Gray Television Inc.: Fostering Employee Growth
Gray Television Inc. invests in employee growth through robust internal promotion practices, comprehensive skills training, and leadership development initiatives. This commitment strengthens its stations, expands its reach, and benefits all stakeholders.
Gray Television Inc. prioritizes promoting from within. Managers actively discuss career aspirations with employees, fostering internal mobility. In 2022, over 300 employees advanced their careers through internal transfers. Over 95% of General Manager and corporate officer positions in the last four years were filled internally.
Gray Television Inc. invests millions annually in formal, live training and professional development programs. These, coupled with a growing library of on-demand virtual training, cover skills essential to broadcasting, from news gathering and sales to creative design and digital special effects.
Gray Television Inc.’s commitment to news excellence is shown through comprehensive journalist training. This includes live virtual training for new hires, in-person refresher courses, on-demand resources, regional training for producers and investigative reporters, and support for industry conferences like IRE and Poynter Institute seminars. Gray is also launching an in-house news research and strategy team led by industry veterans.
For sales and marketing, Gray Television Inc. provides live training courses, continuing education conferences, online certifications, and thousands of on-demand training videos. This ensures sales professionals have resources to excel in a dynamic media landscape. Beyond news and sales, Gray offers training in media production, graphics, promotions, engineering, technology, including digital skills like IT systems, virtualization, cloud computing, streaming, and programming.
Gray Television Inc. supports leadership development via the Broadcast Leadership Training (BLT) program, an executive MBA-style program run by the NABLF. This program trains senior leaders, especially women and people of color, in successful broadcast station operations. Gray also sponsors the Carole Kneeland Project, a newsroom leadership program for aspiring news directors. Internally, Gray established the Gray Leadership Bench, a year-long program preparing exceptional newsroom employees for management.
Beyond professional skills, Gray Television Inc. offers training on diversity and inclusion, employee health and safety, and ethical conduct. A formal DEI training program, launched in 2020 and expanded in 2022, fosters a respectful and inclusive workplace. Mandatory safety training covers first aid, CPR, safe driving, and ergonomics. Employee well-being is promoted through wellness programs. Gray also prioritizes journalistic ethics, legal compliance, cybersecurity, and customer privacy, providing training to all employees. Monthly cybersecurity training reinforces the company’s commitment to data protection.