Gray Television Inc: Investing in Employee Growth and Development
Gray Television Inc. prioritizes the professional growth of its employees, understanding that their success is crucial to the company’s overall performance. This commitment is evident in the company’s robust internal promotion practices, comprehensive skills training programs, and leadership development initiatives. Gray Television Inc. firmly believes that by nurturing its employees, it strengthens its stations, expands its reach, and ultimately benefits all stakeholders, including communities served.
Gray Television Inc. emphasizes promoting from within, providing existing employees with priority consideration for open positions across its various locations and businesses. Managers are encouraged to discuss career aspirations with employees, fostering a culture of internal mobility and advancement. In 2022, over 300 Gray Television Inc. employees advanced their careers through internal transfers to new markets. Many of the company’s current leaders started in entry-level positions, demonstrating the long-term success of this approach. Over the past four years, more than 95% of General Manager and corporate officer positions have been filled through internal promotions.
Gray Television Inc. invests millions annually in formal, live training and professional development programs. These programs, coupled with a growing library of on-demand virtual training courses, cover a wide range of skills essential to the broadcasting industry, from news gathering and sales to creative design and digital special effects.
Gray Television Inc.’s commitment to news excellence is reflected in its comprehensive training programs for journalists. These include live virtual training for new hires, in-person refresher courses, on-demand virtual resources, regional training for producers and investigative reporters, and support for participation in industry conferences like the Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) conference and Poynter Institute seminars. Furthermore, Gray Television Inc. is launching an in-house news research and strategic consulting team led by industry veterans to provide support to newsrooms across the company.
In the realm of sales and marketing, Gray Television Inc. provides multiple live training courses, continuing education conferences, online certification courses, and thousands of on-demand training videos. This comprehensive approach ensures that sales professionals have access to the resources they need to excel in a dynamic media landscape. Beyond news and sales, Gray Television Inc. offers training programs in various operational areas, including media production, graphics, promotions, engineering, and technology, encompassing digital skills such as IT systems operations, virtualization, cloud computing, streaming, and programming.
Gray Television Inc. actively supports leadership development through its sponsorship of the Broadcast Leadership Training (BLT) program, an executive MBA-style program run by the National Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation (NABLF). This program focuses on training senior leaders, particularly women and people of color, in the fundamentals of successful broadcast station operations. Gray Television Inc. also sponsors the Carole Kneeland Project, a renowned newsroom leadership program for aspiring news directors. Internally, Gray Television Inc. established the Gray Leadership Bench, a year-long program designed to prepare exceptional newsroom employees for management roles.
Beyond professional skills, Gray Television Inc. provides training resources on diversity and inclusion, employee health and safety, and ethical conduct. A formal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training program, launched in 2020 and expanded in 2022, fosters a respectful and inclusive workplace. Mandatory safety training covers areas like first aid, CPR, safe driving, and ergonomics. The company also promotes employee well-being through wellness programs and incentives. Furthermore, Gray Television Inc. prioritizes journalistic ethics, legal compliance, cybersecurity, and customer privacy, providing training to all employees in these critical areas. Monthly cybersecurity training reinforces the company’s commitment to protecting sensitive data.
