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KFI Technical Director rescued from burning car by Good Samaritans

I know Los Angeles is expensive, but iHeart pays that badly in market #2?

Chris Berry, my old boss at iHeart (actually, if you work at iHeart, whether you've even heard Chris Berry's name, you work for Chris Berry), posted job openings via Facebook this week---some of them in L.A. California law now requires transparency about salary in job listings, so we can see for ourselves:

Here's a reporter/anchor gig:


$27.00 an hour is $56,160 a year. $34.00 an hour is $70,720.

One problem---it's part-time. So it won't be either of those numbers.

And here's one for a news editor:


$17.60-$22.00 per hour...again part-time.

Figure a technical director (board op) is probably right in line with that number.

You either need a partner making significantly more, a bunch of roommates, or a side gig as an Uber driver to make it in L.A. on that kind of money.
 
Chris Berry, my old boss at iHeart (actually, if you work at iHeart, whether you've even heard Chris Berry's name, you work for Chris Berry), posted job openings via Facebook this week---some of them in L.A. California law now requires transparency about salary in job listings, so we can see for ourselves:

Here's a reporter/anchor gig:


$27.00 an hour is $56,160 a year. $34.00 an hour is $70,720.

One problem---it's part-time. So it won't be either of those numbers.

And here's one for a news editor:


$17.60-$22.00 per hour...again part-time.

Figure a technical director (board op) is probably right in line with that number.

You either need a partner making significantly more, a bunch of roommates, or a side gig as an Uber driver to make it in L.A. on that kind of money.

Trivia: nearly 40% of California workers are eligible for, or are on, either SNAP (food stamps), Medi-Cal, or both. The median income in LA County is $70K, so anyone under that is eligible for and likely needs some assistance services, esp. those earning $40k and under. Most "middle class" people need these services to actually stay Middle Class. Sixty percent of workers in the U.S. earn $40k/year or under, fyi. That's $800/week. The lowest market-rate rent in LA is more than $1200/month, making a $40k/yr earner severely rent-burdened. People should make it a habit to lobby our state representatives to fight against this and find solutions. (This does not include Affordable Housing. LAHD and other local housing organizations and municipalities have lists of what units are available for cheaper. The lists are long but anyone with that need should get on them, for their best chance of actually acquiring one.) Of course, the Federal administration's budget cuts on Section 8, recently reported in LAIst, as well as the abhorrent cuts to SNAP & Medi-Cal coming in 2027 due to the "Big (Ugly) Bill" will make life even tougher for everyday people, including in Cali, and even more of a necessity to lobby our senators and reps to overturn that monstrosity, which will further impoverish people if it is allowed to take effect. People will just end up leaving California, and so will their income tax funding.

If this tech director who was injured needs--or anyone who works in acting, on-set crew jobs, broadcast, TV, theatre, musician/bands, authorship, or playwrights, needs--emergency assistance for rent, medical bills, or sometimes other emergency exorbitant expenses, they can apply at the Entertainment Community Fund. People in acting, radio or TV can also apply at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and/or MPTF (Motion Picture Television Fund). Additional assistance options for hardship in LA (not just for media people but everyday people) include Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, PATH, LA Labor Community Services, and LAHSA. They each have their own requirements for a grant, so read their websites to see which ones you qualify for.

PS--The Entertainment Community Fund has housing programs, mental health programs, and financial wellness programs, along with a posted rolling PDF that they update occasionally, listing Affordable Housing properties taking applications. So does the Housing Rights Center in LA.

Wishing the tech director speedy healing.
 
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There was a point in time when I worked three part time jobs to supplement my radio money. I always tell people you don't work in radio for the money.

Yeah, you do---but there was a time when people could and did earn living wages doing it, whether or not you're old enough to have experienced it personally.

And those of us who are and did aren't being unreasonable to remark on the fact that KFI, a high-billing station in market #2, pays poorly.
 
When I worked in LA, I knew a lot of people who commuted from outside the county. COL is much lower.

And then you have fuel costs, accelerated wear and tear on your vehicle and every hour spent in commuting is an additional hour exposed to the risk of a fiery freeway crash.

Which kinda brings us back to square one.
 
I always tell people you don't work in radio for the money.
Not to sound mean, but you do realize this isn't the '80s? Rent is $3K a month. People work jobs for money.

And radio isn't cool anymore. I never once went out with a girl who thought that my working in radio was cool. They just saw me as poor. I'd say your advice applies better for someone wanting to be a YouTuber or Twitch streamer nowadays. At least those have the potential to pay well.
 
Radio never provided benefits, either. Kings of the "28 hour" unbeneffited job.

Went self-employed. Never looked back. Screw 'em. At least now my hard work pays me and not greedy shareholders.
 


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