Pay Rate for TV Traffic Reporters

[MissyRadio]

Friend of mine has been asked to submit a tape of her doing traffic on video for a possible fill-in TV traffic anchor opportunity in Dallas. She asked me if I knew what it might pay since the traffic reporting company providing the talent was being vague. Since my only background is radio, I have no idea. $20 an hour? $25?. That still seems kind of low for major market TV. Any ideas?

 

[MikeShannon914]

I know of one that was pulling down $48K, but that was the rate 7 years ago. I wouldn't expect a newbie to the market (even an experienced newbie) to make more than $30K. There's just too much competition and stations don't want to pay a dime for anything. Most of them "lease" their traffic people from a service (MetroSource, NAVTEQ, etc) and often it's an exchange for spots. Trust me, the traffic services don't pay much, either.

Now, based on the current local traffic gal offerings, does your friend meet the requirements? In order: Large breasts, small frame that's able to accommodate large breasts, ability to buy your own clothes and have them specially tailored to accentuate your breasts, open to the idea of breast implants (at your own expense,) opposed to the idea of pregnancy (unless there's an opportunity for your breasts to grow larger while carrying a baby,) desire to spend as much time as possible with the camera crew to make sure that your breasts are being shot at the best angle, same for the lighting crew so that specific gels (lighting filters) are installed that will properly "color" your breasts, and also posing in various positions to make sure the breasts are well lit, and, of course, the mandatory signing of a contract that states if you gain weight, or otherwise harm your breasts or make them undesirable, you can be terminated with no notice or severance, and be chained to a non-compete for the next 3 years (1.5 years for each breast.)

Oh, almost forgot...it helps to know the area freeways and streets just a little.

 

[FilioScotia]

As Mike just pointed out, very few local TV traffic reporters are employed by the TV station. They work for the traffic reporting service, and the services don't pay worth a damn.

Very few TV stations are willing to spend the money it takes to have their own traffic reporting. It's just cheaper to let an outside company do it for them.

Pay for TV traffic reporters is low, in part because of the nature of the job. It's usually an entry level position, and stations know their eager young traffic reporters won't be with them very long.

If they have any talent at all, or big boobs, they're just passing through on their way to a better paying job. It's rare for a traffic reporter to stay at one place for a long time. Darby Douglas comes to mind. He was with KHOU for years because he doesn't have big boobs. I don't think.

To Mike Shannon: You sure seem to have a "breast" fixation. I have one too. If the traffic girl has big mammaries, who cares how bad the traffic is?