what do TV researchers do? Have an interview for a chats show next week....applied for a laugh?

Answer 1

Spent a couple of years as a researcher for BBC Wales TV, though that was for an investigative journalism programme rather than a chat show or light entertainment programme.

Essentially though the discipline's the same.

You'd be responsible for putting ideas into the mix at meetings - things and people you think would help make a truly killer show. Then, more often than not, if your idea is accepted, you take charge of making it happen - you find the people, you agree whatever needs to be agreed to get them there, you brief them on the kind of show and the kind of questions they'll face, you find as much accurate information as you can and you brief your presenter and producer with all this information, so they can feel at ease when they're on-air, you arrange transport, hospitality, and you put the people at their ease when they arrive, until you wave them off.

While it's always best to have ideas to throw into planning meetings (and ideally the contacts to make them work), if you don't, you'll be allocated projects - people, subjects etc to research for the next show. either way, it's a combination of academic work - finding out factual information - and people work - getting people relaxed and able to give their best performance.

Cool job if you like that sort of thing. Enjoy the interview anyway ;o)

Answer 2

Raj Ram
Raj Ram is a currently a development producer at Maverick TV in Birmingham, following work for the BBC, Carlton, Central TV and Kilroy Productions. He started with a BBC training scheme at Pebble Mill, and admits the pay was the worst thing when he first started.

"A researcher needs:

· tenacity
· to be inquisitive
· be able to assimilate information quickly
· to be good at writing
· be good on the phone
· be able to make contacts quickly

I think every TV production company looks for the same things, and these are the key traits you need."

"I went for a job as a researcher for a network daytime show in Manchester. Throughout the interview I was asked questions that I didn't have a clue about, like five camera shoots and health and safety. At the end of the interview the exec producer said to me that for someone who wanted to direct a network programme, even my basic knowledge was poor. I was stunned, and told them I'd come for the researchers vacancy. There were red faces everywhere as personnel had got the interview dates mixed up!"


Eleanor Taylor
Eleanor is a development researcher from Shropshire who has worked on a variety of productions. She did a degree in Media, Film and Video Production, followed by unpaid work experience which led into paid work.

"The best bits are doing something different and interesting everyday, the worst is the lack of job security, and the difficulty getting the first break. You need:

· to be confident,
· good on the phone
· not take 'No' for an answer when trying to get information out of people who don't want to give it.
· I think you need to be a good investigator as you have to track down people and information."

"One of the first tasks I was asked to do when I started was to find out how much flatulence a cow produced for a strange fact programme for Bravo called Ten Things. So I had to spend a whole day phoning around lots of different people saying, "I was wondering if you might be able to tell me how much flatulence a cow produces?" As you can imagine I had quite a lot of people thinking I was taking the mickey and hanging up on me! I found out in the end though!"


Kate Bartram
Kate Bartram from Staffordshire recently researched 100 Worst Britons, and has researched on a number of programmes for BBC, E4 and Channel4.

"I started doing work experience as a runner on a documentary about Stuart Pearce, and the director asked me to assistant produce a short film with Christopher Timothy called The Knicker Thing. Then I got my current job as researcher at Hotbed Media in Birmingham."

"Common sense - this is all you need really. And some urgency about what you are doing. It's great to look into every detail but the reality of TV is that you just don't have time. So use your common sense to prioritise."

"Researching is fun but the more you do the more creative input you want - therefore it can only be a stepping stone but a really important one, as it determines what type of programme you will want to produce or direct."

"I really want to produce films as well so in my spare time I do that. The next stage is to get funding for my next short and also have a day job in TV so that I can afford to live!"

Answer 3

They are the one responsible for finding out about you. Thye are typically very much a "People person" and really good a reading people. They are responsible for getting allthe vital statistics, and (in the case of shows like Jerry Springer) making your story show worthy!

Answer 4

I bet that's a really good job. I wouldn't be able to stop myself from laughing though when all these saddos are pouring their hearts out to me. You will have to get back to me and let me know about this one!

Answer 5

thought they had to research about the people coming on, so the host knows enough about them