Sinclair Broadcast Group Reviews

Pros

The company is doing well financially

Cons

The big issue with Sinclair is that it runs most of its stations very cheaply. Some of the larger markets have bigger budgets and top line equipment and facilities. But most of the smaller markets deal with sub-standard technology, facilities, staffing and local management.

Advice to Senior Management

Sometimes you have to spend more to make more. Several stations are in a negative cycle because the resources just aren't there and people either aren't happy or resigned to mediocrity.

Pros

Good benefits, good hours and good training.

Cons

No gas reimbursement, management always has their thumb in your back, good money is hard to make in smaller markets, management lies about future billings of accounts given.

Advice to Senior Management

Let salepeople do their job and be realistic about money that will be made when first starting.

Pros

Sinclair offers great benifits and opportunitys to grow with in the company. They own a number of stations in many different markets.

Cons

Sinclair is a very large company and does a great job of using its resources but many programs are required to be used in all markets when they may not be the best.

Advice to Senior Management

I have been very happy with Sinclair and what they have to offer to their many employees. A great company to work for.

Pros

Flexible, 100%commission made good money.

Cons

Management turnover, success not recognized, unfare distribution of accounts.

Pros

The nations largest private broadcast television group. It functions more like a cable network or network affiliate than a television group. There are plenty of relocation and job opportunities located across the country in desirable areas such as Tampa, Las Vegas, Baltimore/Washington, Minneapolis, and Nashville.

Cons

Lack of diversity in upper management. Sinclair truly is a good ol' boy organization. You'd be hard pressed to find a person of color (or women) on any management team, either on the station level or on the executive level located in hunt valley. For an organization of its size, it is completely unacceptable for their to be no diversity or inclusion in the management or executive ranks.
Another con for the company is the pervasive "us" vs. "them" mentality that prevails throughout the company. What I mean is that stations don't really trust corporate and corporate really doesn't respect the stations...or at least that is the sentiment that many of the subordinates who toil in the doldrums of Sinclair feel.

Advice to Senior Management

My advice would be to create a culture of leaders rather than promoting individuals to micro manage, micro-managers. Listen to your employees. Become more diverse, or at least make an attempt to diversify your management and executive ranks. No, don't "diversify" for the sake of saying you are diverse BUT your organization should somewhat mirror the markets in which you provide a service for (after all you are public broadcasters, granted public licenses, to serve local communities). Create a culture where employees feel like there opinions mattered.

Pros

A good resume asset for a Media Account Executive

Cons

Makes promises and never do. Management are degrading, Director has an exaggerated sense of self importance and has no respect for the Sales Reps or other managers.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire approachable, professioanal managers that has advanced interpersonal communication skills. Someone that well grounded and true to their word. Good Managers enhances good sales rep. They do not humiliate their staff.

Pros

Training on the job with no prior experience.
Opportunities to learn above and beyond the basic job requirements, if you take the initiative.
Fair and understanding management.... very accessible.
Decent time off (paid and unpaid).
Good PPO health care options.

Cons

Pay is at the bottom end of the scale compared to other stations in the Las Vegas area.
Pay raises are minuscule (Standard is .25 per year).
Pay raise freezes because of the economy.
Expansion of the stations channels has lead to a dramatic increase in work load with no additional compensation.

Advice to Senior Management

Sinclair should offer more competitive wages with other station in the area. The Las Vegas station has 6 channels and while other stations have maybe 1 or 2, wages are lower for significantly more work. Although, in all fairness, when the economy fell apart and advertising revenue dropped dramatically, Sinclair chose not to lay people off.

Pros

-learned a lot about TV
-Trained in many different aspects of production

Cons

-Bad pay
-there is a separation between production and news that was just unbelievably hard to deal with

Advice to Senior Management

You should really look into what some of your local managers are doing and how some in the lower levels are being treated

Pros

From sales standpoint, the company does invest in its people. Make no mistake, SBG is a sales company first and foremost, and a broadcaster operating in the public good second.

Cons

See pros. Top line rev is the bottom line. Outside of sales, look elsewhere. Senior management hasn't changed its philosophy in 30 years.

Advice to Senior Management

For an industry destined to head the way of newspapers and yellow pages, management could learn from their peers on how to not run a company

Pros

Large broadcast group with group buying power and information sharing. Policies and procedures standardized across the group and there are many resources within the company for help.

Cons

Jobs are being regionalized placing increased workload and stress level on employees. Company tries to do too much with too few employees at times.

Advice to Senior Management

Value your employees and do not try to over work them. This is a strong group but needs employee support to be effective.