Downsized and stupid - lesson learned - now what? Any advice?

[SportsTalkKnut]

Dear Abby,

Opps, that's for another board ..

Dear Radio Pros,

I was a recent victim of downsizing after twenty years at my major market station. Never saw it coming. One night you're out receiving a broadcasting award for excellence and they next day you're being escorted to your car by security, told your "stuff" will be mailed to you and "have a Merry Christmas" too. The fairy tale ends abruptly.

As I mentioned, I thought I'd be at this station forever and never thought of making copies of my shows while on duty. Now, the number one requst from my interviews is for an air check and demo. Not that I'm surprised, but my former station won't provide me with such materials stating they "destroy" on air content after one year for legal purproses.

So now what? Should I rent a studio and just develop my own demo? How can I emulate live radio callers and interaction with other day parts? Any advice as to what to do in this situation? I want the demo to sound natural and not "produced". I need your advice.

The lesson learned from my experience is that no matter what you feel in your heart or what management says, you should be updating your resume and air checks every quarter just in case. Even though I was a scout for many years I forgot to be prepared.

You never from where your cheese will come from in the future.

 

[Phil Boyce]

Sportstalknut. Nobody I know who has been in radio very long has not made at least one visit to the beach. Welcome to it...enjoy the sun and sand. You will be back if you are good. If not, then time to find a more stable line of work.

I thought I'd be at this station forever and never thought of making copies of my shows while on duty. Now, the number one requst from my interviews is for an air check and demo. Not that I'm surprised, but my former station won't provide me with such materials stating they "destroy" on air content after one year for legal purproses.

If your layoff was recent as you claim, and they keep tapes for a year as they claim, then the tapes are still there. You just have to get them to make them for you. You may need an attorney to write them a letter asking for them. They let you go, but they should do everything in their power to help you get a new job. This seems like an easy one.

If you can't get it, find a sub gig over the holidays. Do it for free of you have to. Offer your services as the best sub they ever had, and this time make a tape.

Most people in this business get a job through networking. Time to light up the phones to all the people you impressed over all those years. You say you just won a broadcasting award. I find it hard to believe you could win such an award without submitting a tape. Go get that tape back. Find out who the judges were, who gave you the award. They might know somebody looking. They might be a good reference for you.

Don't give up. It's still a great business.

 

[Nizam]

I hope we've all learned a lesson here though. Save your airchecks!

 

[cm454]

I hope we've all learned a lesson here though. Save your airchecks!

No offense, but I cannot believe what I'm hearing.

How in God's name can you be in this biz and NOT recognize the importance of having AIRCHECKS! Fresh airchecks are your LIFEBLOOD when it comes to selling yourself. And even if you thought you'd be there forever, you should ALWAYS be recording, ALWAYS---especially considering the way this biz has changed in the last 10 or so years.

Wow. I feel bad for you, but geez, that level of denial is even surprising in this realm.

 

[jimwalsh2001]

Don't give up. It's still a great business.

In the immortal words of Jay Silverheels, "Speak for yourself, Kemo-Sabe..."


That being said though, I have to say in fairness that the rest of what Phil says above is fairly sound.

 

[Julius Leonard Marx]

I agree that Phil's suggestions are sound but I don't think he gets the situation. In an earlier post he said that he'd been on the beach one day before being pursued by ABC for a job in Detroit. I don't think he gets how many jobs are lost in the radio industry each year (even though he plays a part in helping stations eliminate jobs). I don't think he gets what it's like in the trenches; he hasn't been there for a very long time.

Earlier somebody posted a quote from Joe Kennedy: "What depression?"

There's also the Bill Mauldin cartoon of two generals looking at the mountains and one says, "Nice view. Is there one for the enlisted men?"

Or the Herblock cartoon where Barry Goldwater says to a homeless man in an alley, "If you had any initiative you'd go out and inherit a department store."

 

[Phil Boyce]

I said:

Don't give up. It's still a great business.

And I get criticized for it. There are a collection of negative doom-sayers on this board who not only do not see anything good about radio right now, but are downright resentful of anybody else who does. The fact that I come here, set them straight, correct their lies, and stay positive about the future is simply infuriating to them.

Get over it. My radio career has been rewarding. I would never have considered doing anything else. I know I am not the only one to feel that way.

 

[jimwalsh2001]

I said:

Don't give up. It's still a great business.

And I get criticized for it. There are a collection of negative doom-sayers on this board who not only do not see anything good about radio right now, but are downright resentful of anybody else who does. The fact that I come here, set them straight, correct their lies, and stay positive about the future is simply infuriating to them.

Get over it. My radio career has been rewarding. I would never have considered doing anything else. I know I am not the only one to feel that way.

Never give a straight answer where an ad hominem response will do.

Sensei Hannity has taught you well, young grasshopper...