Broadcast Talent Isn’t Disappearing
My reasons to be positive about the future of our industry.
For years now, we’ve been saying the same thing in panels, articles, and industry conversations:
“Young people are not getting into our business.”
“It’s impossible to find people to train.”
“We can’t find future production managers, A1s, EICs.”
I’ve said it myself.
And to be fair, there’s truth in it. In many markets, there is a real shortage of personnel. Our industry doesn’t look as attractive as it once did.
But lately, I’ve been seeing something that gives me real hope.
And it’s not happening where most of us are looking.
Where I unexpectedly found optimism
Over the last months, I’ve been attending a few of my daughters’ middle school and high school games. Not all of them, unfortunately, but enough to notice something.
From a personal point of view, it’s great. Being present, watching my kids, sharing that time with them… that matters.
But from a professional point of view, it’s been eye-opening.
At several games, I watched students produce live streams of the matches their peers were playing. Not just one camera on a tripod.
Three cameras.
Commentary.
Graphics.
Storytelling decisions in real time.
Someone’s thinking coverage. Someone’s calling shots. Someone’s learning rhythm.
I was sitting in the stands, watching the game live… and following the stream on my phone at the same time.
Now, you might say: “This isn’t new. Schools have been doing this for years.”
Yes, but not like this.
In the past, maybe a school could afford a camera. Or a microphone. But bandwidth was limited. Platforms were complicated. Streaming wasn’t accessible.
Today, the barrier is radically lower.
And the result is powerful.
These kids are learning by doing. They’re copying what they see on major networks, but they’re also experimenting. Making mistakes. Trying new things.
And that’s exactly how most of us learned.
The difference is: they don’t need to wait years to touch real tools. They’re cutting shows in their teenage years.
The same thing is happening elsewhere too
This isn’t limited to schools.
In your hometown right now, people are running small productions that would have been unthinkable not that long ago:
One camera.
A microphone.
A basic graphics system.
Setups that might have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past are now accessible for a fraction of that. And these productions are not just hobbies.
They’re allowing local fans to watch their teams play. Parents to watch their kids. Grandparents to follow games they could never attend in person.
Some people are even making a living out of it.
That matters.
What I’m also seeing back at the trucks
Because of my role, I’m not at trucks and control rooms as often as I used to be. But when I am, I feel the same sense of cautious optimism.
I still see many friends with decades of experience.
But I also see a new generation coming up.
Young engineers. Young EICs. Professionals with a strong work ethic, real talent, and something important: they understand both worlds.
I’ve seen this firsthand in trucks from companies like Dome Productions, NEP, and Game Creek. And I’ve also seen it in the way organizations like Ross Video and EVS are developing talent.
These newcomers speak the language of traditional broadcast and IP-based workflows. They are the bridge.
And when companies dare to invest in them, really invest, the return is obvious.
You get people who understand not just the technology, but the culture. The day-to-day reality. The values of the organization.
Yes, they’re hard to find.
But when you find them and commit to growing them, the payoff is huge.
And many times, they’re already inside the organization… working as a receptionist, a runner, or in roles no one thinks to recruit from.
The challenge I want to leave you with
To those of you running companies, departments, or teams:
If you keep looking for talent only in the same traditional places, you’ll keep being disappointed.
If the “perfect candidate” isn’t knocking on your door, go knock on someone else’s.
Look at underrepresented groups.
Look at local productions.
Look at schools, community projects, and small teams doing creative work.
The interest in audiovisual and sports production has not disappeared.
If anything, it has grown.
What’s changed is that fewer people want to enter through the traditional front door of our industry.
And that’s on us.
We need to adapt. We need to open doors. We need to dare.
Because the future of broadcasting is not missing.
It’s already working, just not always where we expect it.
One last thought
And this isn’t only a leadership issue. It’s personal too.
If you’re reading this while wondering what your next move might be, I’ll say this humbly: don’t underestimate your options.
As we discussed in the previous edition about working for a YouTuber, opportunities aren’t only inside the traditional broadcast machine anymore. They’re also in the newer corners of our industry: digital-first production companies, creator-led media businesses, local and regional streaming operations, and small teams building real audiences with lean setups.
If a door opens, evaluate it seriously.
Do the due diligence. Talk to people. Understand how the company makes money and how it treats its crews. Then decide based on the business, not the label.
And if this resonates, share it with one person who might need to hear it right now.
Sometimes a single forwarded email is the nudge that gets someone unstuck.
Bulletin Board
The Winter Olympics are coming and many of us will be watching; but if you aspire to work at this event ever, you must know the basics of each sport. These video explanations are great for those of us who did not grow up around snow and cold weather.
61 already took my course “The Global Business of Sports Productions” and you can do it too. Remember that if you are a subscriber of The Ministry of Broadcasting you can get a special price in this link.