included finding a lost Emu and covering cattle judging at a local fair.
6. Reporters have people to do makeup and pick out clothes! FALSE—In smaller markets, you do your own makeup. Sometimes, the television station might give you a small clothing allowance, but a few hundred dollars doesn’t go far when you work 5 or 6 days a week.
5. Viewers call in and tell anchors how wonderful they are! SOMETIMES—I admit, I did get fan mail and it was pretty fabulous. But, most often, people called in to complain about (1) an outfit someone wore, (2) a story they didn’t like, or (3) a story that didn’t get covered.
4. Interviewing people is hard! FALSE—I loved that part! I thought it was so amazing to talk to people from all walks of life and find out why they were a farmer, a policeman, or a teacher. The hardest part for me was working 2 am – 10 am. (This meant getting up at 1:15 am every morning!!)
3. You always have to dress up! FALSE—On the weekends, in smaller markets, it’s pretty common for anchors and reporters to wear a formal suit or top and jeans underneath. I’ve known sports guys to wear tennis shoes or flip-flops on set!
2. The camera adds ten pounds! FALSE—It’s actually more like fifteen or twenty! People often commented on how short I was or how much thinner I was in person. (Sigh!)
1. Anchors use Preparation H under their eyes to reduce puffiness!? TRUE—I’ve done it, anyway. When you’re working 2 am – 10 am, there’s only so much coffee can do!
So there you have it! Overall, it was an amazing opportunity to work as an anchor and reporter at two CBS affiliates. I hope you’ll check out my novel, STAY TUNED, for more crazy fun and behind the scenes action!
–Lauren Clark
Here’s the set-up for STAY TUNED:
- “Stay Tuned is as faced-paced as a real-life newsroom. The drama on the air and behind the scenes will keep you racing toward the last page!” – Devon Walsh, News Anchor for WKRG-TV
- “Loved it and you will too. Lauren accurately portrays life in a television newsroom…the personalities, the pressures, the pace. Stay Tuned captures the drama that TV viewers seldom see. The book will draw you in and leave you wanting more.” – Anne Richter, News Anchor for WWNY-TV
- “Stay Tuned is a great read! The story of a career woman juggling life and love and finding herself along the way. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see if my suspicions were right about Chris. Author Lauren Clark writes so well you can feel what the characters feel. And it’s a very true representation of the TV news industry!” – Lauren Davis, News Anchor at WVLT-TV
- “The characters in Stay Tuned grab hold and demand you live the story right along side them. I found myself wanting to steal Melissa’s best friend Candace and make her my own-even if that means having to put up with an endless slew of quotes from Dr. Phil.” – Emlyn Chand, Author of Farsighted
- “Stay Tuned is fast-paced, fun, and a downright treat. Trust me, you’ll love Melissa’s hectic life and want her best friend (and Dr. Phil devotee), Candace, to give you all the right tips for staying on top.” – E. McDannak, Author of The Inrugian Chronicles
*Winner of the WritersType First Chapter Competition, October 2011
