TDGA To Offer Traffic & Billing Certification

Learning the ins and outs of traffic and billing software isn’t something college students are going to find in their broadcast or digital media curricula. In fact, it’s a unique skill that can be picked up only on the job.

“Years ago, TV and radio stations would go to a high school’s secretarial course and whoever ranked pretty high in those classes were invited to come on over and become a traffic director and they would train them on site,” says Larry Keene, CEO and founder of the Traffic Directors Guild of America, a non-union association dedicated to revenue management scheduling professionals and business management personnel in the radio, television, cable, website and mobile industries. The TDGA has more than 5,000 members.

“Today, you must be incredibly well-schooled in computers…. It takes some skill.”

That’s why Keene and the TDGA are working on bringing a professional certification program to the traffic and billing sector of the industry. With a plan to unveil the official program in the beginning of 2014, new and existing traffic professionals can become certified in their craft. Before year’s end, TDGA will attend different state broadcasting association seminars, starting with Alabama, and do some beta testing of the certification program.

Exams will require a 95% passing grade to earn certification in each of three categories, which are still being worked out. One of the exams will test a person to see if he or she has an understanding of industry terms and definitions.

“It’s not a university diploma, but employers are going to know that this person not only knows the terms and definitions of traffic and billing, but that they also know the FCC laws when it comes to political advertising,” says Keene. “Almost every dollar that runs through a television station goes through the traffic department, so you don’t want a high school person handling your millions of dollars.

“With this certification program, we’re shifting traffic and billing from a position to a profession.”

Some traffic and billing professionals, however, aren’t sure if a certification program will have a major impact on the industry.

KSEE Fresno-Visalia, Calif., is currently hiring for a traffic coordinator position that includes production and editing of traffic logs, order and date entry, materials research and processing. The NBC affiliate is looking for a person with strong written and oral communications skills, in addition to strong computer knowledge and the ability to work in a fast-paced team environment.

Lisa Peoples, KSEE traffic manager, says it’s tough to find good workers and isn’t sure if a certification program will make it any easier.

“This is a field of specialty that’s underpaid,” Peoples says. “It’s a field where you can’t just pull someone new in. It takes a good year to get a good foundation — to just skim the top. It’s a hard field to be in and a lot of people don’t respect it. They see it as a data-entry job, but it’s whole lot more than that. I’m not sure if a [certification program] would make it more official and change that.”

Peoples says she would love to bring in an employee with some experience that she could groom, but doesn’t have the luxury of time to do so. KSEE serves as a hub for five other stations.

Certification programs aren’t new to other sectors of the industry. The Society of Broadcast Engineers started its program in 1975 when the FCC got rid of first-class licenses. “At the time, there was no way to show your professional competence,” says Megan Clappe, SBE certification director.

Today, Clappe says it varies across the board, but many employers require certification or at least strongly suggest it.

“It’s a personal choice to receive that professional recognition,” she says.

SBE offers 15 different certifications, each with five different levels from entry level to 20-plus years of service. Engineers take a written exam at one of the more than 100 local SBE chapters across the country.

For the TDGA, the certification test could become a moneymaker. Clappe says the SBE’s certification program is its second-highest revenue stream, next to membership.

TDGA membership costs $45 for the first year and $30 per year thereafter. Keene says a price for the traffic certification program is still being determined.

Read other stories in this Traffic and Billing Special Report here and here.