How does the economy/housing market affect Radio jobs?

[1900radio]

Are things more stable now that people are having trouble selling houses?

Or maybe people are just happy to have jobs?

 

[amfmxm]

Did you see the headlines in the radio trades this week about August revenue dropping 11 percent, and 90 percent of all stations being effected?

That's related to the housing bust--one of those industries with its tenacles throughout the American economy. When the home builder lays off the carpenter, he doesn't stop at the bar on Friday for a beer, so the bar lays off the cook, who decides not to buy a new car...

And when radio companies have double-digit decreases in revenue, jocks get laid off... and the cycle continues...

 

[12 In a Row]

So far 600,000 jobs lost!!
Housing, real estate, banking, autos, advertising, you name it.

By the hour it's getting ugly and scary.

 

[XRQKFM]

It means when you are tossed out in the street, you better plan on starving. Many of the jobs radio people rely on between gigs are gone. Unemployment in Kern County in California is 10.4%, Mohave County in Arizona is 7.4%. With rates like that; you better plan on starting your own business, or stand in very long lines for the few remaining jobs.

Nothing like 2000 people standing in line for 50 $8.00 jobs at the big box store!


Steve
www.outlawradio.us

 

[MorningTFXdude]

Hey there,

Not a usual voice on this part of the RI board, but it caught my eye.

From Houston:
While we here in "dees Texas parts" don't have it as bad as the other parts of the country, it hurts everywhere.
Friend of mine just lost his slot at a country station here - he was a News Dir.
Metro Networks put nearly everyone out of work this week.
And for those that do have "stable", well, not even stable, more like, if you have a current radio job, your hours are decreasing. And don't think of asking for a raise.

It's tough.

I've talked with plenty of radio friends and a lot of them tell me that this is why you get out of the business.
Yes, jobs are being lost in many a place, but radio hurts worse. The unstable-ness, if you will, is just crazy.

I'm down to a p/t "board op" gig and emailing my resume to the masses.
I'll most likely take a p/t job in an out-of-radio field this holiday season; you know, one of those temp gigs where companies hire from Oct-Jan...

/sigh/ What can ya do?

 

[XRQKFM]

Rollye James, was on the air talking about her newly unemployed fellow broadcasters in their early 50's who are really getting the short end with blatant age discrimination. It seems nobody wants to hire someone with a history in radio on their resume, and in their 50's to boot. Workmen's compensation insurance companies don't want to insure those getting up there in age.

I have a feeling allot of children out there are going to find rather bare trees this Christmas. Even those who still have jobs are finding their dollars spread rather thin with the sharp increases in fuel and food.

There are options for newly unemployed broadcasters, including: Starting your own low power radio station, or doing voice work for the phone on hold industry. Of coarse it assumes you saw your demise in broadcasting coming and saved a few bucks aside. It will cost between $1500 - $2000 to set up a fairly well equipped part 15 AM radio station, but you can make a fair living with it, in the right market. One part 15 AM radio station I know sets up by a 20-plex and broadcast the theater schedule on the weekends, along with real running times and reviews, after every three or four screens a 30 second spot is aired. Parents love it! Because they learn what movie is kid friendly, along with the start and true running time of the movie while dropping their kids off. There is also the talking car lot, broadcasting high school football games, special events like horse shows etc, for the part 15 AM broadcaster, and it's legal!

Here in the west, the talk is; "We are just getting started with this recession". Realtors in are market, tell us northing is moving, and they don't expect a change for years. A large chain of Chevrolet dealerships just folded up two lots in Vegas, along with twelve others across the nation. Chain furniture stores are folding up left and right, no need for a new sofa or dresser if your home just floated off, or is the newest fish habitat.

Hold on tight! It's going to get rough out there, long before it gets better. But setting out on your own is one option, our Radio Brandy broadcast workshop website has resources for those wishing to set out on their own; including: transmitter and equipment reviews and program resources, with more coming.

If you have a show you would like to share with other broadcasters, let us know, we will be happy to post it. We also have plenty of space for hosting part 15 radio station websites, and your resume. Let us know how we can help.


Steve
www.radiobrandy.com

 

[12 In a Row]

Before investing lots of money to set up a home studio for voiceovers, may I offer the following:

1. Are you connected to numerous clients?
2. Advertising agencies?
3. Reputable agents?
4. What are your rates?

There are maybe 20 great v.o. artists, the late Don LaFontaine was at the top,
who rightfully rake in the bulk of the business & money.
Another hundred or so have enough business and contacts to do it fulltime.

There are thousands of out of work radio folks willing to take $50 or less for a v.o.
That won't pay the bills.

 

[zman]

In my case I'm lucky enough to have a full time radio job but being in a small market it does not pay very well and I had to pick up a second job at one of the local big box stores so my wife and I could keep up with the rising cost of everything. I make more at the big box store working part time than I do my radio station job. But, as was mentioned earlier you don't dare ask for a raise. In fact contrary to common belief it can sometimes hurt to ask. I read an article on I think it was MSN money that gave the top ten things you should not do when asking for a raise and near the top it said just asking can get you canned. I have thought about getting out of radio. After all I don't want to work seventy two hours between two jobs forever but in this area there is not much else and my wife is resistant to moving. She likes the area and likes our house and we are close to our nieces and nephew, we have to kids ourselves. To make moving worth it. One of us would have to find something really well paying. I'm in the, lucky to have a job department. Picking up a second job is an option if you can work on maybe five hours of sleep a day. I'm lucky that I can pull that off but I know not everyone can do that.

It's not just radio people working two jobs either. Many of my co workers at the big box store are working two jobs to make ends meet.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

It seems nobody wants to hire someone with a history in radio on their resume, and in their 50's to boot. Workmen's compensation insurance companies don't want to insure those getting up there in age.

Steve: you put a lot of good thought into your post, However, let me take issue with these two thoughts.

I spent a number of years in broadcasting and then got out. I have since spent a lifetime struggling with the hiring process. The problem is NOT that someone has radio on their resume.... the problem is NOT HAVING some other experience/skill on your resume that is marketable. They want to see that you are an accountant who can turn around a messy set of books. Is that on your resume? They want to see that you are a computer programmer turned System Analyst that can bring a new software build in ON TIME, ON or UNDER budget. Is that on your resume? They want to see that you have been a street fighter who can sell refrigerators to Eskimos. Is that on your resume? If what they are looking for IS ON YOUR RESUME, they don't care that you used to grind records on the radio, or you preached at the Assembly of God Church, or worked as a golf pro at the small town country club.

The HEALTH INSURANCE issue becomes real for those of us of some age, but this is not an issue for Workers Compensation Insurance. Workers Comp is based on WHAT YOU DO, now who you are. If you are hanging off the side of buildings six stories up, your employer gets hit with a heavy premium that does not even ask the age of the workers. If you are a nurse or nurses aid in a nursing home, heavy premium! Lots of cuts, needle sticks and sprained backs. None of these are age dependent. In fact, they know that the younger nurses are the one who will run up the bills for on-the-job injuries in a nursing home. They have yet to learn how to lift a patient correctly. They have yet to come to respect used injection needles.

 

[XRQKFM]

but this is not an issue for Workers Compensation Insurance.

Here in California it is! Workers Compensation Insurance is very high in California, in the first place,
and goes up with age and risk; they feel those over 50 are more clumsy and at a greater risk
for a work place accident. They will increase rates for those over fifty or deny coverage.

The problem is NOT that someone has radio on their resume.

Many employers feel that radio people will leave whenever an opportunity presence itself.
They are often considered unstable and flighty. those words straight from a recruiter for a
major big box chain here in California.

Even the state of California's various agencies that deal with employment, are very aware of
widespread age discrimination in the state by employers. It's also very hard to prove it in court,
very few employers are willing to go out on the limb and say:We are not going to hire because
of your age, at least on paper.


Steve
www.xrqk.com

 

[H82BL8]

I have a friend in marketing sales at BrickFish who is losing $BIG$ dollar deals becasue the retailers are taking the marketing budget away and giving it to the sales department to generate more loss leaders to get people into the stores.

It's a great time to be a buyer and a great time to have a job. It's not a great time to be counting your retirement savings, but it won't last. Think back to 911? Does this look as bad as the day the towers came down the Pentagon was burning and Wall Street shut down for seven days?

The media frenzy is whipping up panic, but this time around, Uncle Sam has some skin in the game...a lot skin and some of yours too. Turn off the news unless there is a wild fire burning, read a comic book, eat some comfort food and watch your tax dollar go to work.

 

[12 In a Row]

I like your positive thinking, however this time around is very different.
The crisis has spread around the world.

The Perfect Storm

Consumer confidence-low
Job security-low
Lay-offs-HIGH

Housing, banks, auto, furniture, appliances, luxury items not selling.

Scary times!

 

[pocket-radio]

People used their homes as a credit card to buy stuff. Now home values have hit an all time low and keeps sinking. People bought homes at an all time high price and you know the rest of the story. Like never before people are losing their homes to the banks. Many manufacturing jobs have gone to China. And how many billions are we in debt? with wars everyplace. I'm afraid this period may last for a while too. Maybe a year or two.

 

[12 In a Row]

Trillions in debt. Plan on at least 10 years if not longer to get out of this mess.

 

[XRQKFM]

Plan on at least 10 years if not longer to get out of this mess

Like I said "We are just getting started"
Just look how CBS cleaned house in L.A., allot of that talent is getting up their in years, and unlike
the good old days, can't just go down the street and work for the other guys; thanks to mass consolidation.
There might be some hope for the talent, if they ban together and form their own regional all news station online, I know I would listen! You could charge a quarter the rates that CBS does, and still make a small fortunate. Gathering news, including going into the field and filing live reports, has become allot easier with the internet and Wi-Fi.

If you are innovative, and have some resources, you might be able to take advantage of the situation and survive it. For others, it is going to unnerving come this Christmas when you have to tell the children that Santa skipped their house, left very little. I have already told my kids (5&6) that Santa is going to have to cut way back this year do to problems with the sleigh.

Watch for increases in suicides in your area, as people run out of options and despair sets in. We are already starting to see it here in Southern California.


Steve
www.radiooutlaw.com

 

[XRQKFM]

Let me drive home the point with this link; regarding the job market in Southern California
www.avpress.com/n/14/1014_s3.hts

Steve
www.outlawradio.us

 

[TheBigA]

Gathering news, including going into the field and filing live reports, has become allot easier with the internet and Wi-Fi.

That's how they were able to fire all those people.

That's the double edged sword of technology. You can do so much with so little, which makes so much expendable.

And the real issue is that because technology is so cheap and easy, it devalues the product. So even though your costs are high, its value drops, because the same content is available everywhere.

 

[12 In a Row]

So true!

Not so long ago, B.I. (before internet) the consumer needed TV & radio for their information.
I'm puzzled that TV & radio continues to use the same tease methods from years past.

For example, "Will it rain this weekend? I'll tell you at 11."
Like 99% of your audience doesn't already know.

Give me something I CAN'T get on the internet.

 

[amfmxm]

Something about the LA CBS massacre really stinks. As recently as 2005, the Los Angeles CBS cluster was ranked by BIA as the highest-billing radio cluster in the U.S. with an estimated $310 million in revenue.

For argument's sake, let's estimate that the 26 employees axed were making an average of $100,000 yearly, meaning that--with benefits and payroll taxes added--CBS would have saved about $3 million by getting rid of them. That's one percent of the cluster's revenue.

Okay, so billing is down. To what? $250 million? That means they saved 1.2 percent.

Taking it a step further, let's say the cluster was cash flowing 60 percent--$150 million on $250MM in revenue. That puts their savings at 2 percent.

So CBS will now make $153 million instead of a mere $150 million in profit this year. And 26 people have their lives turned upside down for the sake of Protecting The Profit--and ensuring that the CEO can still take the private jet instead of being forced to fly first class on a commercial carrier...

 

[SirRoxalot]

Quelle Surprise

You do realize that we're talking about the corporate types who cut the number of sales people because stations aren't making enough money, right?

They're also the guys who cut older sales people because "they're making too much money", and "the same accounts could be serviced by someone younger and cheaper".

And people wonder why buyers give radio such a small share of their advertising money...