TheBigA apparently thinks that an on-air position these days is "4 and out the door" with no time spent in show prep or other station responsibilities. He's an advocate of the "format it so strictly that a monkey could do it" school of programming and would gladly replace on-air talent with voice synthesis. His disdain for talent is well-documented on his posts both past and present.
What he's asking talent to do, with the exception of selling their own show, is only part of what they're already doing. To start, let me quote the WBUF ad for mid-days:
On-Air Talent 92.9 WBUF
Townsquare Media Buffalo is looking for a feisty, energetic, fun likable personality who’s not afraid to be vulnerable on-air. The successful candidate must live the rock lifestyle, be hungry to win, and ready to put in the work to build relationships with listeners, staff and be able to help create a topical and entertaining show in a competitive market.
Responsibilities
- Host Middays 10a-3p M-Sat show on a rock station
- Engage daily with your audience via the station mobile app and the station’s accounts on social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- Write and publish at least two original articles for each weekday air shift onto the station website
- Incorporate content from the station’s digital platforms into your on-air show
- Conducts on-air interviews, attend and assist in all market cluster live events
- Monitors and identifies important news issues within the community and manage public file
- Produce commercials on a daily basis
- Conducts Live Remotes and appearances and assist in special promotions and programming activities
Qualifications
- Team-Oriented
- Knowledge of all FCC rules and regulations
- Computer literacy in applicable programs and excellent verbal communication skills
- WordPress experience is a plus
- Experience with Adobe Audition
- Ability to interact with management and staff at all levels and to multi-task and handle pressures and deadlines
- Public speaking skill and ability to interact with listeners and clients in a public setting
- Problem-solving ability and skill in prioritizing
- Skill in operation of control board, remote broadcasting, and other related production equipment
- High School Diploma
- Must possess valid state driver’s license
- May require lifting or moving up to 25 lbs
- Able to sit for extended periods of time
Air talent is mostly excluded from the sales team because sales people would have to cut them in on commissions. They're already expected cut demo commercials, do meet-and-greets, and often produce owner-voiced commercials that take much more time to cobble together than if a professional voiced the content (more effectively) in the first place. Add that most of the current full-time air talent is expected to prep and voice-track multiple stations in multiple markets and you begin to scratch the surface of that "cushy job" that they do. In addition, many are music directors or APDs, public service directors responsible for both content and the required filings to keep the FCC happy, and a host of other responsibilities like online meetings, and multiple trainings to fulfill corporate, local, and state mandates.
These days, at a good employer with good management, they're part of a much smaller team asked to do more and more with less and less. At a bad employer with bad management, they're "studio monkeys" who serve at the whim of bad managers who neither value nor respect them. They're supposed to be "grateful that they have a job."
Meanwhile, they get little support in the way of promotions and damn few perks. If they get tickets to a show, the value is added to their paycheck and they're taxed for it.
Why do they do it? Well, young people these days look at it and say "NFW." The professionals who are still at it do it partially because they got into the business when it was considered an honorable profession, because they like the music, because they feel a responsibility to the listeners and communities who have supported them for many years, and because it's what they know. Some management appreciates them and rewards them as part of the team. They're not considered "replaceable parts." We're not seeing those people evolving in music formats these days because too many people in upper management don't value the role.
We'll get to see how a jukebox with a limited signal and "major league talent" does against a primarily live-and-local country station over the next year or two. My feeling is that if they identify and go after a part of the country audience and super-serve that, they'll do OK. If they just go at WYRK head-on, what's the point? We'll see how it evolves.
We've already seen the evolution of radio under iHeart, and now under Audacy. Essentially, they're using radio to drive their digital properties. Townsquare says that's been successful for them. The odd thing is that the people who are killing off on-air personalities are the same people hunting for syndicated shows and podcasts - both of which lack the localization and immediacy that made radio popular in the first place.
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