A Contract Is a Contract!

[Talknet]

I find this whole Brenda Matthews matter interesting. In regards to this NC in question, she said she "supposedly" signed it. Supposedly??? Does she even know if she signed it? Did she read what she signed? Did she understand what she signed?

As in any contract placed before you...you need to read every word BEFORE you sign. If you don't understand what you're reading, then you take it to somebody who does know, like an attorney. If you have questions about the terms, you ask YOUR ATTORNEY who represents YOU.

Yes it is possible CC may be trying to enforce the legally unenforcable.

It is also possible she signed something she didn't read or understand. In that case, who's fault is it???

Consider this...we are in the midst of this so-called credit crisis with people pointing to ARM's as the cause. How many people who signed ARM contracts knew what they were doing? How many understood what they were signing? How many of these people were already thousands of dollars in credit card debt? How many of these people hand tens of thousands of auto loan debt? Oh yes, its the fault of the big bad banks and mortgage companies.

 

[muskrat14]

Do you even work in this business? As "talent," I mean. Anyone who's been in this business more than five minutes knows all about stations that strong-arm their talent into signing these stupid things. It's not always a matter of "understanding" what you sign, it's a matter of sign or be fired. Nice choice.

It's happened to me. After I'd been on the air at a certain Central FL radio station for several years Corporate comes down on the GM to get all of us to sign these things. We were told, "sign or clear out," with nothing from the company in return. They changed the rules. We signed under duress, knowing what we signed, but when you have bills and kids, it's not a simple as saying, "stuff it, I'm not signing." What, I'm supposed to get fired and move to a new market -- if you can find a new market with a station that won't try the same crap? Puh-leeze.

Understand, I have no problem with a NC if it's part of a larger employment contract with something in it for both sides. But IMO, when the contract expires, you should be able to walk, and if there is no contract, a company shouldn't be allowed to "offer" you a NC to sign, under penalty of losing a job. Interesting that CC feels Brenda is so important it won't let her go, but she wasn't important enough to sign to a real contract as a full-time employee. Can't have it both ways.

 

[muskrat14]

Hello...talknet? Anybody home?

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I can see both points in the above posts. I was very fortunate in always being able to avoid such contracts. Believe it or not I worked with some bright folks who actually liked to brag they had a contract...duh!

I often wondered what would happen if the entire staff refused to sign and were willing to walk away? If all jocks were organized and willing to take a stand I keep thinking this contract thing wouldn't be an issue. Call me crazy but that's how it would be in my perfect world! There really should be a law against these contracts.

We all know the problem, anyone can do radio. That means there's zero job security and zero respect from management. While anyone can do radio, not everyone can do it well. Management is not all that concerned with quality.

 

[Snafu]

Mike, that's called a union. I know that is an alien word south of the Mason-Dixon line in this business but non-competes without payouts only started happeneing when AFTRA started losing its grip on the business.

 

[Wazzie]

Don't EVEN get me started on unions! Been there, done that, was bent over with my pants around my ankles. Unions are for people that won't stand up to management. If you've got talent, believe me, management does NOT want to see you go. But you have to grow some big ones, (yes, you gals too) and make sure you've got a bank account with 3 to 6 months of money to live on.

NOBODY should be forced to sign a non-compete. I am stunned the courts are taking the side of the companies on this one. (Remember the Randi Rhodes issue in WPB?)

 

[kentraco]

Been there, done that, was bent over with my pants around my ankles.

Too much information.

 

[Talknet]

Ha! Ha! Muskrat14. Funny. Have I been in radio??? Funny!

The bottom line to any contractual matters no matter what the contract is for...READ and UNDERSTAND what you are signing. PERIOD! With a pen in your hand, you have dynamite! Know what you're doing with it. If you don't read it or understand it and it comes back to bite you in the a--, who's fault is it???

We all know radio is a very unstable profession. I fully understand what you are saying regarding management giving you an ultimatum to sign or get out. Fair? No. But who said life was fair? Because radio is so unstable, people need to PREPARE IN ADVANCE for any eventuality...such as having an emergency fund stashed away just in case you need it. Oh I see, the idea of an emergency fund is good but not practical for the ordinary working stiff who's having a hard time making ends meet as it is. No. You can establish an emergency fund by working a part-time job and putting all that money into the fund and then you can ditch that part time job. But, all this is a foreign language if you want to spend your time hanging out at the bar or throwing away your money in other areas. A responsible adult plans ahead.

As for the person in question, to the best of my knowledge I've never met Brenda Matthews. What I have heard about her from other people in the business is nothing but good things. Very good things.

Be well.

 

[muskrat14]

My apologies...you obviously HAVE worked in radio -- in management! Only then could you post such silliness. Why exactly should we have to take 2nd jobs to support our families? An emergency fund? On what we make?

I only hang out in bars if I'm paid to be there (not many bar remotes left in this day and age). I guess I have "thrown away" my money on silly things, like food, shelter and medical expenses. How selfish of me.

My original problem with all of this is the fact that CC doesn't want Brenda at a FT salary, yet they don't want her getting a FT salary anywhere else, either. That's wrong. Period.

How about this -- how about radio pay decent wages, stop voicetracking every shift outside AMD, and quit treating air talent like yesterday's trash? And if you don't want said talent, how about not trying to prevent that talent from earning a living at their craft?

 

[12 In a Row]

My apologies...you obviously HAVE worked in radio -- in management! Only then could you post such silliness. Why exactly should we have to take 2nd jobs to support our families? An emergency fund? On what we make?

I only hang out in bars if I'm paid to be there (not many bar remotes left in this day and age). I guess I have "thrown away" my money on silly things, like food, shelter and medical expenses. How selfish of me.

My original problem with all of this is the fact that CC doesn't want Brenda at a FT salary, yet they don't want her getting a FT salary anywhere else, either. That's wrong. Period.

How about this -- how about radio pay decent wages, stop voicetracking every shift outside AMD, and quit treating air talent like yesterday's trash? And if you don't want said talent, how about not trying to prevent that talent from earning a living at their craft?


With the exception of "stop voicetracking" you could have posted this 30 or 40 years ago.
Things that have changed are, more stations, less advertising revenue, as you reference "not many bar remotes left in this day and age" and new technology.

Besides, many of my friends and neighbors in all sorts of different careers have been forced to take on 2nd jobs. It's the economy.

 

[12 In a Row]

With the exception of "stop voicetracking" you could have posted this 30 or 40 years ago.
Things that have changed are, more stations, less advertising revenue, as you reference "not many bar remotes left in this day and age" and new technology.

Besides, many of my friends and neighbors in all sorts of different careers have been forced to take on 2nd jobs. It's the economy.

 

[muskrat14]

With the exception of "stop voicetracking" you could have posted this 30 or 40 years ago.
Things that have changed are, more stations, less advertising revenue, as you reference "not many bar remotes left in this day and age" and new technology.

Besides, many of my friends and neighbors in all sorts of different careers have been forced to take on 2nd jobs. It's the economy.

It's not just the economy. Things are different, and that's due to de-regulation and technology -- neither of which existed 30 or 40 years ago. 20 years ago, if I was unhappy at a station, I could go across the street. Now there is no "across the street." The whole neighborhood is owned by a few companies -- companies that don't even compete with each other formatically, for the most part. Look at Orlando. 1 country, 1 AC, 1 Hot AC, 1 oldies, 1 CHR, 1 rock, 1 classic rock, 1 rock AC. The only real head to head is Power vs JMZ, all the others flank each other. Back in the day, markets had two or more of everything going head-to-head. That meant competition -- for talent, too.

Voicetracking and syndication are killing jobs, and making radio worse artistically. It's a very rare situation where a voicetracker can be as good as a local talent, and I say that as one who does it. Most of the voicetrackers I know agree that it's just not the same -- it's now a task to get done vs looking forward to being on the air. The trend to national contesting, vs good local contests has been a big factor, too. When was the last time you heard talk around town about a radio contest? It wasn't always like that. We used to do hot, local contests that people could play along with, and were entertaining to lsiten to. Can't do that anymore because that would require bodies on the air, and we can't have that.

The internet, ipods and other media have played a factor; they weren't around 30 or 40 years ago either. Back then, if you wanted to hear new music, you went to the radio. Now? When was the last time you read about a C&D to a station because they broke a record too early? Radio in this town is stale. Name a jock you're fired up to listen to. Name a station you're passionate about. I barely listen to music radio in this town any more. The passion is out of this business. It's become all about the stock price. Lowry Mays summed up everything when he stated (paraphrasing) that his product is not news or music, his product is the audience he can sell to advertisers. Nice. If it wasn't for that pesky public interest clause in the Communications Act...

I'm not trying to come across as Bitter Old Guy, but I will admit to some anger about what's happened to a business I used to love. I used to love hanging out at the station, planning stunts and promotions, trying to figure out how to ambush the competiton. While we never got rich like the sales folks, we knew we had the jobs they wanted. We got to hang out backstage, we got the concert tickets and the spiffs, we got to meet listeners and do the prize giveaways, we got to be on the radio, for crying out loud. Sales used to exist so we could put out programming. Now programming exists only to have some to put commercials into. It's just sad.

 

[justhearforfun]

muskrat14....very well said.

it brings a tear to my eye too. how sad for such a great medium. hopefully the tides will change soon for those of us who are hopeless romantics in love with our jobs....

best of luck to all of us...

 

[12 In a Row]

Yes, we can all shed a tear, but it's mostly technology and the slumping revenue.
Do you remember the 1st time you stepped away and let the computer take over. What a weird and uncomfortable feeling!

The engineers reminded me that 80% of the hour was mechanical.
Finding the songs, cueing them up (turntable days) putting away the songs, pulling the carts, putting them in the machines, playing the spots and jingles. Running a wicked tight board.

All of sudden, you're just watching the screen and waiting to go on the air. All kind of sad.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Yes, we can all shed a tear, but it's mostly technology and the slumping revenue.
Do you remember the 1st time you stepped away and let the computer take over. What a weird and uncomfortable feeling!

The engineers reminded me that 80% of the hour was mechanical.
Finding the songs, cueing them up (turntable days) putting away the songs, pulling the carts, putting them in the machines, playing the spots and jingles. Running a wicked tight board.

All of sudden, you're just watching the screen and waiting to go on the air. All kind of sad.

Wow, very true on all counts!

Lets face it jocks started losing whatever control they had when the FM more music formats started to come into the picture. When that happened all of a sudden there was more competition and stations were afraid of doing things that might be a listener turn off. The problem is there was little left to turn on the listeners to the station. No more jocks picking the music, and tighter format clocks.

Computers were the next nail in the coffin. Selector does the music log even though I can do it better, it doesn't matter to management. Today's computer automation does a fine job of keeping everything going, no human required.

The funny thing is when I started in radio I did an overnight shift with no spots. I had a great audience of third shift workers and insomniacs. Now most stations have overnights with no jocks and full spot sets.

 

[indydood]

Yes, we can all shed a tear, but it's mostly technology and the slumping revenue.
Do you remember the 1st time you stepped away and let the computer take over. What a weird and uncomfortable feeling!

The engineers reminded me that 80% of the hour was mechanical.
Finding the songs, cueing them up (turntable days) putting away the songs, pulling the carts, putting them in the machines, playing the spots and jingles. Running a wicked tight board.

All of sudden, you're just watching the screen and waiting to go on the air. All kind of sad.

Well, we can all be "kind of sad" or understand that time can't be changed or reversed and begin to embrace where we are and where we're going. Anybody who's mired in "back-in-the-day" thinking will just get left behind and deservedly so. Sorry.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

[
Well, we can all be "kind of sad" or understand that time can't be changed or reversed and begin to embrace where we are and where we're going. Anybody who's mired in "back-in-the-day" thinking will just get left behind and deservedly so. Sorry.

Well what you say is true and I do understand that. I agree it's not going to change back to what it was any more than radio running "The Lone Ranger" or "Don McNeil's Breakfast Club". Radio has changed and survived even when everyone thought it would be replaced by TV.

The other side of the coin is radio, even in the hayday of mass appeal top 40 was more than just music. The presenters told jokes, got the audience excited and sold you on the music and the station. Part of the reason for listening to the radio rather than your own music was the assurance that if something big happened (news story) you'd hear about it on the radio. That's not the case when the automation is running and no one is there. The only exception would be if something tripped the EANS, but that would be a VERY BIG event.

What we have for radio now is a lot like listening to someone elses iPod. You can find better places to hear new music if that's what you want and you don't have to listen to long commercial stopsets.

Radio is many different things to many different people. New isn't always better and old isn't always bad.

 

[indydood]

[
Well, we can all be "kind of sad" or understand that time can't be changed or reversed and begin to embrace where we are and where we're going. Anybody who's mired in "back-in-the-day" thinking will just get left behind and deservedly so. Sorry.

Well what you say is true and I do understand that. I agree it's not going to change back to what it was any more than radio running "The Lone Ranger" or "Don McNeil's Breakfast Club". Radio has changed and survived even when everyone thought it would be replaced by TV.

The other side of the coin is radio, even in the hayday of mass appeal top 40 was more than just music. The presenters told jokes, got the audience excited and sold you on the music and the station. Part of the reason for listening to the radio rather than your own music was the assurance that if something big happened (news story) you'd hear about it on the radio. That's not the case when the automation is running and no one is there. The only exception would be if something tripped the EANS, but that would be a VERY BIG event.

What we have for radio now is a lot like listening to someone elses iPod. You can find better places to hear new music if that's what you want and you don't have to listen to long commercial stopsets.

Radio is many different things to many different people. New isn't always better and old isn't always bad.

Times change, culture changes, technology changes (the latter the most profound recently). What worked in the past doesn't always work in the present, not because it's not done well or right, but because audience expectations change. People grow up, their families change, they get more choices, their careers influence them.

Radio people like to think what they've always done has been great and marvelous and to be loved by all forever. So, it's mostly ego that causes the pouting and yearn for "back-in-the-day" on radio boards. Imagine putting all that energy into making radio more entertaining and compelling vs. hanging onto the past so desperately.

 

[thematt999]

Radio people like to think what they've always done has been great and marvelous and to be loved by all forever. So, it's mostly ego that causes the pouting and yearn for "back-in-the-day" on radio boards. Imagine putting all that energy into making radio more entertaining and compelling vs. hanging onto the past so desperately.

Wow. Awesome. Dead on. Couldn't agree more.

 

[sux2bu]

Please. Brenda was let out of her NC just in time for someone else to take her job - how convenient for CC. I hope she sues them, but she's too kind for that.

Brenda is a kind woman, hard working and ego is NOT even in the equation - don't confuse her with the monsters or Howard Stern or whomever. She's just a kind hearted person doing the only job she's ever known.

She has no mean bone in her body - ego? I wish she had more of one, but she has NO ego.