One-on-One: Bravo’s Andy Cohen

BiB Contributor | George Howell

You may know him as the host of the hit cable show Watch What Happens Live…

What you probably don’t know about Andy Cohen is that this he is also the Senior Vice President of Production and Programming of the NBC cable subsidiary Bravo TV.

Both an on-air and behind the scenes genius of Bravo TV’s success, Andy started out in news before entertainment. He usually conducts the season finale interviews for Bravo’s Real Housewivesseries, but this time Andy is answering a few of our questions to help you break into broadcasting!

BiB: Starting out, people told you that you would have to start in small markets and move up the ladder, but you decided not to follow that path. Clearly, you had great success! What do you tell beginners about that traditional advice?

Cohen: I say that you should get in the door with internships and that can lead to your first job. My last internship was at CBS News in NYC, and instead of moving to a small market after graduation I decided to move to NYC and try to work there fulltime. It happened, and led me where I am today.

BiB: People see you on television, but you are also an executive who oversees content. How do you balance executing the demands of both worlds so well?

Cohen: I work really hard and love what I do, so it all balances out.

BiB: Times are changing when it comes to broadcasting… more material online, more online broadcasters, etc. What basic advice do you have for beginners, to have a successful career in our evolving industry?

Cohen: My only advice is to try to get yourself in the door somewhere that you’re passionate about, and your passion will help guide you where you want to be. If you don’t know where you want to be, try as many internships as possible at different places and network like hell.

Thanks for the insight Andy – very helpful tips! For more about Andy Cohen, be sure to check out his blog on Bravotv.com and you can catch him on the show he hosts, Watch What Happens Live.

Hope this helps to give you some ideas!

Good luck!