What is the Chain of Command at Local TV Stations?
When pitching a story, it’s important to know who is in charge. TV stations have what’s called a “Queen Bee.” This is someone in the newsroom who knows everything that’s going on, who everyone runs to, who has all the power. The “Queen Bee” knows all, tells all. So you really want to be friends with the “Queen Bee.” As you start creating relationships with your local stations, you will find out really quickly who that person is. They usually have three different titles. They’ll either be called a managing editor, a planning editor, or the assignment editor. Be careful with the title “assignment editor,” because a lot of newsrooms might have a total of 10 assignment editors, and there’s a “Queen Bee” of those assignment editors. To find out more information on how you can get booked on your local TV station, check out How to Get on Local TV News Tomorrow.
