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CC DALLAS CLEANING HOUSE

J

judgejudie

Guest
Several little birdies told me that Friday in the Clear Channel Dallas building was a bloodfest.
The heads are rolling from Programming to Promotions.
It has just begun.
There will be more.
KHKS minus two.
KEGL minus one.
KZPS minus one.
KDGE minus one.
KDMX minus one.
They are just warming up.
Expect more.
Soon.
 
About a year ago they did this for CC operations mostly east of the Mississippi, but the bloodletting seemed to stop before they reached the west: I wonder if this is the stat of a new round?
 
Sounds like the ABC model...kill off any dead weight, real or perceived, before the beancounters from the NEW company come in and look over the books, pre-merger or pre-buyout. I call it 'greasing the bottom line.'

Overpaid second-bananas or overpaid non-morning talent...watch out! Just ask Dan Potter or Chris House.
 
MikeShannon914 said:
Sounds like the ABC model...kill off any dead weight, real or perceived, before the beancounters from the NEW company come in and look over the books, pre-merger or pre-buyout. I call it 'greasing the bottom line.'

Overpaid second-bananas or overpaid non-morning talent...watch out! Just ask Dan Potter or Chris House.
Click to expand...

Not fair to call it an ABC model. The Cumulus takeover of Susquehanna was a blood bath, but even with that is it Cumulus fault that WOLF etc was fat with body count? I think every GM has the responsibility to have a prudent bottom line. it doesn't mean going without, it means discipline to have what you need to get the job done. Its everyones model in running a good business. Sorry about Dan and Chris, but people choices are made every day in our business. Beancounters only make you brutaly aware of what you should have done in the first place.
 
no1uno said:
MikeShannon914 said:
Sounds like the ABC model...kill off any dead weight, real or perceived, before the beancounters from the NEW company come in and look over the books, pre-merger or pre-buyout. I call it 'greasing the bottom line.'

Overpaid second-bananas or overpaid non-morning talent...watch out! Just ask Dan Potter or Chris House.
Click to expand...

Not fair to call it an ABC model. The Cumulus takeover of Susquehanna was a blood bath, but even with that is it Cumulus fault that WOLF etc was fat with body count? I think every GM has the responsibility to have a prudent bottom line. it doesn't mean going without, it means discipline to have what you need to get the job done. Its everyones model in running a good business. Sorry about Dan and Chris, but people choices are made every day in our business. Beancounters only make you brutaly aware of what you should have done in the first place.
Click to expand...

Fair assessment, but to that point. If "modeling" isn't fair, then why is it that every uber-corp out there seems to have a reputation that precedes it?

> C (an't) B(roadcast) S (#$%) - Broadcasting without a net
> CC - Broadcasting with a God complex
> Citadel - Broadcasting between the lines
> Radio One - Broadcasting on the take
> CUME-less - Broadcasting on the cheap

I could go on, but why? Bottom lines are a necessary evil in this business, and I get that. But to make every good and hard working board-op, producer and talent crawl under the line just to make in their "structured" world is a bit much. But hey, what do I know... I'm not the biggest fan of JACK-FM ;)
 
judgejudie said:
Several little birdies told me that Friday in the Clear Channel Dallas building was a bloodfest.
The heads are rolling from Programming to Promotions.
It has just begun.
There will be more.
KHKS minus two.
KEGL minus one.
KZPS minus one.
KDGE minus one.
KDMX minus one.
They are just warming up.
Expect more.
Soon.
Click to expand...

Is Chris Ryan still with THE EDGE?
 
It's all pretty "par for the course" to "pare" down when you're about to be sold or make some other major business decision. Clear Channel is in the process of trying to take itself private and, from a business point of view, these are logical and necessary steps to take. It's good "business".....however, from the POV of those being shown the door, the terms bloodbath, unfair, age discrimination....there are plenty.....come to mind. Trust me on that one.
After ABC dropped me after a quarter of a century, I was, indeed, bitter and angry. It was only after calming down and looking at things in retrospect that I understood what had to be done to facilitate the sale to Citadel. I still think it could have been handled better (like being truthful and not trumping up crap). It doesn't make you feel a lot better, but, it DOES make sense.
 
I remember when KHKS downsized before...the ratings tanked and it took them a long time to recover. Just recently they returned to the top of the ratings again. Gina Lee is awesome! Maybe KHKS is trimming down the budget because Kidd Kraddick wanted more money...if not voice-tracking in market #5 is down-right stupid. Maybe Cruz and Gina will move up the dial to Movin and be the new Morning Show???

If KHKS is doing this to itself...then maybe Dan Mason will take notice and flip 105.3 to CHR while KHKS is imploding all by itself!???
 
Just read that Cruz and Gina Lee will be replaced with voicetracking.
 
Is this really a shocker. Every company does it. It is just a little harder to take when it happens to good talent at a great radio station. CC is infamous for cuts, but every company does it. I dont care where you work or who you work for. At some point a suit with a calculator will evaluate your worth and you could end up in a "Meeting with the Bob's"(Sorry had to put the Office Space reference in there).

This has become a reality of the business we work in. It does not get any easier with new jocks working for pennies just to be able to be on the air. Radio has bitten off the hand that feeds it. No talent, no more audience. Welcome to radio kids. Get used to it.
 
Great point; it is the reality we live in.
This industry was built on great talent and great stations, but now with Ipods, internet, cell phones. mp3 and the like, radio is not a destination point anymore. They are too many other cool choices for younger demos.

There is no incentive for young people to join this industry, expecially when they see companies cutting veterans like culling the herd of old bulls.
 
This is just another example of something I have always said and believed. If you are an air talent at any radio station, you better be a juggler.

By that I mean, you should have at least three things going at all times. Your on-air gig being the main income source, and one or two "side-gigs" to supplement. When times are good, it will be extra income to sock away for a rainy day. If any one of them suddenly goes away, you are not left getting "rained on". If the unfortunate happens, you lose the main air talent gig, (which does sometimes seem to happen for no real reason - budget cut, ratings drop, new boss that doesn't "get" you, etc) - then you have something to keep you afloat.

Voiceovers from a home studio, voice-tracking for a station or two outside your market, mobile DJ, schedule music for another station, web design, or anything non radio related too. There are many ways of supplementing income.

The other smart thing to do is save 25% of your take home pay. That's more aggressive than even most financial planners suggest, but this can be a volatile business at times and the extra cushion of savings can be a life saver. It is hard to do because of temptation, but it is a smart thing to do.
 
Steve Eberhart said:
This is just another example of something I have always said and believed. If you are an air talent at any radio station, you better be a juggler.

By that I mean, you should have at least three things going at all times. Your on-air gig being the main income source, and one or two "side-gigs" to supplement. When times are good, it will be extra income to sock away for a rainy day. If any one of them suddenly goes away, you are not left getting "rained on". If the unfortunate happens, you lose the main air talent gig, (which does sometimes seem to happen for no real reason - budget cut, ratings drop, new boss that doesn't "get" you, etc) - then you have something to keep you afloat.

Voiceovers from a home studio, voice-tracking for a station or two outside your market, mobile DJ, schedule music for another station, web design, or anything non radio related too. There are many ways of supplementing income.

The other smart thing to do is save 25% of your take home pay. That's more aggressive than even most financial planners suggest, but this can be a volatile business at times and the extra cushion of savings can be a life saver. It is hard to do because of temptation, but it is a smart thing to do.
Click to expand...

That's probably good advice for anyone working in any American industry today: Live below your means--just in case.

There ARE good companies in radio--I've been with one for ten years. Some of the best radio companies are those owned & operated by ex-jocks and/or longtime radio salespeople. The worst are those owned by investment brokers and car dealers. What did Lowry and Red do down in SA before stumbling into radio?
 
Steve is spot-on, kids.

His advice reminds me of a GM once who was a sage. I tell you, the guy read Nostradamus, Confucius and the Bible just to be up to date on current events.

Anyway, he once threw out some jocular thought that stuck to me like glue, "Always look out for number one in this business, or you will step in number two."

Yeah, it was funny and I may have upchucked my lunch a little, but the thought was clear. If my air check wasn't stacked every week (or month) with my best clips, VO tracks, copywriting and edits, then I was only screwing myself. Look for the side jobs... they are everywhere. Look for the trades... always know what is going on in the biz, from people that are moving to technology that may move you.

In short, sports fans, if you love being in broadcasting and don't have have another stream of income, then you need to move closer to the water. ;)
 
redbullfan said:
I remember when KHKS downsized before...the ratings tanked and it took them a long time to recover. Just recently they returned to the top of the ratings again. Gina Lee is awesome! Maybe KHKS is trimming down the budget because Kidd Kraddick wanted more money...if not voice-tracking in market #5 is down-right stupid. Maybe Cruz and Gina will move up the dial to Movin and be the new Morning Show???

If KHKS is doing this to itself...then maybe Dan Mason will take notice and flip 105.3 to CHR while KHKS is imploding all by itself!???
Click to expand...

Movin has been adding a morning show for a year now. Will it happen before the format tanks?
 
Excellent advice guys. I'd only add one more. Try to make yourself invaluable to the company. See if you can find additional hats to wear, in addition to your primary duty. Get yourself into a position where being fired would hurt the company far more than just eliminating what they think is fat. Prove your worth!

R
 
VERITAS DE VOCE said:
Yeah, it was funny and I may have upchucked my lunch a little,
Click to expand...

VDV, I'm seeing a pattern here. Try not to eat or drink while humor is present. ;) ;D

R
 
Jocks-learn how to sell and get a salesperson number in your sales department so you can collect the commish. If you can sell YOUR show to major advertisers that will help make yourself invaluable, but they'll still find a way to parse your job to 3 other people once they get rid of you.

Actually some stations do that, especially AM talkers. Some hosts are going out and selling their shows and doing quite well with it. You may not like the idea of selling, but as talent you walk into the client as the show, not just a hack representing one.

Anyone see a trend developing?
 
Another tip: Incriminating photos of the station's ownership/upper management are always a plus.
 
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