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Publicist. Winston Rodriguez MUM2702, Professor Calle Miami Dade College Spring 2008. Career Description and Details. A publicist in the music business acts as a liaison between the artist and the media.
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Publicist Winston Rodriguez MUM2702, Professor Calle Miami Dade College Spring 2008
Career Description and Details • A publicist in the music business acts as a liaison between the artist and the media. • Publicists must compile enough information to keep an act in the public eye for as long as possible. • Publicists must know when to arrange press conferences, write press releases, and create press kits that will make the act known.
Skills • A publicist must possess creative writing skills, be an excellent communicator, have an outgoing personality and be able to work under constant pressure to meet deadlines. • You don’t need to be proficient musically to succeed in this career. However, knowledge of the music business would be a definite plus. • You may continue your college studies at a four year university without having to audition your musical skills. Keep in mind though, students who wish to major in mass communications must have excellent writing skills.
Education • Most organizations and firms require a bachelor’s degree in either communications, public relations, journalism, marketing , or advertising. • A four year degree would definitely show your future employer you possess the necessary skills to write and communicate effectively. • A graduate degree will always help you expand your skills. A publicist however, doesn’t necessarily need one for immediate employment.
Colleges offering four-year degrees • University of Miami – Coral Gables , FL • Florida International University – Miami, FL
Markets and Disciplines • Big city markets that emphasize music and entertainment will often generate mass media hype. • It is the publicists responsibility to take advantage of the scene around them , and create the necessary buzz for their clients. • Publicists need to constantly create a unique angle that will get the attention from the press.
Locations for this position • Los Angeles • New York City • Nashville • Chicago • And other cities that are music centers
Employability • Publicists may work at record companies but openings are limited . • There is also heavy competition for publicists seeking work at publicity firms that are music oriented. • A publicist may decide to work independently and would have to find their own clients.
Salaries • Salaries vary according to the firm. • The overall salary range is 25k to 150,000k+ a year. • Entry-level publicists earn between 25k to 30k annually. • As a publicist gains experience, he or she will be able to make more contacts, and earn more money.
Advancement • Ultimately, the best publicists will move up and be promoted to better clients and more interesting projects. • If the publicist has a knack of delivering successful campaigns on behalf of their clients, he or she will move up.
Flexibility • Publicists possess similar skills that can be applied in careers like public relations, marketing, and advertising. • A publicist has the rare opportunity of making multiple contacts all the time. This is beneficial to anyone’s career development.
Pluses • Publicists get to make important contacts in the music business. • The job encourages creativity. • If you’re a good publicist, there is a high financial reward for your work.
Minuses • This is a 24/7 job which requires you to be on-call most of the time. • There is high competition for a position as a music publicist. • You constantly work under pressure.
Summary • A publicist must be creative, persuasive, and have good social skills. As a music publicist, you need to use your contacts to your advantage. Be ready to have a thick skin when things don’t go as planned and be persistent.
Recommendations • Work on your creative writing skills. • Move to a city that has a favorable employment prospect for this field. • Get a four year degree in either communications, journalism, advertising, marketing, or public relations. • Find out if a public relations firm or record company offers an internship for publicists. • Have a few samples of your writing style ready.
References • Career Opportunities in The Music Industry Fourth Edition by Shelly Field. (2000)
