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TV News Reporting and Production MCM 516

LESSON 40

FUNCTIONS OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF A TV SET UP

There are many different staffing arrangements in Television stations. Some big city stations employ

300-400 people and may be divided into dozens different departments. Small town stations may have

20-30 employees and only a few departments.

Normally General Manager is the head of a television station, the person ultimately responsible for all

station activities. The Sales department is responsible for selling time to local and national advertisers,

scheduling advertisements, sending bills to customers.

Maintaining all the equipment is the responsibility of Engineering Department. The Production

Department puts together locally produced programming. At many stations the programming

function is also handled by the production department. Those involved in programming decide what

programmes should be telecast and at what time they should be presented.

The News Department includes the news director, anchorpersons, reporters and writers responsible for

the station's newscast. The Administrative Department supports the General Manager in running the

station.

At the network level, the divisions are somewhat more complicated. Although the major networks

differ in their setups, all seem to have departments that perform the following functions:-

Sales: handles sales of network commercials and works with advertising agencies.

Entertainment: works with the producers to develop new programs for the networks.

Owned and operated stations: administers those station owned by the networks.

Affiliated Relations: A very important job in the new century, it supervises all contracts with

stations affiliated with the network and generally tries to keep the affiliates happy.

News: responsible for all network news and public affairs programmes.

Sports: responsible for all sports programming.

Standards: checks all network programmes to make sure they do not violate the law or the

networks own guidelines for appropriate content.

Operations: handles the technical aspects of actually sending programmes to affiliates.

Infrastructure or organizational set up and Working of a TV channel

For a television organization to manage the affairs there is a Board of Management or Board of

Governors or Board of Directors. The Chief Executive or Chairman or Managing Director approved by

the Board, is the Administrative and Executive Head of the Corporation.

Human Resources or Administration & Personnel Department

This department is responsible for formulation and implementation of administrative policies. Admin &

Personnel Department consists of two sections "Administration section" and "Personnel Section". The

over all head is Director whereas at centers Executive Administration & Personnel Manager heads it.

Programmes Department

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TV News Reporting and Production MCM 516

Programmes Department is responsible for making programmes like dramas, music, infotainment and

religious programmes and miscellaneous programmes. The Director Programmes heads this Department

whereas Executive Programmes Manager is the person in charge.

News Department

This department is responsible for news gathering, production and Telecast through news bulletins. This

department is headed by Director News and Senior News Editor is the in charge.

Current Affairs Department

Current Affairs related programmes are a regular feature of transmission of a news channel. A Director

Current Affairs heads it and at small stations Head of Current Affairs is team leader. This department is

responsible for making current affairs programmes and bulk of programming at a channel is contributed

by it.

Sports Department

Sports Department is to provide sports entertainment to viewers and is headed by Director Sports and

there are Sports Producers at different centers as well. Apart from occasional International / National

sports coverage TV channels also televise live national and international sports around the world.

International Relations Department

The major responsibility of this Department is to promote friendly relations with international TV

Networks/Organizations to enhance knowledge in the field of electronic media. It also participates in the

International Television Festivals/Competitions held in different countries by sending best programmes.

Engineering Department

The Engineering Department takes care of the day to day operations and maintenance of a TV network

and Rebroadcast Stations, new projects, Planning & Procurement, as well as research and Development

activities. At national level Director Engineering is the while at centers Executive Engineering Manager

may be the in charge.

Training Courses

Such courses impart professional training in various disciplines of television broadcast technology. It

may be headed by a full time Director, and is assisted by a team of television professionals who are

members of the academic faculty.

Marketing

The Marketing Department of TV network is responsible for marketing the programmes and the

commercial time on its screen. It is the major source of any TV network earnings. It is headed by

Director Marketing at large stations and by General Managers at the small stations. Advertisers can

book commercial spots in the commercial breaks provided between programmes and can also sponsor

programmes shown on a TV network.

Information Technology

The Information Technology Department is responsible to deal the IT up-gradation and solutions to

bring improvement on screen and ensure non-stop programming. It is headed by Controller at large

stations and IT in charges small stations.

Finance Department

Finance Department is headed by Director Finance large stations and by Executive Manager Finance at

small stations. It has to record all business transactions according to the prevailing tax laws and

accounting principles.

Sub-Departments

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TV News Reporting and Production MCM 516

Programmes Department

This Department deals with the production of programmes.

Camera Department

This is a sub department of programmes production Department. It is headed by chief cameraman & is

supported by cameramen, light men, still photographer.

Design Department

This department is responsible for set designing and erection of sets in the studios and outdoors of

various a TV network programmes. It is headed by the Design Manager and consists of designers &

other support staff and studio hands.

Make-up

This is a sub section of programmes department & deals with the make-over & get ups of the talents

according to nature of the programme.

Presentation Section

This section comes under programmes department & handles the Scheduling & broadcast of

programmes/ advertisements.

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