You’d be surprised how often bad behavior is tolerated in broadcasting.
I could surprise you with the names of actual broadcasters, past and present, who are notoriously horrible to work with because of their terrible tempers and obnoxious behavior. Doors have come off their hinges from crazed slams. Bits of (now outdated) technology have been projectiles thrown in anger. I could name names. But I won’t. It’s tempting though.
Broadcast managers are famously timid about approaching their volatile talent and setting them straight on how to play nice with others. Threats, intimidation, temper tantrums and screaming sessions – I’ve been on the receiving end of them all over the years. One of my former managers even told me years later that he stayed out of the situation when I was being terribly bullied on the job because he wanted to toughen me up. I call bullshit. It was just easier to pretend it wasn’t going on.
I was reminded of these thankfully historical parts of my career when I read the New York Post’s article about how Good Morning America news Anchor Josh Elliot was called in to meet with top brass at ABC last week. Elliot has developed a reputation for taking his nervousness and frustration out on the crew by yelling and intimidating them. Lucky for them, someone is listening to their complaints. It shouldn’t matter if the perpetrator is a highly paid news anchor or a lowly cable puller, the rules should be the same. But too many managers are blinded by talent and if the person is performing well when the little red light goes on, his or her effect on fellow staff is too often ignored. I can tell you from experience that it makes the rest of the employees feel less important and I can also tell you that they’re not. Josh Elliot would do well to remember it’s those little people who make sure the technology is working so that his pretty face can get out to TV-land. They’re the ones who write the words that come out of his mouth. In other words, he and everyone else in a similar position, ought to be grateful.
Actually, no I wouldn’t. You combine talent with ego and you have a recipe for problems when things don’t go their way.