Demise-The End of Something That Used To Exist

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We were born to entertain. Ask a person why he or she was drawn to this business and they will struggle to deliver an answer. “It’s a sickness” followed by a small chuckle is my typical answer. Lately I have found myself reflecting on how radio used to be and how much fun I had and how much work it was. The long days and nights of babysitting horrible satellite programming and taking meter readings every 2 hours was somehow exciting! Over the years I met several really great…no make that incredible…people. They took me under they’re wing and showed me how terrific radio was done. Of course those were the days when the owner was also the chief engineer, head bookkeeper, custodian, office supply taker, carpenter, and all around good guy who treated this writer with respect.

Those days are gone. We now have large companies who own hundreds if not thousands of stations who’ve chosen to strip the “local” out of radio. The introduction of digital media to this industry was a wonderful tool however it has been severely abused by most. Voice tracking shifts when they could be live in a medium market is not acceptable to me! Some of the hardest working, most talented radio people I know are losing interest in a career they once loved. I have managed to fight off this emotional response for some time now but I am slowly succumbing to it. Some of us have forcefully been ejected by wave after wave of budget cuts and some of us still remain. We work harder picking up the slack of the less fortunate yet we feel comfort knowing that for now we still have a job.

I look into the mirror and ask myself what is next? What am I supposed to do with myself? Broadcasting is what I was born to do! Sure you and I have other employable talents but who wants to use them? Broadcasting entertainment is what we do.

This industry has failed us.

 

[Moonstruck]

Your vent is well taken although I'm sure the suits would respond to your comment about the industry failing us by saying the industry exists for the listener and not those in it. Naturally we all know that's a load. Every market has its bankable people but if corporate could find a way to get rid of them without sacrificing income they'd be out too. We've already seen it happen right here in Providence and it will keep happening. Unfortunately for many who have been doing it a while it's a matter of convincing yourself it will never happen to you. Now it's a matter of taking the step to get out yourself or waiting until you're forced to. It's depressing and most of the newbie computer jockeys getting in have no idea of what we're even talking about.

 

[Hello Salty??]

Amen to that, Brother....

What the unfortunate thing is really that most of us can't even identify ourselves on this website....

Who knows- I could be Tony Bristol, or Joey Claycomb....or even Kenny Atkinson...wait, we know it's him every time....

Creatvity is why I loved radio..not to play air guitar, and mutter "Happy to be with you" every Sunday....and think I'm a star when in reality, noone knows who you are on the outside of the studio.....

The lucky ones are those who used to work in broadcasting...the rest of us bastards wouldn't know what to do with a real job....

 

[blah-blah]

radio isn't for the listeners..its for the stockholders. A ranting Hindi can provide more revenue than Cianci and Yorke...which is why both will be out of a job come next July notwithstanding ratings.