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Original poster

Any mums out there who work / worked in television?

19 replies

shoobaloo · 06/04/2006 09:00

I work in tv - nothing grand, just Ap or P/D programmes for a small channel. I've had my first child recently and really don't want to go back to the stress, looooong hours, weekend shoots / late night edits etc of the business. I don't know any women in TV who have babies except maybe a few high power execs (who can afford to have nannies etc!). Did you work in tv and decide to go back or did you decide to stay home and become SAHM?

OP posts:

katyp · 06/04/2006 09:03

I don't but know someone who does - she works part time, a couple of days during the week and one day at the weekend I think. Both sets of grandparents live nearby though so I think they help out a lot...

Original poster

shoobaloo · 06/04/2006 09:08

hi, there katyp - what does your friend do? I think if I do go back it will be part time too - but I don't think I'll be able to produce or direct anymore because of that. Will prob have to just assistant produce....

OP posts:

katyp · 06/04/2006 10:44

Works on the production side I think but don't know her job title - not someone I know very well

lazycow · 06/04/2006 11:02

The only person I know doing this works weekends 3 weeks a month. She does something on sports coverage computer graphics I think She is finding it very hard going as they get very little time as a family and her dh is getting tired too as he does all childcare on the weekend. She tends to work all over the country so is often away overnight on a Friday or saturday night.

I think she is considering getting childcare for one day in the week to give her a day off. This was the only thing she could get or she could have had a job that was evenings/nights but her ds doesn't leep well so she couldn't have coped with that.

wools · 07/04/2006 15:47

HI Shoobaloo, I work in television. I've got 2 children - 1 aged 2.7 and the other is only 9 months. I work part-time as the hours at the weekend really take it out of me. My DH (also in TV) helps as much as he can. I send them to nursery 1 day a week and I have a very reliable babysitter who works for me on a Saturday. Other than that DH and I do it all. I am pregnant again, and seriously considering whether to become ASAHM after the next one.

twocatsonthebed · 07/04/2006 15:57

I'm pregnant and work in tv - and so have been observing what other mums do for a bit, even if I haven't tested it out yet!

Apart, as you say, from the executive power mums, almost everyone I know who has combined children with tv works in development- as the hours are regular, and it's also relatively straightforward to do jobshare/reduced hours.

The only other people I know who have managed it is someone whose DP is also a P/D and they take it in turns to work. Which isn't going to work for everyone.

Whereabouts are you? I've found that the hours generally are much better if you work outside London.

waves to wools Didn't know you were in tv!

wools · 07/04/2006 16:05

Hi twocats......well what a small world. Yes, been working in tv for 18 years....can't believe I'm still there. Getting a bit tired of it TBH.

twocatsonthebed · 07/04/2006 16:20

wools - know exactly what you mean. After 15 years, have been very seriously considering giving it all up to run a deli, to the stage of having a business plan and everything. But we've been having problems finding premises, and now this pregnancy means that it will have to go on the back burner for a bit I suspect. But if I don't do something soon, I will strangle a commissioning editor with my bare hands. What sort of stuff do you do? I've been working in fact ent, which is another reason in itself for wanting to get out...

Sorry, shoobaloo, this probably isn't what you want to hear right now...

wools · 07/04/2006 16:30

Twocats, I work for Sky Sports hence why I tend to work weekends. They're a great company but I think I'm getting too old for it...they're all so keen and I can't get out of the door quick enough. I think the problem is priorities change so much once you've had children. Even if your job is an interesting one, it tends to lose it's shine. I like the idea of a deli though....

Shoobaloo, I will say at least in TV you can jobshare and do freelance work and therefore helps with childcare options. I know this option isn't open to everybody so we should be grateful I guess.

manicmumday · 07/04/2006 16:46

Really sorry for mercilessly hijacking this thread but was wondering whether you'd give me some advice, twocatsonthebed (feel free to tell me to get lost for being cheeky)?

My DH's a wine expert and we've been considering trying to write a TV programme proposal for a fact ent wine programme. If this is at all your area, do you think there's a gap in the mainstream market for this type of programme (meetings with vineyard owners, tastings, discussion by panel of different wines) or is it too specialist/highbrow? (even for BBC2?).

Am complete amateur in this field (as if you hadn't guessed...) so any thoughts really appreciated.

twocatsonthebed · 07/04/2006 16:52

I don't think it's only having children that makes you reconsider it. I found that two years working in the same building as the Big Brother offices with all of the 22-year olds in their absurdly trendy clothes was more than capable of making me feel very old and tired indeed...

twocatsonthebed · 07/04/2006 16:57

mmd - BBC2 now want to be younger so they're probably not so good, but would suggest that you try UKTV Food - have a look at their schedules as they might already have something. Then you need to find a really charismatic and entertaining wine expert (who knows, perhaps I am describing your DP here?!) as what the channels are looking for more than anything is fresh new faces. If you want to pick my brains more, try waden at line one dot net and I'll happily tell you at length how irritating and difficult it is to get new programmes made!

manicmumday · 07/04/2006 17:11

twocats - thanks loads for the insight. i'm not the most objective observer but i think my DP's probably the man for the job! whenever i've listened to him talk about wine (which is a lot - an occupational hazard of being with him), he's inspired the people he's talking to and is fascinating to listen to. The main potential hiccup is that he’s French – he speaks good English but with a comedy French accent (zeee wine eeeeees having aromas of zeeeeee red fruits… - think Eurotrash and you won’t be far off). Do you think that would be a no-no? Anyway, will check out UK TV Food schedules to see how over-subscribed they are with wine progs already. Thanks lots as well for the email address –may well drop you a quick line at some point soon. Again, tell me to get lost if you get fed up off the questioning.

manicmumday · 07/04/2006 17:14

hmmmn, my brain's clearly melting faster than I thought.

That should be "of the questioning"...

Original poster

shoobaloo · 12/04/2006 20:36

Hi there - sorry for not getting back to you guys sooner - have been up to my eyes in it! Thanks for your replies - I've been fed up to the back teeth with TV for a long time now - been working in it for 10 years. Am not too fussed about going back - am really not the career bunny that I was back in my yoof! Anyone know a mum who worked in telly but left to work part time in a diff field?

OP posts:

mslucy · 19/04/2006 20:47

hiya

I work in TV making list shows - I'm a series producer. I've been working in TV for nearly 12 years.

I have a son who's nearly 11 months and went back to work when he was just a wee scrap (4 months). He spends half the week in nursery and half with a childminder who is also a family friend. We've had the odd hiccup but on the whole it's been OK, though I am permanently knackered.

Felt a bit shit about this but offered a long contract I couldn't say no to.

Been relatively OK - basically I do everything I used to do except work late. I'm out of the door at 5pm on the dot every day and would probably kill anyone who got in my way.

I work full time because that way childcare eats up a smaller chunk of my wages - I'm the breadwinner and work to keep a roof over our heads rather than personal fulfillment etc etc.

TV is probably not the ideal career for a mum, but

it's what I do and the money's OK so I can't really complin.

jampots · 19/04/2006 20:50

my friend's sister is a freelance producer (i think) worked on Right to Reply etc. Her dh is also in tv - they live in Glasgow now. They have a young son (about 2-3)

moonshine · 19/04/2006 21:03

I worked in (a lowly job in) tv drama and never went back after birth of my first child. Apart from the mad hours (and I only remember meeting about 2 mums of smallish children who worked in production because of the hours and time you have to spend away from home) I think the culture is fantastic when you are childless (all that social drinking and partying) but hard and thankless when you have to leave on the dot (if that is ever possible). Agree about being depressed with all those trendy young things - there was such a high turnover of them!

Dh works at BBC and they seem to be more child/family-friendly there. I am considering begging my old boss for a job there!

ShuvDugg · 22/04/2006 22:41

Worked in TV for about 8 yrs and always loved it - in fact it almost took over my life. I was working for personal enjoyment! However, my husband and I took time off a few yrs ago and it really made me re-prioritise my life.
Now with baby and facing returning to work later in yr and not looking forward to it! Not because I don't want to work, but i'm just not sure I can be the same "work-a-holic", "go-getter", "do whatever hrs are required" person anymore. That will not only mean I may not be so good in my job, but also that I won't get the same satisfaction out of it!? But as with most of us, what choice do we have, and if I don't work in TV, I've no idea what I would do?
I think like most first time mums, I'm having to re-define myself, i'm not just a PM anymore, but also mummy, and trying to find a way to make both work together is not going to be easy!
Am definately considering part time work - supposedly my employers are pretty good re family/kids, but of course the proof is in the .... will just have to wait and see what they are willing to let me do, and I guess how valuable they think I am!?

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