97 Rock is on the hunt for JP's replacement

[Roch989]

The new midday person may just be the old midday person, the one who held the shift when 97 Rock returned in 1989. If not, there should be a few radio people in WNY or NWPA who would fit the bill, a man or woman preferably in the 45-54 demo, young enough to hit the streets, and who knows Classic Rock; orders wings medium or hot, doesn't dip them in ranch or mayo, has scarfed at least one Super Mighty after a night on Allen Street or Hertel Avenue, has seen at least one show at Uncle Sams, the Belle Star or Stage 1 and can name the French Connection in less than three seconds, first try. If not, the person who's been doing the shift for the last two months and did it 30 years ago seems to be a good fit. Thirty years?!

The person filling in now does seem like a good fit. I don’t know what that person is like to work with, but fits that description they have in the ad. Who else are they gonna get? Maybe Cindy Chan?

The ad describes something that’s impossible to find. It’s like they made the ad to fit someone they already want in there and that would disqualify anyone else who would apply even from inside the company. Maybe it’s an EEO thing or to make sure that part timers and others inside won’t apply either and understand why they wouldn’t be considered so they don’t get mad for being passed over. It would also make it so they wouldn’t have to interview anyone. Like it’s already decided or something like that. It’s no hassle and it will satisfy all the people in the community who are closely watching hiring practices after the “toast” thing.

Then they can just hire the white biker chick or white dude that fits their audience and say they didn’t get any applicants that fit besides the one person they wanted in there anyway?

Be all these things and the best at every one of these things in our ad and we will pay you $18k and treat you like crap.

Good luck.

 

[davideduardo]

Maybe it’s an EEO thing or to make sure that part timers and others inside won’t apply either and understand why they wouldn’t be considered so they don’t get mad for being passed over.

Many postings are done to comply with EEO requirements, and this is why we often see ongoing generic postings from clusters and groups.

 

[SirRoxalot]

FYI, nobody makes 18K anymore. JP's money is in the budget. How much of it his replacement gets is open to negotiation. It is relatively rare for mid-days to be live in a market the size of Buffalo (and in MANY much bigger markets) but 97-Rock is the cash cow in Buffalo. They've already sold corporate on the need for live mid-days. The median wage in the US for all workers is about $54K. My guess is that's the beginning of the discussion.

 

[Roch989]

Many postings are done to comply with EEO requirements, and this is why we often see ongoing generic postings from clusters and groups.

I know about the generic EEO ads but was talking about this one ad because it is so specific that it disqualifies nearly anyone and everyone. It’s like they just had to run it for EEO, but no one would have a shot at it anyway. EEO is just a game where they lie yet comply. They’re gonna hire who they want anyway.

 

[davideduardo]

I know about the generic EEO ads but was talking about this one ad because it is so specific that it disqualifies nearly anyone and everyone. It’s like they just had to run it for EEO, but no one would have a shot at it anyway. EEO is just a game where they lie yet comply. They’re gonna hire who they want anyway.

EEO is often hard to manage when the main criteria for selection is talent. There is no real quantitative evaluation of talent, and EEO can be seized by the untalented to justify positions they have the skills but not the "charisma" needed to fill.

 

[Radio-Bored-Op]

FWIW
for what it's worth ☆

 

[Rusty Bridges]

EEO is often hard to manage when the main criteria for selection is talent. There is no real quantitative evaluation of talent, and EEO can be seized by the untalented to justify positions they have the skills but not the "charisma" needed to fill.

Good assessments. When dealing with the "art" of broadcasting, whether it's hiring a new TV anchor for the noon news or a midday jock(ette), the decision becomes subjective. Call is "charisma" or "personality." There was a time when stations had to conduct in-person interviews if for no other reason than just to be safe, protect the license and comply with local, state, federal rules. Just a guess, but I suspect this process has been modified given that interviews can be conducted over FaceTime, Citrix or Zoom, as long as the interview is memorialized and on record. This allows the upper-demo white rocker chick or the young weekend warrior turk, ("chick" and "turk" being music biz terms, not gender discriminatory) each who has chops and knows the lay of the land, to get the gig. Only thing remaining is negotiating a salary.

 

[davideduardo]

Good assessments. When dealing with the "art" of broadcasting, whether it's hiring a new TV anchor for the noon news or a midday jock(ette), the decision becomes subjective. Call is "charisma" or "personality." There was a time when stations had to conduct in-person interviews if for no other reason than just to be safe, protect the license and comply with local, state, federal rules. Just a guess, but I suspect this process has been modified given that interviews can be conducted over FaceTime, Citrix or Zoom, as long as the interview is memorialized and on record. This allows the upper-demo white rocker chick or the young weekend warrior turk, ("chick" and "turk" being music biz terms, not gender discriminatory) each who has chops and knows the lay of the land, to get the gig. Only thing remaining is negotiating a salary.

Well... I was about to give you a "like" and then I thought of the thousand-and-one ways that agreeing with you might be misinterpreted. It is a strange new world we live in.

 

[four4rock]

Good assessments. When dealing with the "art" of broadcasting, whether it's hiring a new TV anchor for the noon news or a midday jock(ette), the decision becomes subjective. Call is "charisma" or "personality." There was a time when stations had to conduct in-person interviews if for no other reason than just to be safe, protect the license and comply with local, state, federal rules. Just a guess, but I suspect this process has been modified given that interviews can be conducted over FaceTime, Citrix or Zoom, as long as the interview is memorialized and on record. This allows the upper-demo white rocker chick or the young weekend warrior turk, ("chick" and "turk" being music biz terms, not gender discriminatory) each who has chops and knows the lay of the land, to get the gig. Only thing remaining is negotiating a salary.

Highly doubt a simple 'defense' of "charisma" or "personality" would survive a serious challenge. The question then becomes far more granular. What are the building blacks of "charisma"?... what exactly does the employer want? Wouldn't so-called "charisma" be quite different in various markets and with various demographics? If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.... even when it comes to these points. Survey's - of one sort or another - do this all the time.

Also, the quasi 'job posting'/announcement (or whatever it is supposed to be) as depicted here... seriously??? Trying waaaay too hard to be hip/cool/sassy/whatever. IMO.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Highly doubt a simple 'defense' of "charisma" or "personality" would survive a serious challenge. The question then becomes far more granular. What are the building blacks of "charisma"?... what exactly does the employer want? Wouldn't so-called "charisma" be quite different in various markets and with various demographics? If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.... even when it comes to these points. Survey's - of one sort or another - do this all the time.

Also, the quasi 'job posting'/announcement (or whatever it is supposed to be) as depicted here... seriously??? Trying waaaay too hard to be hip/cool/sassy/whatever. IMO.

This is a perfect example of the problem with the art of broadcasting today. Note that I said ART. Not everything is quantifiable on a spreadsheet. Defining talent or charisma for positions in entertainment is like defining pornography and the old "I don't know how to define it, but I know what it is when I see (hear) it." That's the primary reason different communities have different standards for smut.

Talent can certainly be managed. Boundaries can certainly be defined. Whether a talent fits a particular station sound is subjective, but certainly manageable. EEO requires that you advertise the job widely and give equal opportunity to people who apply for the job. If you have people on staff who are already trained and qualified for the job you may be able to hire from within simply because they are a known quantity and won't require much of a break-in period. In essence, they're a known quantity, not a "pig in a poke." Of course, if someone eminently more qualified applies and is willing to work for the same money, you might have an issue, especially if they are part of an under-represented class at your station. If you've got multiple people with decades of experience in the market, it would seem a stretch for that to be a key part of the hiring process.

An AI chatbot might make a different decision, but in this case, taste matters. That's why the decision is left up to humans.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

From the RAMP Newsletter: Cumulus Classic Rock WGRF (97 Rock)/Buffalo, NY has a rare midday opening (like Powerball rare).
Before you plunge in: Do you have the work ethic, on-air, digital, production, and social media skills to honor and enhance the legend of 97 Rock? We're live, local, and intimately tied to Western New York. You should be a world-class storyteller, skilled at audience engagement using audio and digital channels and be killer in a production studio. If you are the best at what you do and are willing to swear off ranch dressing, reach out, because this gig won't be open long.

A responsible source indicates the person selected to do middays at the classic rock legacy is a guy who is familiar with the market, and will be returning, having worked here years ago. The midday slot will not go to either of the two who have been ably doing the show in the interim. There's a guy in Detroit who may fill the bill perfectly...

 

[ckg279]

A responsible source indicates the person selected to do middays at the classic rock legacy is a guy who is familiar with the market, and will be returning, having worked here years ago. The midday slot will not go to either of the two who have been ably doing the show in the interim. There's a guy in Detroit who may fill the bill perfectly...

Is the person you had in mind someone who worked at 103.3 when it was AOR the Fox?

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Is the person you had in mind someone who worked at 103.3 when it was AOR the Fox?

Could also be a guy in Des Moines ... yes

 

[SirRoxalot]

Gee, what's Opie up to these days? Maybe he needs out of NYC and the high cost of living. Last I heard, his podcast was dropped by Westwood One. Then again, 97-Rock has had enough trouble with jocks going over the edge.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Gee, what's Opie up to these days? Maybe he needs out of NYC and the high cost of living. Last I heard, his podcast was dropped by Westwood One. Then again, 97-Rock has had enough trouble with jocks going over the edge.

As if the "Toast" mess wasn't bad enough for Cumulus and 97 Rock, hiring Opie would likely put "Sex for Sam" back in play, although it would be a "coming full circle" kind of thing if he was brough back to Buffalo. Opie seemed like a smart guy, he probably saved some of his sizeable severance and invested well.