Education for Television Jobs

TELEVISION, it would seem, is inherently glamorous. Even though it is known as a "scramble" profession-a scramble to get in, a scramble to stay in,-many are attracted to its unknown problems. On all sides there are seekers after training that will usher them into this new profession. We all assume that the universities and colleges will be expected to supply workers for television, and this may well be true. Old workers do die off, some of those now working in television will prove not to have made a successful transition from other fields, and the field is rapidly expanding. On the other hand, the assumption may rise from wishful thinking. Schools of journalism sought to supply workers for the newspaper field long before professional newspapermen recognized any value in university training. There was a time, in fact, when the editor shunned the university-trained journalist. American education may have a weakness for attempting-too quickly-to teach the applied aspects of a science or an art. Although there is a definite place for tradeschool training, it should not be confused with university training. Skill in television cannot be gained in ten easy lessons; but it can be nurtured.