All Imaging Folks!

[relevantradio]

Can I get a minitalk started about the importance... or rather PERCEIVED importance of an "imaging director". Call 'em Creative Services, Prod Guy, or in plenty of cases, Program Director/middays/OM. How is it that these positions seem to suffer almost immediately when there's a "budget crunch"?

What if the Sales Dept. rang up all the time during an hour that "station branding production" takes up? What would it be? 5 seconds times 12 slots is 60 last time I checked. Whatchoo charge for a spot that long to air EVERY HOUR of EVERY DAY? That should be the amount PER HOUR spent on honing in on the best prod you can get. Tools, talent, etc. Yet it seems like wherever you go, imaging is a second class act.

SO in a world where I believe the creative writing/production guys and gals should be paid to take on web branding development, where stationality should be a function of the PROMOTIONS/MARKETING Dept., and where this position should be a fully-funded full time effort, it's all getting flushed with the "fat" being cut in other places.

I've heard that CC has over the past year or so implemented a "no imaging mandate"-- a rumor that I hope is over-blown. (excuse me if I'm behind)

Now many of those stations (again, rumor mill) are facing a downturn in recall, and thus, ratings.

IT'S IMPORTANT! I don't care if you shop it out or in-- just shop it.

AM I RIGHT?

 

[charliemills]

I walked away from radio in 2000 because of the corporate slice and dice. I was a production director, music director, air talent and program director in major markets. When I got into radio in the early 70s it was a totally different biz with people who understood the importance of radio to listeners and the communities served. Talent was respected and desired. Somehow, accountants wormed their way into important positions - people with no understanding of radio and all that goes with it. I remember reading something years ago in one of the trades - to the effect that one day, the bean counters will consider "talent" a bottom-line problem. And here we are! Talent is a luxury within the restraints of an impossible budgetary goal. Behind the scenes talent, or (a term I hate) "support staff" will never be appreciated or compensated more than they have to be. The last frontier that still remains protected to a point is high-profile air talent. But I am sure the bean counters are working on a strategy to bring forth the eventuality of their elimination too - or at least the salaries they pull.

Radio has lost it's importance. I never thought I'd say that. The slice and dicers have trimmed the business to shreds and all the technological competition at this point has made it even worse. Sadly, good creative people still work in the business giving it 200 percent while getting abused by the only thing that seems to matter today - a super healthy bottom-line.

I rarely post here. Now I know why - because I really get peeved when I think about what radio was, what it could be, and what it has become.

Good luck!

 

[icycool7227]

Somehow, accountants wormed their way into important positions - people with no understanding of radio and all that goes with it.

It's much easier to understand than religion or politics! I mean, come on!