Is this legal?

[Timewarp]

i'm as "Pro-Business" as they get, but this argument is a little ONE SIDED isn't it? F R E E-M O N E Y? how can you call an employee who is working for your station 8-10 hours a day a "Freeloader"? i'm guessing you were never voted "Boss Of The Year". QUOTE


Wow! Most people don't have a clue. The hard working employee is not getting free money.
He is earning it. His employer is taxed on his wages, not company profit to give free money
to those who sit at home.

This is why the only stations live and local are WFHB in Bloomington and WAIF in Cincinnati who have volunteer jocks.

 

[butlerguy03]

Same thing happened to me, wife a month away from delivery and I get fired from a radio job. Except it wasn't Clear Channel in 2009, it was a mom and pop with a huge signal in 1986.

I understand the bitterness in many ways, but in some ways, I don't understand that there are so many people who apparently got into radio thinking there was some kind of lifetime job security. I knew in 1975 there wasn't, and unless you really made it big, or your spouse had the good career, as soon as family responsibilities came along you were headed to another line of work. Certainly in 1995, a year before consolodation, there were plenty of radio people being let go.

Exactly. ANYONE that has any more than a couple years in the business gets that and understands that. My concern is that we have a 'broadcast instructor' here that doesn't get that and, by his own confession - and I quote "how easy do you think it will be to basically tell the students in my radio classes that they should look elsewhere because there are no jobs in radio anymore?" - doesn't explain this to his students. By stating "how easy do you think it WILL be..." means he doesn't explain the reality of this business.

A prime example of someone teaching something from a book and MAYBE PAST experience, but not currently in touch with an ever-changing industry. Reading the industry rags is a start...

I hope this isn't what they teach at Butler.

Please. Don't tell me what I teach. I did an entire unit on job security and the massive Clear Channel layoffs. "how easy do you think it will be" probably could have been phrased differently, and do you really take everything so seriously. Remember, this is just an internet forum, people can say whatever they want whenever they want (something I have to remind my students when they research information).

I am saying that kids care less about radio, that's why we are starting to work more and more with internet and video lessons, even if we don't have the equipment necessary. Radio to them is their I-Pod. Students walk in all the time to do a voicetrack session with an I-pod as loud as possible...they can't even name 4 stations they listen to. I see the future of this industry everyday, and believe it or not, it's bright. These kids understand that we can't remain "radio stations" and have to become "entertainment venues" where everything can be meshed together. They have so many ideas that we really can't do because of the non-comm status, it hurts me to tell them "no" when they have such a great idea to sell something.

Also, without knowing me, how can you question my credentials? Laughable. By the way, I'm not a standard licensed "teacher", because of my experience, the state labels me as a "Workplace Specialist." I do the radio gig about 75% of my day, teach about 25%. Not only do I teach part-time, but I am in charge of running a 24/7 radio station. I know about multitasking in this industry. I am constantly in contact with other members of the working radio and tv world, and talk to labels/reps just as much, or more, than the average commercial radio PD. I live my product (which includes teaching!).

Oh, yes, I did attend and graduate from Butler University. However, I was not a Telecommunications major. I have a Bachelors in History with minors in Telecommunications and Political Science. I just loved radio enough to subject myself to making 18K a year instead of making what the typical Butler student does after graduation. I now work for a high school, because it was better for my family.

Is that enough info?

 

[butlerguy03]

Someone comes to me with nothing more than a broadcasting school certificate - it tells me they know how to record a commercial with background music and THAT'S about it. Someone comes to me with experience in Podunk, IN at a small AM - HE'S got real experience and can usually step in and fly.

Isn't this the same as a well run high school station? I run things as if it was a job. We are actually in the middle of interviews for student staff for next school year. If we lose funding, you would lose one of the feeder systems for commercial radio and local radio. I, in fact, have students board op'ing in local stations and DJ'ing and VT'ing here.

 

[radioho]

Please. Don't tell me what I teach. I did an entire unit on job security and the massive Clear Channel layoffs. "how easy do you think it will be" probably could have been phrased differently,

well, YOU wrote it. 'WILL' is a much different word than 'DID' or 'DO.' The word 'WILL' means you haven't yet told them this. 'DID' would mean, as you recently wrote, that you HAVE told them. Words do mean something in this business, and changes your entire post.

Remember, this is just an internet forum, people can say whatever they want whenever they want ...

Evidently, you mean 'people can say whatever they want, whenever they want, UNLESS YOU DISAGREE WITH IT!'

 

[PTBoardOp94]

It seems to me that Radio is in pretty good shape when TV people gravitate to radio for better pay.

 

[cspotrun]

i'm as "Pro-Business" as they get, but this argument is a little ONE SIDED isn't it? F R E E-M O N E Y? how can you call an employee who is working for your station 8-10 hours a day a "Freeloader"? i'm guessing you were never voted "Boss Of The Year". QUOTE


Wow! Most people don't have a clue. The hard working employee is not getting free money.
He is earning it. His employer is taxed on his wages, not company profit to give free money
to those who sit at home.

well put them to WORK then they won't be sitting at home!!! and it won't be FREE money. its called the 'Cost" of doing business.

 

[Timewarp]

I am not so stupid as to be an employer in this country. I sold my radio station in the 1980s
Have worked for a State University for more than 20 years. Now, I am in Chicago. Call me damn
glad to be out of station ownership!

By the way, radio stations are worth one tenth of what they were two years ago.

 

[cspotrun]

I am not so stupid as to be an employer in this country. I sold my radio station in the 1980s
Have worked for a State University for more than 20 years. Now, I am in Chicago. Call me damn
glad to be out of station ownership!

By the way, radio stations are worth one tenth of what they were two years ago.

i think we're ALL happy for you.

 

[radioho]

By the way, radio stations are worth one tenth of what they were two years ago.

I know several 'upper management' folks that are waiting for the right time (not just yet) to get back into the markets by working out purchasing agreements for stations they've work for/with. As these prices continue to plummet, including here in Indy, more TRUE independents with some great ideas will start popping up - then look out - a return to creative, innovative and aggressive radio!

 

[Timewarp]

Many got into our business because they loved money, not radio. They oink! They ruined radio.
Now, as we watch them lose their shirt and pants, the last laugh will be ours!

The FCC will open many new frequencies under President Obama. Radio will no longer belong to the rich
who will lose thei butts.

 

[butlerguy03]

As these prices continue to plummet, including here in Indy, more TRUE independents with some great ideas will start popping up - then look out - a return to creative, innovative and aggressive radio!

And we can all agree this is what we need. More localism.

 

[radioho]

As these prices continue to plummet, including here in Indy, more TRUE independents with some great ideas will start popping up - then look out - a return to creative, innovative and aggressive radio!

And we can all agree this is what we need. More localism.

Absolutely BG - we need LOCAL owners who are here for the LOCAL listener, who will then re-invest LOCAL ad revenues in our LOCAL economy. Not out-of-state corporation/businessman who drains what he can off the local market and deposits it in Florida bank accounts.

Those who thought they were flying high and couldn't be touched a couple of years ago are now having their wings clipped as station values begin to plummet. NO way a station that was purchased for six million three years ago is worth even HALF that now!

A new age of independent ownership is on the horizon. There will still be some bad apples, but changes are a'comin!

 

[Silkie]

Everybody is all about the localisms. Those who have nothing but localism don't want strict localism, and they reach out for what they want. This is not to say that the corporate conglomerates are what people want, but when they want to hear something besides the locals they go in search of it and find it.

Local local local. Everybody wants to be a local until they figure out that they still aren't making it.

 

[radioho]

Local local local. Everybody wants to be a local until they figure out that they still aren't making it.

Like who? WCBK seems to be doing pretty well. Too many others to mention that are also doing well. Give us an example.

 

[gr8oldies]

Who exactly in Indianapolis has the money to buy, say, Q95 and run it as a standalone? Even at a bargain price ($2 million?) if you're telling me you expect and Indianapolis resident to buy the station and staff it live 24/7, that takes a lot of money. Locals didn't own the stations (except WENS) even before consolodation.

 

[radioho]

Locals didn't own the stations (except WENS) even before consolodation.

The 'good ol' days' weren't necessarily THAT good. Why is it everyone thinks radio can NEVER be any better than the '70s WNAP? When you use a pre-fab template, you get the same thing everytime. Cookie-cutter radio is proving itself to be unsustainable. As station prices fall, there will be a price level that will open the door for creative owner/operators to break the traditional mold as we know it.

Despite the grumblings by ignorant 'radio people' that radio is losing listeners, it just isn't so. Listeners just aren't 'excited' about their favorite stations, which have interchangeable formats. Give 'em a traditional format that is unique in delivery and personality and you will have people talking - and listening!

And as talented as the 'ho may be, I'm not saying I have that answers, but are we to assume that just because WE don't have the answer - NO ONE does?

Who exactly in Indianapolis has the money to buy, say, Q95 and run it as a standalone? Even at a bargain price ($2 million?) if you're telling me you expect and Indianapolis resident to buy the station and staff it live 24/7, that takes a lot of money.

A - I'll be happy to take Q95 for 2 mill and I'll make a helluva lot more than that!

B - Do you have to invest millions more into the best equipment available to man, furnish plush studios and pay for music tests to run a radio station? Me thinks not.

C - And please, we're not all newbies to the biz here - some of us know how budgets are created and executed.

 

[cspotrun]

Who exactly in Indianapolis has the money to buy, say, Q95 and run it as a standalone? Even at a bargain price ($2 million?) if you're telling me you expect and Indianapolis resident to buy the station and staff it live 24/7, that takes a lot of money. Locals didn't own the stations (except WENS) even before consolodation.

local owners can go broke too! i know several local owners who are on the ropes. i was never a big fan of consolidation, but alot of stations on the air now would not be there IF it were not for consolidation. and by the way, Emmis isn't doing that great.

 

[radioho]

Who exactly in Indianapolis has the money to buy, say, Q95 and run it as a standalone? Even at a bargain price ($2 million?) if you're telling me you expect and Indianapolis resident to buy the station and staff it live 24/7, that takes a lot of money. Locals didn't own the stations (except WENS) even before consolodation.

local owners can go broke too! i know several local owners who are on the ropes. i was never a big fan of consolidation, but alot of stations on the air now would not be there IF it were not for consolidation. and by the way, Emmis isn't doing that great.

They would just go dark? Not likely. And have you heard of clear channel, they're having a bit of financial problem as well. And guess what - they're stations are selling for FAR LESS than CC paid for them. Good for the little man.

 

[skippertthomas]

Just as in music trends and such of cultural trends, they tend to start out in the bushes.....Or, in the burbs.....College towns, etc.. WCBK knows their market is south suburban Indy and the Micropolitan area to the south and southeast.... Win where you are strong....Go "lo-co" where you are strong.... Live and breath it there and the % of profit is greater at less risk than the big sticks around the 'circle' or inside the 'circle'.......Now is the time to find counties that have 50 to 100 thousand in population that have two or three AM's and One Class "A" FM left... There is the start of it... That's what I am looking for and have been suprised at what's out there, if you're willing to move and do 'grease on your elbows' radio.....Don't laugh! There is money in a 'birthday club', obits, and sending a goofy mascot out to the community college basketball game or the mini-mall....HA! I dare you to drop 'dem turkeys like Carlson and Nessman! ;D

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Glad to see that 'ho is more than just a cynic