it hits the fan

[Vince Sweeney]

So, my first Mom and Pop was my second job, and it was more Pop than Mom. "Pop" had in his younger years been a bear to work for, but the time I got there the wind was out of his sails and he was largely a no-show around the property.

It might be nice if I finished my thoughts before posting. Sorry. I sort of ended mid-story there.

...anyway, I did have a point, which was as follows:

Although only at that second job for roughly two months, I did indeed get a cash bonus come Christmas. And it wasn't half bad; two weeks of salary in a separate check. Two weeks complete, no witholdings at all. This was apparently the tradition, bonuses came in salary-size increments. Mine was two weeks, I could only guess what some others who'd been there for years received.

First year was two weeks, second year brought me three. The third year, forget it. A new GM/Part Owner decided that cash bonuses were passe and did away with them. Instead, he threw us some second-rate party at his house.

That was it. Over thirty years in the biz and I never again saw a cash bonus.

 

[jeffwoehrle]

They had a sense of what was happening in the communites, whether they voluntarily developed it or had it handed to them by community members. Did Mel Karmazin ever do that when he was the head of a large broadcast radio group? Think he cared? /quote]

Actually, he did care.

Back in the late 70s and early 80s Mel was GSM (later GM) of WNEW in NYC. Each year WNEW would compile a calendar with jock photos/themes that was then sold to benefit selected charities. This was a huge undertaking and required navigating the bureaucracy of (then) Metromedia to make the calendars a reality. Mel pushed hard for this, knowing the benefit
to the community as well as the charity.

Granted, NYC is one hell of a big 'community,' but the spirit of involvement was the same.

The financial reality of what radio has become has changed the game. There were always corporate owners, but now the competitive environment for all types of advertising has changed drastically. Couple that with a soft advertising market and
you have a disaster in the making.

Best of luck to all who find themselves booted as the year draws to a close. Radio has been been getting rougher over the last decade or two. Thumbs up to those still hanging on...

 

[lfcsuuite100]

I wonder if anyone from the AM side will go. Corbett has had good numbers, but he required an outlay of salary plus all the expenses that go w/it ie, taxes, soc. sec., health insurance, etc.... It doesn't seem they really need a "morning team", since they agree on so much, there is no real conflict. Could this be Kevin's third job loss this year?