Stormy Buonantony started a great conversation last night on X. She posted a video, asking, “what did you make at your first paid job in the media business?” As of this writing, the video has over two million views and hundreds of responses. But the picture painted is one that some don’t like to accept.
Most roads to a successful media career start small. In many cases, the paychecks are embarrassing. But look at the comments, and how many people are now entrenched in regular roles. ESPN’s Randy Scott made 17K while Matt Schick pulled in $18,500. Ryan McGee was even lower at $100 per week. Paul Pabst earned $18,900, Chris Carlin $20K, and Wes Durham $22,500. Matt Moscona made $6.50 an hour, while Chris Kinard scored $7.00. Brandon Walker and Todd Fuhrman both made $8. All are now doing what they love, working in sports and media, building a life around it. That in of itself equals success.
The Pattern Never Changes
I’ve spent over thirty years in the industry working in small markets, major markets, at national networks, and as a consultant, publisher and business owner. The game plays out the same way whenever threads like this go viral. Some read the replies and feel validated, because it mirrors their experience. Others tell young people to hold out for real money before taking their first job. Some who left the business or feel they’ve been denied a greater role suggest never entering it. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen someone tweet “you can get paid more at McDonalds.”
It’s hard to sell the idea that entry-level pay is some kind of injustice when hundreds of working professionals just told you that they started at the bottom and worked their way up. The truth is, you don’t get to negotiate like a finished product when you haven’t done the job yet. Leverage comes from what you’ve already proven, not what you hope to prove. Just because you think you’re worth it doesn’t mean you are. If you were, someone else would make a stronger offer and you’d accept it. A first-time employee walking in with zero reps, zero experience, and zero track record will have a hard time commanding a big salary. Some professionals can’t do that.
Think about how this works in every other competitive field that people romanticize about working in. Nobody expects a rookie on a practice squad to earn what the starting quarterback does. A musician playing dive bars doesn’t demand stadium money like a global artist. A person performing in a high school play doesn’t earn what a successful movie star does. Sports and media are no different. Yet somehow, there’s a segment of people in our business ready to act like the normal rules of earning your way don’t apply. They do, and always have.
My career started with an unpaid internship. That turned into $100 per week for 40-hours in 1996. I spent 70-hours per week in the building because it wasn’t about the money, it was about the reps. My father thought I was nuts, but I wanted to be great at it. I understood the sacrifice, and viewed it like the first chapter of a book. Your career is only an interesting read if you create interesting and exciting chapters later.
It would have been easy to say “I’m worth more” but I would’ve been wrong. I was not ready to host, produce, sell, or run a business. I was a young guy with passion, who loved sports and radio, and was willing to work hard. That made me no different than anyone else looking to get in the door. By committing myself to the work, getting better at my craft, saying yes to new experiences, and gaining skill, knowledge and relationships, I put myself in position to make a good living. But as my professional crowd will tell you, I grind today like I did when I started. If you love your work, it adds value in ways that dollars do not.
A Necessary Reality Check
Five years ago, I wrote a piece after Jane Slater got ripped on Twitter for offering someone an unpaid internship. Hundreds reacted, suggesting those starting out deserved more. People were outraged that anyone would dare offer someone an opportunity without paying them like a ten-year veteran. It showed how disconnected they were from understanding how the media business works.
Stormy’s tweet last night painted a more realistic picture: the road to a successful media career involves many twists and turns, and early financial challenges. Nobody forces anyone to take a job. People take them because they see the value on the other side of the dues they’re paying. Turn it down on principle, and someone behind you won’t. They’ll gain the reps and relationships while you wait for a better offer.
Careers in this business rarely move in a straight line. Nobody’s promising you’ll get rich at it. Some will. Most won’t. But getting rich is rarely the goal. If this is the work you want to do, if it gives you energy and purpose and you’re proud of what you produce, the first paycheck is irrelevant. What matters is investing the time to become good enough so that better opportunities eventually come your way.
Most who responded to Stormy’s tweet with a small number from their first job are now further down the line. Many are making a real living, some doing quite well. That’s the result of treating the first opportunity as a foundation, not a final destination. They got their foot in the door, did the work, got better, developed relationships, and stayed open to new opportunities. The longer you stick with it, improve, and make connections, the better your chances of building a career.
Why Does the Job Matter to You?
Getting in the door and working hard isn’t enough on its own. You have to pay attention too to what’s happening around you. The people whose stories stood out in Stormy’s thread kept looking for their next chance. If it meant switching stations, changing formats, moving to a new market, or taking a role nobody else wanted, they were ready to adjust. Being loyal and staying in your hometown are great, but growth sometimes requires making changes.
I’ve shared before that when I left 95.7 The Game as PD in 2015, I moved back to NY to be with my son with no job lined up. When I told friends I planned to pursue publishing and consulting, many warned me not to. They shared opinions based on what they knew but didn’t look at what could be or what was about to happen in the industry. Fortunately, I did. I learned early why relationships, flexibility, skill, and understanding business mattered. I also discovered how critical it is to be unafraid of failure. Too many worry about what can go wrong over what could go right. Those at the top of our industry usually take more swings than those down below.
Many of the lessons I learned came from a job paying $100 per week for 40-hours. It wasn’t easy, but sometimes the wealth you gain from an experience is worth far more than what you deposit into your bank account. It also pays off in a bigger way later on.
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Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.