G'day from Australia - Earl Pilkington

[Earl Pilkington]

Hello everyone,
I have worked in media for almost 40 years (Roll on October to be the 4-0) doing everything from radio to newspapers, tv programs - news - children's shows - commercials and documentaries, magazines, public relations and radio. Also my hobby is creating props.
I worked for quite a few years as a freelancer - but now concentrate on my own writing.
Having done production, on-air and copywriting - I focus mainly these days on Copy and because of this I also run a website called: radiocopywriters.com

...where right now you can get a free 319 page e-book (until the end of the month) with 'Hooks, First Lines and Scene Setters' for radio commercials - and with that sales pitch over with I won't mention it again - at least I will try not to.

I am looking forward to joining in on the conversations and more.
Cheers!

 

[frankberry]

So glad that you've joined us!

 

[Earl Pilkington]

Cheers, thanks Admin.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

I'm curious, do most radio stations in Australia still have full-time copywriters writing local ad copy? Or is the copywriting work usually done by the Production Director or the sales rep?

If radio stations really do have full-time copywriters on staff there, how many are usually employed at a cluster and how many stations are they typically writing ad copy for?

 

[Earl Pilkington]

I'm curious, do most radio stations in Australia still have full-time copywriters writing local ad copy? Or is the copywriting work usually done by the Production Director or the sales rep?

If radio stations really do have full-time copywriters on staff there, how many are usually employed at a cluster and how many stations are they typically writing ad copy for?

At my station, I am the only full time Copywriter - and previous stations where I work we have a team of copywriters - no sales people write copy - I suppose it depends on the market.
I am in a provincial station - in the shadow of a metro market of around 10+ stations. Each of those has a team of at least 10 copywriters, some up to 6.
As far as stations I am writing copy for - I write for 3 here (x2 FM and one DAB+ only) - but also freelance around the world, and mentor 3 young copywriters.
Most stations in Australia are multiple brands (ie: either 2 FM or 1xAM and 1xFM) - but there are community stations and others.
Hope that answers your question.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Hope that answers your question.

It answers some questions and raises others. It sounds like Australian radio stations write and produce ad campaigns in-house for a lot of local clients, even in the large metro markets, and that the writing and production must still be pretty creative for there to be that many full-time copywriters on staff. The American model is quite different.

 

[Earl Pilkington]

It answers some questions and raises others. It sounds like Australian radio stations write and produce ad campaigns in-house for a lot of local clients, even in the large metro markets, and that the writing and production must still be pretty creative for there to be that many full-time copywriters on staff. The American model is quite different.

Yes that is spot on - Australian radio seems to be very different from the work I have done as a freelancer for stations in the USA.
We do a lot of in-house - but there is equally the same number of ads that are produced by agencies.