[SBE] defining broadcast engineer

[John Freberg]

>

> On Mar 16, 2008, at 9:59 PM, Bill Harris wrote:

>

>> Hmmm, do I see a new SBE certification on

>> the horizon?   The (C)ertified (E)lectronic

>> (M)edia (E)ngineer?  The "SeeMee"?

>>




Another SBE Certification doesn't begin to address the real issue.  
CSRE CSTE CPBE are essentially meaningless terms to those outside  
SBE.  CEME wouldn't be any different.

The industry is run by people who came out of the Sales Department and  
never understood engineering in the first place. With respect to  
technology, they  relate to  buzzwords like Microsoft, iPod, Tivo,  
YouTube, streaming, podcast etc. But they don't associate those terms  
with broadcast engineers.

Rightly or wrongly, we have been defined (described below) by others  
in our industry over a long period of time. Turning this situation  
around requires that we talk to people outside our discipline rather  
than amongst ourselves. We have to persuade them as to our value to  
the enterprise in terms they understand.

Just a pipe dream, but what if a station manager could call SBE and  
get a referral for a competent engineer to handle a specific task? Do  
you think they would begin to look at SBE and its members as a resource?



> 1. A guy who hangs out at a transmitter site doing nothing, and is a  

> money drain.

> ( and get this - he wants to AIR CONDITION the place ! If he was  

> doing something

> useful, like fixing sales printers he'd BE in air conditioning )

> 2. The guy who always wants to buy stuff that produces no return,  

> and is a money drain.

> ( tower is only 30 years old, and it was painted when it was new, so  

> it's fine )

> 3. The guy who constantly wants new "tubes" ( whatever they are )  

> and is a money drain.

> (( idiot got new tubes 4 years ago. they're on the 20 year  

> depreciation schedule ))

> 4. The incompetent guy who needs a shower, and dresses poorly,

> but sets up remotes, and is a money drain.

> 5. The guy who fetches the mail, and is a money drain.

> 6. The guy who unplugs the toilets when he's not hiding in that  

> "engineering room" thingy,

> and is a money drain.

> 7. The guy who turns off revenue producing equipment when it's most  

> needed,

> and is a money drain.



>


John Freberg