Significant Career Lesson From A Broadcast Meteorologist At A TV Station
Early in Meredith's career as a Broadcast Meteorologist, an accidentally live microphone captured unprofessional language, resulting in a forced resignation. This experience taught Meredith the crucial lesson that "the microphone is always on," emphasizing the importance of mindful communication in a public-facing career, a lesson that contributed to their current success.
Communication, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Media Responsibility, Broadcast Journalism
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Meredith Garofalo
Broadcast Meteorologist
TV Broadcasting Company
Valparaiso University
NA
Environmental & Related Sciences
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Always be mindful of what you say, especially when a microphone is on, as it could be recorded and shared widely.
2. The impact of technology on reputation; what you say online can last forever.
3. A mistake doesn't have to define your career; learning from it and moving forward can lead to success.
Transcript
What's one lesson you've learned that's proven significant in your career?
The microphone is always on. I know that sounds crazy, but when I was in my first TV job right out of college, I was so excited. And microphones – you never know where they're going.
There was a microphone that was accidentally left on, and I thought I was taping something, but I wasn't. Some feedback went off in my ear, it was really loud, and I accidentally cussed. I said a couple of bad words.
That feedback and that microphone ended up going over the local high school basketball game, with a bunch of parents and students. I ended up having to quit my job before I was fired.
My news director boss gave me a second chance and said, "Look, they're going to fire you unless you put a resignation letter on my desk, because that can't happen." It was a lesson learned.
It wasn't the start of my career that I wanted, but now looking back and being where I am, and knowing it was part of my success story, it doesn't matter where you are.
If you think you know the people controlling your microphone, when you put a microphone on, or when there's a microphone on in front of you, always think about what you say. This applies even if you're in public and other people are recording stuff on their phones.
You never know where that's going to go or who's going to be recording that. Once something like that happens, especially now with the internet, it's going to live forever.
So, if you're a journalist or a meteorologist, when you put a microphone on, just always think the microphone is always on until you take it off and you're taking the battery out of the pack.