How long ago was this? At this point, I don't think I could be convinced to take any broadcasting job with that low of a salary. They call radio a "labor of love," but you also have to look out for yourself. It amazes me that companies are still able to attract any talent at that price.
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Radio Pros/Past Alumni: What inspired you to leave the radio business? On the contrary, what made you stick with radio for your professional career?
- Thread starter fordranger797
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Earlier there was discussion about salaries. I'll discuss a sales situation in a small market. The station wanted to hire me. They asked what I needed monetarily. What the owner did was go to house accounts and the other salespeople to create an account list that would pay me commission equal to what I need to make monthly. The best they could do without having other salespeople leaving was half the money I needed. The guy told me the market was wide open with nobody on the street fulltime. All of that was true. So, in essence, I started a job at a $15,000 a year guarantee needing $30,000.
I wound up with several major accounts that usually stay with the GM because the GM has to justify their salary. And yes. the market was wide open. Yes, it was tough the first year and I used the plastic to get by but after about a year the trust factor and a general understanding of my knowledge is known by my clients.
The thing I'm worried about is what Covid-19 might have done to buying habits. So many shifted to online merchants during the pandemic, I wonder if the brick and mortar storefront will recover that customer count pre-Covid. It would be interesting to see some studies on that. If a percentage is lost to online (as in Amazon and such) will radio, that makes a great deal off the mom and pop business, especially in smaller markets, return to pre-Covid volumes? At this point I have some clients busier than ever but I wonder if this is just a short spurt following a lengthy time of restricted operations for most businesses and consumers.
I wound up with several major accounts that usually stay with the GM because the GM has to justify their salary. And yes. the market was wide open. Yes, it was tough the first year and I used the plastic to get by but after about a year the trust factor and a general understanding of my knowledge is known by my clients.
The thing I'm worried about is what Covid-19 might have done to buying habits. So many shifted to online merchants during the pandemic, I wonder if the brick and mortar storefront will recover that customer count pre-Covid. It would be interesting to see some studies on that. If a percentage is lost to online (as in Amazon and such) will radio, that makes a great deal off the mom and pop business, especially in smaller markets, return to pre-Covid volumes? At this point I have some clients busier than ever but I wonder if this is just a short spurt following a lengthy time of restricted operations for most businesses and consumers.
Thank you for sharing your example. Was this relitively recent (I'm assuming this dates back a ways)? If we're talking about the modern dollar, I know there are a lot of people who could only justify $30,000 if we're talking about a small market with a cheaper cost of living. I would say that your concerns about the future of consumer habits are justified. I would hope that consumers will be able to return to relitively normal shopping habits in the next few months, which should (hopefully) improve ad revenue. Of course, there is no guarantee, and I would suspect that many business owners are tentative to sink their money into advertising packages. This is one particular area where small town radio may have a slight advantage with more affordable rates.
Speaking of radio salaries; Have seen an alarming number of open technical positions, including chief positions listed for less than $60K annual. Here's an example:
A radio group is seeking a Chief Engineer. The Chief Engineer manages the installation, maintenance and repair of studio, transmitting and ancillary equipment in order to maintain competitive signals in the market while complying with all FCC technical requirements. Includes responsibility for telecommunications, computer and networking systems. (in other words, IT security and desktop support)
Key Responsibilities:
• Maintain station operation through preventative and corrective maintenance
• Establishes routine maintenance procedures and schedules for all broadcast equipment
• Installation and maintenance of control consoles, audio routers, recording equipment, microphones, digital audio systems, transmitters, antennas, control systems, remote equipment, etc.
• Works with local management to coordinate remote broadcasts as needed
• Responsibilities include compliance with FCC rules and regulations, budgeting
• Travel to several towers and stations is required
• 24/7 on call
Qualifications:
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Interact with management and staff at all levels and ability to multi-task, delegate and handle pressures and deadlines
• Knowledge of all applicable FCC rules and regulations
• Experience with audio routing, digital audio delivery, EAS, Studio Telephone and engineering IT systems
• Computer literacy in applicable software packages which may include (Microsoft OS and Office Suite, Automation Systems, etc.)
• Ability to troubleshoot broadcast equipment to the component level
• Ability to work independently to troubleshoot/repair high-power AM and FM transmitting facilities
• IT skills including local area and wide area networking
• Knowledge of electrical systems, UPS, and standby generators and record keeping
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds
• Ability to climb stairs and ladders is required
• Minimum 5+ years as Radio Broadcast Engineer
Education and Licensing:
• Associates or technical degree in Electrical Engineering Technology or related field or equivalent level of experience
• SBE Radio related Certification a plus
• Must possess valid state driver’s license and provide required proof of personal vehicle insurance
We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).
Salary: $45,000 to $55,000 (HA!)
They can't honestly be serious... The position of Chief Engineer is arguably the most important position in an entire radio station, and $45,000 isn't going to cut it. Someone just starting their engineering career might go for it, but surely nobody with experience. You really can't maintain a professional operation when you're paying your employees pennies on the dollar.
$45K ($22/hr.) is a lot of money in much of the country. $55K ($27/hr.) is also a lot of money in much of the country. Chances are high that the radio company that probably put out that ad probably has seen a hit in their own revenues.
I realize that if someone has experience, they expect more. Great. Everybody expects more.
But think of what the rest of the workaday world deals with. In a recent news article on the reason there are job positions still waiting to be filled, many unemployed who were surveyed said the new positions paid much less than the positions they held before they were laid off during the lockdowns.
A lot of people are living on less, or adapting to living on less. It's a reality during and post-pandemic. Probably won't change until everything gets completely back to 'normal', whenever that occurs.
I realize that if someone has experience, they expect more. Great. Everybody expects more.
But think of what the rest of the workaday world deals with. In a recent news article on the reason there are job positions still waiting to be filled, many unemployed who were surveyed said the new positions paid much less than the positions they held before they were laid off during the lockdowns.
A lot of people are living on less, or adapting to living on less. It's a reality during and post-pandemic. Probably won't change until everything gets completely back to 'normal', whenever that occurs.
Throughout much of its history, Radio has been what I'd call a glamor job. By that, I mean that only people who either love radio as a medium, or those who want to be heard on the airwaves and want to be radio stars will seek employment there. They want to be part of the industry that plays music by the stars, at a station that everybody listens to -- they want to be a part of all that.
When I was looking for positions in radio the late 1980s and early 1990s the stations had numerous applicants, and they could offer grim wages because they knew that if you didn't take the position, there were 10-20 other people more than willing to take it. Throw in the high turnover rate, along with the law of supply and demand, you get low wages for nearly everyone except the top rated talent in morning and afternoon drive, and the people at the top in management.
I don't think it's changed all that much since then, when you look at the bigger picture. When you factor in the approximate 20-30% drop in radio revenues industry-wide since 2005, it's probably worse than it was in 1990.
You had to love the industry to work for wages like that. Newspapering was much the same until the internet knocked its block off.
You are correct, a salary of $45,000 to $55,000 isn't something to sneeze at, and I'm sure that many people would jump at the opportunity to make that kind of money. We're both based in the Seattle area, where the average yearly income is significantly higher than most cities in the country. When I graduated from college and explored work beyond radio, I found a job that paid somewhere around $20 per hour. This wasn't bad pay for someone starting out, though I feel that the best "perk" was that this job was that it felt so much easier than anything I had done while working in broadcasting. A $45,000 salary IN broadcasting quickly begins to sound a bit lackluster when you consider how much you are responsible for. Not only do you need to keep your on-air content entertaining and engaging, but you also have to create other station content, attend remote broadcasts, conduct interviews, etc. Likewise, if we're considering Kelly's example, you're a broadcast engineer who has to keep all of the studio equipment functioning, have an advanced understanding of broadcast software and how it relates to cloud storage, maintain the transmitter site, AND function as the resident IT expert.
That is all very true! And as we've already discussed, many of the "up and comers" in the broadcasting industry aren't really individuals who have been trained to be broadcasters. Many of these folks have a strong social media presence and bring that perspective to an industry that is relying on social media platforms to promote their brand. I think it's safe to say that they, as a whole, have the same motivation to have fame and be recognized. In short, times have changed, but motivations have not. Personally speaking, I got into radio because I've always been fascinated by radio as a medium and wanted to experience it for myself. I would say that the people who decide stay, regardless of whether or not it is the best possible career choice, are those who are somewhat driven toward this "fame."
I would have to say 'fame' was not a motivation for me. It wasn't a thing where I thought it might be fun and try it. I had enjoyed radio all my life, was imitating radio stations poorly on reel to reel in 4th grade and at 100 mw. of power in 6th grade. To get a paycheck for what I love is great even if t's not much at times. I didn't do it for fame. It was the only career choice that was not a job but part of me. I still love this business decades later. At times I've made good money. I have also taken other hobbies and monetized them when the paycheck is a bit lacking.
For myself, who's currently reformatting and rebuilding a local FM station in a small market, it came down to...
Can I make a decent living doing something I truly enjoy?
And for all of the issues radio faces, I enjoy it. The programming, the technology, the art and the science. In my opinion, there's a lot of people who don't have the luxury of enjoying most or much of what they have to do to pay the bills. I'm in a business where I can hopefully, in some small way, make their day better. I get to help local businesses grow their customer base, and I even get to play some great music. I'm more fortunate than most. Doing something else wouldn't be as satisfying.
Can I make a decent living doing something I truly enjoy?
And for all of the issues radio faces, I enjoy it. The programming, the technology, the art and the science. In my opinion, there's a lot of people who don't have the luxury of enjoying most or much of what they have to do to pay the bills. I'm in a business where I can hopefully, in some small way, make their day better. I get to help local businesses grow their customer base, and I even get to play some great music. I'm more fortunate than most. Doing something else wouldn't be as satisfying.
Answer: Sure, if you're one of the best at what you do. If not, you'll sit at the bottom being blown around like a used plastic grocery bag until you get tired of not making a decent living.
Sounds a bit like a double edged sword. On one hand, you're the owner and are in complete control of your operation. You can basically format the radio station however you want, without having to live with the fear of being fired for a poor programming decision. On the other hand, your station must remain profitable enough to make it worth your while, and you probably don't have as much flexibility with your programming as many enthusiasts would expect.
Where's the sword part? It sounds like real life. Anybody who wants to do their own thing has to find a way to pay for it.
Unless you're independently wealthy and don't actually have to make money in order to live.
It's a double edged sword because you have the luxury of running your own business without the constant threat of being let go from your position, only to have to move across the country for another opportunity in another city. At the same time, there are other things that you need to worry about, with how much revenue you're generating at the forefront (not even going to mention all of the other associated costs). There are advantages and disadvantages of being on either side.
As I said, welcome to the real world. Nobody is going to pay you lots of money to do whatever you want and have fun.
Maybe they need to teach this in school.
Some people misguidedly dive into it thinking it's about their programming flavor of choice, but it's not a toy. It's a business. I can listen to 100 percent of what I like on my own time. That's not a business plan. But I enjoy the challenge - and creating something that connects with people. I look at it this way. How many people can truly say they enjoy going to work? I do. Do I enjoy every single aspect of my job? Is there no pressure? Far from it. But it's a nice balance for me, in a market I truly love. So I think I have an above average gig for what I value.
That comes at a cost. Especially financing and running your own radio operation, the success deck is always stacked against you. Unless of course you're a Jeff Bezos and want to just play radio.
Having that luxury means you work seven days a week, no vacations, getting excited during the good times, but living in abject fear during downturns. Many would tell you that they would prefer to take their chances collecting a steady paycheck, than risking personal financial ruin trying to do their own thing as a radio owner. Think opening a restaurant, but harder with less stability.
Where are the advantages? Especially these days? Sure, you get to feel like you're providing an important service playing music or talk programming to your local area. After a while, that gets old. Try spending most of your workdays making cold calls, or collect on debts from local businesses who claim they don't have the money that month to pay for next month's spots, let alone pay you for last month. What I'm saying is especially true for a stand-alone station. If you can pony up the money and assume debt for several stations in multiple communities, sometimes a couple stations will help buoy the ones struggling. It's a dance though, not a fun dance either. Multiple stations give you an advantage, but require that much more of your life.
Some years back my wife and I wanted to buy stations. Supporting your position, we could only get capital under two conditions: at least 20% of our own money and at least three non-adjacent and non-interdependent markets With at least 2 FM per market. We found that doing that at pre-recession prices would take all our retirement savings and result in a group of smaller market stations, such as Reno, Bakersfield, Albuquerque,Prescott and Palm Springs where we would work 60 hours a week and make no more than with a bunch of good mutual funds.
Fortunately we picked the “no thanks” option and are free to roam the planet, take courses and just watch the world.
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