WNCX goes syndicated at night

[TheBigA]

Growing pains. It can be a real pita getting their audio system to interface with the protocol that network uses.

It's a pita with any system. Audacy tried to do a lot of internal syndication during covid, and they had a lot of trouble getting clocks to sync up around the country. Right now, all of their country stations are carrying a national mid-day show from Nashville and an evening show from Detroit. I listen to a lot of sports on the radio, and there aren't many college or pro teams that don't do a "network." So that top-of-the-hour break can be hit or miss. If local spots aren't timed exactly right, you'll have rejoin problems.

Costs will drive local stations back to being just relays, like network tv. That might even put a real time voice on overnights, now mostly a wasteland of automation and tracking.

It's not just about saving money. Also about making money. There simply aren't enough people listening at night in any one city. Advertisers want a bigger number before they'll even consider buying time. Even New York or Los Angeles. Audacy is combining news coverage between KCBS San Francisco and KNX LA. Each of these stations is top rated in their local town. But there's not enough money being made to staff each of them locally.

The other part is delivering the best show. Sure they could hire college kids at minimum wage the way they did in the 70s. I heard a lot of Cleveland State students got their start that way. Is that really what you want to hear on the radio? Or would you rather hear someone who has credibility in the format, who can carry an interview with a top artist? The music isn't being made in Cleveland anymore.

 

[Santa fe]

The other part is delivering the best show. Sure they could hire college kids at minimum wage the way they did in the 70s.

No they probably couldn't because fewer college kids are interested in radio today because they know they can't make any money.
That's why we see college and university stations selling or otherwise getting out of the business because of declining student interest.
Like TV, how many more people watch network late night shows rather than local reruns of Big Bang or Two and a Half Men?
(Big Chuck and Little John, et al, were an outstanding exception here.)

 

[TheBigA]

No they probably couldn't because fewer college kids are interested in radio today because they know they can't make any money.

They couldn't make any money in the 70s either. Kid Leo says that's why Malrite was willing to hire people like him at WMMS. They worked cheap.

That's why we see college and university stations selling or otherwise getting out of the business because of declining student interest.

The folks behind the WCSB lawsuit dispute that idea.

 

[Santa fe]

They couldn't make any money in the 70s either. Kid Leo says that's why Malrite was willing to hire people like him at WMMS. They worked

But they got into radio at ground level and back then they knew a good career was possible. Much harder and less likely to do that today and young people know it.
It's like being a carriage maker or buggy whip designer when automobiles were coming on. Adapt or get left behind.

 

[TheBigA]

But they got into radio at ground level and back then they knew a good career was possible.

Really? Any statistics on that? Kid Leo left local radio for good when he was in his 30s. Most never got as far as him.

Let's do a poll of all the people on this site: What was their starting salary, and how long did they stay?

But that ignores my main point that there are better people available to radio today than local college kids for minimum wage. Thus Steve Gorman on WNCX.

 

[Santa fe]

Really? Any statistics on that? Kid Leo left local radio for good when he was in his 30s. Most never got as far as him.

Flash Ferenc, Matt the Cat had long and successful careers at WMMS and are now legends Kid Leo got his entry into the record industry from his radio success and is still doing a regular show on Sirius XM from his retirement home in Hilton Head. Back then, those careers paths were more possible (the operative word) if one had the talent and got the breaks than they are today because those types of jobs have all but disappeared.
And you are not going to get very many entry level people today even at $15 an hour because there is no future in it.
Hence, the well taken point that more national shows will be filling the air because it is better programming at a cost spread over dozens of stations.

 

[TheBigA]

And you are not going to get very many entry level people today even at $15 an hour because there is no future in it.

And yet, lots of people do it. Because they don't do it for the money. They do it because they love it.

The fact is that even today there's a future in radio. But you can't stay in Cleveland. You have to think bigger. The entry level jobs haven't disappeared. But it involves more than it once did. If you really want to do radio, you just do it. You don't need a studio or a transmitter. You just need a desire and some talent.

 

[MediaLover]

I had a friend who got hired at Radio One in Cleveland back in 2010. His pay was at $8.00 an hour when hired. Even when promoted to full-time, he was still making over $8.00 an hour. It got to $9.00, then $10.00, and less than a year before he left, $15.00 an hour - all at full-time! He saw new hires afterwards start at $10.00 or more. Some companies don't seem to pay too well outside of sales and management.

 

[TheBigA]

Some companies don't seem to pay too well outside of sales and management.

Do you think Rickey Smiley makes $10 an hour? As I said, you have to think bigger. Think bigger than sitting at a console playing records in Cleveland.

Somewhere along the way, you have to take risks. People aren't going to pay you lots of money to have fun. They expect you to do something they can't do. I was at an alumni event last week with people who started in college radio. Most of them got into sports broadcasting. That's a big growth area for radio talent. Sports talk, sports play by play, and sports production. But the thing they all said was it all began with a desire to be on the radio. I don't think any of them still live in the place where they grew up. They followed their dreams around the country. They took risks, and it paid off. None of them make $10 an hour.

The other story I heard was don't have a plan B. Because there will come a point early on when the plan B pays more than radio, and you go in that direction. But if you don't have a plan B, it forces you to do things you might not normally do. Those things might be radio sales or management. It may also be ownership or investment. I know two very successful morning guys (both in the Hall of Fame) who were also the GMs of their stations. They did it for the money. But they kept doing mornings.

 

[Santa fe]

"You don't need a studio or a transmitter. You just need a desire and some talent."

That is so true and one of the key differences from those great old days of yesteryear. Radio TV, even politics are pulling talent from the world of podcasters and the internet, which IMO offers more opportunties than doing an all night show in a small market did 50 years ago.
In addition to desire and talent, let's not leave out hard work. Toss in some sacrifice and perseverance and one has the factors for success that haven't changed in this or any field.

 

[ProgrammingVet]

This is where it is all going on what's left of local radio. Syndicated shows and/or voice traking from another city. If you visit any Cleveland radio station's studios you will find them dark and empty most of the time.

WMJI hasn't been live after 10am since at least 2015.