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Has the Consulting Business Dried Up?

R

RoddyFreeman

So we have consultant Steve Smith joining Cox, Mike McVay joining Cumulus and now Guy Zapoleon coming to Clear Channel. All 3 are huge names and have made gazillions with their consulting businesses.

Have consultants become victims of the economy?
 
It's more like consultants have become victims of consolidation. Corporate wants to keep those services in house, so you either sign on with one of the big groups, or scrounge among the also-rans.
 
TheBigA said:
The stations outside those three groups are the ones that really need the help.
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Not from what I can hear. Stations outside those three groups are still actually serving the listener. Stations inside those three groups, with the possible exception of Cox, are too busy trying to service the debt their "leaders" have saddled them with.
 
Bengalsfan said:
Stations outside those three groups are still actually serving the listener.
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Then too bad the listeners aren't actually listening. Because those stations aren't the ones winning the ratings battles.
 
TheBigA said:
Bengalsfan said:
Stations outside those three groups are still actually serving the listener.
Click to expand...

Then too bad the listeners aren't actually listening. Because those stations aren't the ones winning the ratings battles.
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Stations outside those groups, in unrated markets, are. I'm talking about smaller stations who's owners are not saddled with enormous debt. Small stations who still have live jocks and care about the listeners. Most small town radio stations I deal with are still in the radio business.
 
Bengalsfan said:
Stations outside those groups, in unrated markets, are. I'm talking about smaller stations who's owners are not saddled with enormous debt. Small stations who still have live jocks and care about the listeners. Most small town radio stations I deal with are still in the radio business.
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We'll see how long that stays. It's unrated markets where you're more likely to hear the national satellite delivered 24/7 formats from Dial Global and Cumulus Media. Don't need a consultant there either. Everyone is looking to do more with less, regardless of market size. It's not just because of debt. My electric bill & rent keep going up, and my receipts have stayed flat. None of my clients are interested in a rate increase. They're all asking for discounts.
 
SirRoxalot said:
It's more like consultants have become victims of consolidation. Corporate wants to keep those services in house, so you either sign on with one of the big groups, or scrounge among the also-rans.
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Keeping them in house just seems like the preacher only preaching to the choir. At least with an outside source, a manager will still hear what he/she may not like to...i can't see that happening with an in-house consultant simply out of the fear that they have to walk on eggshells. Seems like a glorfied yes-man position.
 
I think they used to call them PD's at one time.... Hmmm

Here's some free consultant advice, don't get greedy and buy up all these stations if you can't keep the good employees that came with the sale. Then you wonder what happened to your sales and ratings. Dolt!

Maybe Clear Channel and the other greedy bunches (cough cough, Schitadel) should have asked for a government bail out like GM. Unemployment in this country would be at 5%. ;D
 
trig said:
Unemployment in this country would be at 5%. ;D
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The fact is that we're lucky the unemployment isn't 25%. All of these unemployed radio people should be starting their own companies, creating content, self-syndicating, and hiring staff. Experienced and knowledgeable radio people should not be employees. They should be employers. They have experience, contacts, credibility, and even some celebrity. But they don't know how.
 
Keeping them in house just seems like the preacher only preaching to the choir. At least with an outside source, a manager will still hear what he/she may not like to...i can't see that happening with an in-house consultant simply out of the fear that they have to walk on eggshells. Seems like a glorfied yes-man position.
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Quite the contrary, actually. It's now the Market Managers (and OMs/PDs, obviously) who answer to the SVPs of Programming. The only people walking on eggshells are the local management team. They just don't want to get fired.

Fair enough, as no-one wants to be unemployed in this economy.

But don't for a minute think that any SVP/Programming is worried about stepping on a GM's toes. They're not. Do they take that power too far at times? That's for you to decide.
 
...all guys that have not worked INSIDE a radio station for decades. It will be interesting to see how, if their skills transfer in today's environment. It will be equally interesting to see how if they are able to aggregrate their on line listeners and how they will influence their company's digital strategy overall.
 
Reply to Trig, Post # 72. Bingo!!!
 
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