iHeart Restructures - Departures

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://thedesk.matthewkeys.net/2020/01/mike-hagerty-laid-off-kfbk-iheart-media-sacramento/


Mike Hagerty the News Director at KFBK Sacramento has been removed due to the Iheart Cuts. As of today the largest city not mentioned in the Iheart Cuts so far is San Francisco.

 

[davideduardo]

https://thedesk.matthewkeys.net/2020/01/mike-hagerty-laid-off-kfbk-iheart-media-sacramento/


Mike Hagerty the News Director at KFBK Sacramento has been removed due to the Iheart Cuts. As of today the largest city not mentioned in the Iheart Cuts so far is San Francisco.

Very sad to see Michael and his position eliminated. Not only is he a fine professional, KFBK was an example of a local news focused station of great excellence. And to leave Sacramento, the home of one of the nation's most progressive state legislatures, with less news coverage is more than sad... it is irresponsible.

 

[Delete My Account]

I'll take it a step further: If you only do one genre of music, that's another limiting factor. The writing has been on the wall for 20 years. This isn't a surprise to people inside the business. If the users aren't limited by technology or genre, neither should the professionals who do the work.

Absolutely. Everyone should do everything, not particularly well, to barely make ends meet. That will really improve lives and communities.

 

[TheBigA]

Absolutely. Everyone should do everything, not particularly well, to barely make ends meet. That will really improve lives and communities.

Not sure I understand your point. You think the world is a better place when we limit ourselves, and not seek to grow and improve?

 

[Delete My Account]

I think it's called being a human being. You can't have everyone doing everything and be great at it all.

You (and these corporations) are asking everyone to be a broadcaster, a podcaster, a social media star, live their entire life on air, online and nationwide.

That's not how real life works. It's not balanced. And they're not paying them the salaries of all of those jobs to do those jobs.

The world's a "better place" when skilled people are given room to be human beings, not underpaid robots constantly stressed by near ceaseless greed.

I don't see you on here saying maybe they could have trimmed an executive's salary, or cut out Pittman's jet allowance. Your message comes through loud and clear.

 

[davideduardo]

I think it's called being a human being. You can't have everyone doing everything and be great at it all.

Those of us who began at small stations or in markets that did not have a huge revenue base learned to do a little bit of everything and we learned to do it well.

I'm proud of having been simultaneously GM, GSM, PD and CE of a station group early in my career. The station was successful and I was obligated to learn how to do many different tasks.

You (and these corporations) are asking everyone to be a broadcaster, a podcaster, a social media star, live their entire life on air, online and nationwide.

No, stations are asking talent to be entertainers on the new and broad variety of platforms that people use today.

That's not how real life works. It's not balanced. And they're not paying them the salaries of all of those jobs to do those jobs.

I can think of many jobs where an employee has to do a variety of tasks. It's not unusual and has not been for centuries.

The world's a "better place" when skilled people are given room to be human beings, not underpaid robots constantly stressed by near ceaseless greed.

Keeping an enterprise afloat in changing times is not greed; it is reality. Changing technology has made it possible to do things that were not possible even a decade ago... things I wish I could have done 55 years ago when I built my first station.

I don't see you on here saying maybe they could have trimmed an executive's salary, or cut out Pittman's jet allowance. Your message comes through loud and clear.

Yeah, let's see how a sports team does if they cut their best performers.

Leadership is an expensive commodity because there are few inspired leaders. The really good ones deserve just as big a pay package as an MVP.

No, I don't agree with Pittman's strategy. But I understand how they want to seize the opportunity to be a leading content company, not just a radio company.

 

[Delete My Account]

"I can think of many jobs where an employee has to do a variety of tasks. It's not unusual and has not been for centuries. "

That was not what I said and you know it. Stop the disingenuous rephrasings of valid points.

I'm referring to reasonable expectations and quality of life. Stop asking people to do multiple full time jobs for barely one full time salary. This started before the digital craze, and we've all seen it in job ads.

David, we get it, you're an exceptional human being who's done every job, very well, everywhere. Congratulations. Thanks for reminding us in every post.

Some of us have different priorities - like small communities that need service, niches that are worth filling, and retaining some sense of local flavor. Being able to balance our careers with a personal life and not living every minute of it on every service and platforms for "views" that don't earn us a cent or contribute meaningfully to our communities or any cause of worth.

Some things can't be measured in money or with a meter. I'm sorry you don't care about it, but you might lay off of those that do.

A lot of the "best performers" were fired over the past few days. But you always think "the top" EQUALS "the best."

Not even.

 

[TheBigA]

I think it's called being a human being. You can't have everyone doing everything and be great at it all.

I don't think I said that at all. I think people should aspire to grow and learn new things. Imagine if we were still editing tape with razor blades and splicing tape. But I don't want to be limited by someone else's work rules. Technology makes it possible to do a lot of things. I think that's exciting. I'm still excited and energized every day by new goals and opportunities. As I said, if all these people know how to do is cue up records, there aren't a lot of job opportunities out there. But if they took advantage of the resources they had while they were employed, they won't be out of work for long.

 

[Delete My Account]

And again, you completely misrepresent what I said..

I'm not saying don't USE the new tools. I'm saying there's priorities and balance.

Digital advertising is a mirage in many ways. But suddenly, you're saying everything should be digital.

I owned a station. I used those tools. I'm not opposed. But you CANNOT be good at everything and have quality not suffer. Some people are better hosts. Some are better producers. And some people are better heard than seen and don't want to be living every minute of the day on social media.

In some ways, I think it's disgusting than an industry that I love is so determined to be something it's not, and do a worse job of it, while not equipping people to do it in the first place and not compensating them well enough to live a modestly good life.

In some ways, I think we've contributed to the short attention spans and clickbait culture, and that to me, is a destabilizing thing in society, not something to toast to and celebrate in our "content hubs" while decent people with families just lost their jobs.

But what do I know. I'm not you or Mr. Eduardo, so.. *shrugs*

 

[TheBigA]

I'm not saying don't USE the new tools. I'm saying there's priorities and balance.

That's a personal decision. Priorities and balance are things you set for yourself. I agree you can't do everything. I was at a seminar a couple days ago and a business owner was saying that exact thing. He almost killed himself. Then he learned how to delegate. That's what his presentation was about.

Very early in my career I took a job as a NABET (union) engineer in NYC. As you can imagine it paid very well, and I probably could have stayed there a long time. But it had no opportunity for growth or advancement. You were a cog in a machine. I doubt those jobs exist any more. But I realized that was not the life for me.

Anyone who took a job at iHeart knew there were risks. The company has been under a cloud for over ten years. That's why I stayed away. I know a lot of people who've been hired, fired, rehired, and fired again from there. They've worked in several different markets. That was their choice. I didn't go that way. I also know people who met great friends while working there, and left to start their own business. Now they are very happily self-employed, thanks to the training and experience they gained while there.

But ultimately, we all have to create our own destiny. If we leave it up to the boss or the company, we have only ourselves to blame if it doesn't work out or if we're not happy.

 

[Tibbs4]

That's a personal decision. Priorities and balance are things you set for yourself. I agree you can't do everything. I was at a seminar a couple days ago and a business owner was saying that exact thing. He almost killed himself. Then he learned how to delegate. That's what his presentation was about.



BigA - mind sharing or private messaging who you saw in the seminar. IF there is anything I need help on the MOST....delegating and holding people accountable is IT. Number one-at least 100 on my list of 10,000 flaws. If that person stood out among a cast of speakers....

As for this great thread. There are so many variables. I think my takeaway so far through this (more to read) is David's comment on lack of local coverage. We are in for a very interesting time as TV, newspaper and radio are now not really covering the issues in our neighborhood, like they did a decade ago. While I have yet to see the thoughts on the new iHeart direction, I do ask you BigA, job diversity is important for employees. Be able to do more than one thing and you are certainly more valuable. Radio has to do the same thing, diversify, but how does radio WIN in a media it's only partially engaged in and then only partially engage in what they really are known for? Look at how many college stations sold off their stations to basically (mostly) religious broadcasters. Those old school radio stations then became online college stations have no clout or real visibility today and yet we read every day about the success of Bott, EMF, etc. So these changes are all precursors to the evolution we are seeing.

Smart change is better than inevitable change, especially when your overhead is drastically insane. This could be a real disaster that the FCC may end up deciding on. The more the powerhouse stations sound vanilla, the more the dial itself will be hurt. Cumulus will be hot. Small owners, who still have some connection to the market won't see advertisers leaving iHeart and beat down the doors. Heck, I wonder aloud if this announcement, which has gotten lots of attention from actual listeners of radio (and TV and newspapers reporting the news) will look at radio as damaged goods and then go deeper into alternative sources that are more hip and cool? Look at Walmart vs. Amazon. Who would any of us rather be in 2020?

 

[gr8oldies]

Not to mention Michael is a great radio historian.

Very sad to see Michael and his position eliminated. Not only is he a fine professional, KFBK was an example of a local news focused station of great excellence. And to leave Sacramento, the home of one of the nation's most progressive state legislatures, with less news coverage is more than sad... it is irresponsible.

 

[davideduardo]

"I can think of many jobs where an employee has to do a variety of tasks. It's not unusual and has not been for centuries. "

That was not what I said and you know it. Stop the disingenuous rephrasings of valid points.

Disagree with your perspective. As an example, in frontier towns the doctor was also the dentist, the undertaker and sometimes the vet and even the mayor. Necessity often has created the need for persons with many skills.

I'm referring to reasonable expectations and quality of life. Stop asking people to do multiple full time jobs for barely one full time salary. This started before the digital craze, and we've all seen it in job ads.

The thing is that those are no longer full time jobs because there is so much technology involved. From traffic to music scheduling to sales tracking, order entry and billing, what took full time people today is just a few moments work for staff today.

David, we get it, you're an exceptional human being who's done every job, very well, everywhere. Congratulations. Thanks for reminding us in every post.

You totally misread my post. I was not exceptional. There were many owners and managers at the time who did multiple jobs; some were also their own janitors as well!

Some of us have different priorities - like small communities that need service, niches that are worth filling, and retaining some sense of local flavor.

Unfortunately, Docket 80-90 pretty much did away with the ability of stations to do local service in the smaller markets. Where there might have been enough revenue to support two stations, each with some local news and involvement, now there are 5 or 6 stations with less revenue than before.

Being able to balance our careers with a personal life and not living every minute of it on every service and platforms for "views" that don't earn us a cent or contribute meaningfully to our communities or any cause of worth.

The main attraction of social networking is entertainment; adding that previously unavailable option to a station's personality is today a vital part of satisfying listeners with new and enhanced expectations.

I remember a jingle package from the 70's that had the theme of "your friends on the radio". Listeners today... at lest those under retirement age... don't look for friends on the radio. A station that tries to be a "friend" is now perceived as passé. People interact with friends via social networks, FaceTime, texting, and all the new options.

Radio... and radio people... have to adapt to that new reality.

Some things can't be measured in money or with a meter. I'm sorry you don't care about it, but you might lay off of those that do.

I've been involved with stations in rated and unrated markets; I've been able to run vanity stations just for the fun of doing it. But the business side of radio requires serving listeners with what their current needs are, not by turning back the clock. No kind of commercial radio can endure without the numbers (whether they be ratings or the Main Street merchant's store traffic count) and the revenue.

A lot of the "best performers" were fired over the past few days. But you always think "the top" EQUALS "the best."

Not accurate at all. I believe that an enterprise... and the whole radio industry is a single enterprise if looked at collectively... has to adapt to changing conditions and needs. It's Darwin's theories applied to business: evolve or die.

 

[TheBigA]

BigA - mind sharing or private messaging who you saw in the seminar.

I can tell you that he recommended a book called "The CEO Code" that helped him as a leader.

I do ask you BigA, job diversity is important for employees. Be able to do more than one thing and you are certainly more valuable. Radio has to do the same thing, diversify, but how does radio WIN in a media it's only partially engaged in and then only partially engage in what they really are known for?

I think we're about to find out. More horizontal integration rather than vertical integration. If the same company the owns Sirius and Pandora also owns radio stations, then there's a chance to have an impact. But when companies remain buried in their own silo, they start to run into trouble.

 

[boombox4]

I don't think I said that at all. I think people should aspire to grow and learn new things. Imagine if we were still editing tape with razor blades and splicing tape. But I don't want to be limited by someone else's work rules. Technology makes it possible to do a lot of things. I think that's exciting. I'm still excited and energized every day by new goals and opportunities. As I said, if all these people know how to do is cue up records, there aren't a lot of job opportunities out there. But if they took advantage of the resources they had while they were employed, they won't be out of work for long.

It's a fact, however, that even people with multiple skills (and competency at such multitasking skills) get laid off, and in this case many of them may never see the inside of a broadcast facility again.

Multitasking became a big catchword during the 2000's, but it's not a guarantee that either a) your employer will value your contribution / labor, or b) a guarantee that the industry will still have opportunities for you. And this isn't just a broadcast industry issue -- it's a reality in many industries. There are no guarantees.

 

[TheBigA]

Multitasking became a big catchword during the 2000's, but it's not a guarantee that either a) your employer will value your contribution / labor, or b) a guarantee that the industry will still have opportunities for you. And this isn't just a broadcast industry issue -- it's a reality in many industries. There are no guarantees.

I agree with all that. To me, ultimately it's about how you prepare yourself for doing what YOU want to do, rather than do what your BOSS wants you to do. Too many people are like the rat in a maze, and when they hit the dead end, they give up. That's the wrong approach, because there are many routes to get to the cheese, if you keep trying. In my case, it involved reinventing myself a bunch of times. That wouldn't have happened if I didn't have an open mind about what I did. Too many radio people think they're in the music business, and they stick with one format. Bad idea, especially if that format is smooth jazz.

 

[Tibbs4]

I can tell you that he recommended a book called "The CEO Code" that helped him as a leader.



I think we're about to find out. More horizontal integration rather than vertical integration. If the same company the owns Sirius and Pandora also owns radio stations, then there's a chance to have an impact. But when companies remain buried in their own silo, they start to run into trouble.

Gotcha on the book info! Thanks, my friend.

Happy 2020. Have not been on much. You are right on integration. Dealing with that myself. Not easy, but honestly so fun and promising. I think the iHeart/Sirius/Pandora overall plan, done right can be a winner. Radio cannot be like black and white TV. Tricky, but man, what potential. Tough to see a company layoff 10%. Tells you something.

 

[TheBigA]

Radio cannot be like black and white TV.

We talk about how much trouble newspapers are in. Just yesterday I read that there is legislation being prepared that would exempt newspapers from anti-trust regulations so they could negotiate as a group with Google and Facebook.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...-trust-pass-handle-facebook-google/465379001/

The interesting part of that is that the FCC attempted to eliminated the newspaper-broadcasting cross ownership rule last year, and a court struck it down. It said the FCC could not do that. So the rule has been reinstituted. But if newspapers get this exemption from Congress, they can form a content bond with major digital platforms that could ensure their existence at least beyond this decade. An alliance between broadcast, satellite, and streaming could do the same thing. Not saying it would help local DJs get their jobs back, but it might help radio as a medium continue.

 

[davideduardo]

The interesting part of that is that the FCC attempted to eliminated the newspaper-broadcasting cross ownership rule last year, and a court struck it down. It said the FCC could not do that. So the rule has been reinstituted. But if newspapers get this exemption from Congress, they can form a content bond with major digital platforms that could ensure their existence at least beyond this decade. An alliance between broadcast, satellite, and streaming could do the same thing. Not saying it would help local DJs get their jobs back, but it might help radio as a medium continue.

Interestingly, a look at Bernie Sanders' platform shows a plank that rather vehemently opposes newspaper and electronic media cross ownership.

I find this rather typical as many politicians and government officials are several decades behind in their thinking on the way media is consumed.

While these attitudes are most prevalent inside the Beltway, they also prevail in Sacramento or Columbus or Tallahassee, too. Elected and appointed officials alike just don't understand the consumption of news and entertainment sources today. So they will legislate and regulate based on a world that flew by thirty to forty years ago.

Were newspapers and TV allowed cross ownership they could have shared newsrooms and more resources. Radio properties that might be brought in could share as well, giving new capabilities to radio that are just not economically viable in all but a few top markets today.

Unless we want nearly all news to be distributed by Facebook and Twitter and the like, changes have to be made to allow consolidation at the local level of traditional media.

 

[CTListener]

Unless we want nearly all news to be distributed by Facebook and Twitter and the like, changes have to be made to allow consolidation at the local level of traditional media.

It's not so much that Facebook and Twitter and Google are distributing the news, it's that they're distributing news gathered, slanted or just plain fabricated by so many "news organizations" practically indiscriminately. I don't trust Breitbart, I don't trust Occupy Democrats. But like so many people, the first thing I do when going online is check Facebook and Google News. Both know what sort of subject matter interests me, so they push stories about those topics my way -- hardly any of them objective.