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As the election aftermath and storylines continue to unfold and we start looking at some of Donald Trump’s recent cabinet selections, one stood out to me above the rest: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Many have criticized Hegseth, insisting he’s “just” a TV host who isn’t ready for a job of this size. However, we know that Hegseth served the country for 20 years, was awarded the Bronze Star twice in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was previously the executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America.
And let’s be honest, his TV gig on FOX News certainly played a big role in him landing this job. He’s not the next Secretary of Defense without the exposure of that job.
But this is not a bad thing, and there’s no reason for him to apologize. In fact, it’s a great reminder that many of our on-air jobs can be pathways and translate to other professions outside of media. And in a time when we are seeing an unfortunate number of layoffs around the industry, this is meant to be an uplifting message heading into the holidays.
Oh, and you don’t need to be Pete Hegseth, host of the most popular weekend morning cable news show, to take advantage of this.
If you have any kind of tenure in your current, or possibly recently finished, on-air position, you likely have some amount of market equity that you can leverage for various opportunities. This could be getting yourself onto boards of non-profits and other organizations in your market, where you can rub elbows with major business leaders in your community. This allows you to build your rolodex that can help your on-air product, or, if the worst comes to fruition, be a resource for other opportunities.
Your role on the air is viewed positively by many in the community. You may not view yourself that way, but the microphone you speak into daily gives you an element of authority that others in your city can’t buy, no matter how hard they try. An attorney can have all the billboards in town and buy all the commercials he or she wants, but will never be able to connect one-on-one with an audience like you do for hours every day.
There’s power and tremendous value in that, and we as an industry do not give ourselves enough credit for.
So, while your job is unlikely to lead you to being the next Secretary of Defense, Hegseth’s appointment should be a reminder that having a consistent media presence gives us a gravitas that is still viewed very favorably by many outside our immediate industry, especially if you’re good at what you do.
The Hegseth story should also serve as a reminder that you never know who is watching or listening. While we know President Trump is a big fan of FOX News, he clearly likes the work of Hegseth, or, let’s be honest, he would not have gotten the job he’s about to embark on.
And while we’re on the topic of transitioning from media to other jobs, let’s not forget that President Trump, for all his successes, was a media star before his venture into politics.
Our ability to communicate effectively and build strong personal and professional networks will help separate our on-air product from our competitors, while also providing great opportunities for a future, either by choice or not, in many other walks of life.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
