Network Affiliation

[DavidZ]

I was listening to WCRN-AM this morning on my way to work and they were running national news from the IRN/USA radio network. However they were still airing CBS News features during the morning shows. Why wouldn’t they be running the CBS Network news feed at the top of the hour? IMHO, the IRN/USA news is a poor substitute for the CBS news.

Also, they were airing Laura Ingraham last night while I was driving home around 8:30. Most nights they have the Red Sox but I thought they had been carrying the Dennis Miller show in the evening. Of course, their website is still “coming soon” so you can’t get any information about the program schedule from there. How long has it been? Maybe they want to challenge WPLM-FM for bragging rights on how long their website can be “under construction/coming soon”.

 

[WCRiNsider]

Satellite issues... CBS feeds can be downloaded from the internet but the top of the hour news can't be. Engineer is aware and gave us the usual "I'll get to it when I can" deal.... you remember the ice storm right? As for website, well we are still learning how to do that in house. Find us on Twitter.

 

[DavidZ]

Satellite issues... CBS feeds can be downloaded from the internet but the top of the hour news can't be. Engineer is aware and gave us the usual "I'll get to it when I can" deal.... you remember the ice storm right? As for website, well we are still learning how to do that in house. Find us on Twitter.

Thanks for the update about the CBS top of the hour news.

Yes, I remember the ice storm. At least WCRN doesn't have to worry about WTAG providing wall to wall coverage if there is an ice storm 2009. With Clear Channel's recent layoffs at the Worcester cluster, they don't have enough people left to provide such extensive coverage.

In fact, since the layoffs, WTAG-AM no longer provides local newscasts on the half-hour from 10:30 a.m. including afternoon drive. And I'm thinking Greg Byrne (from sister station WSRS-FM) is voice tracking the mid-day newscasts. Pretty sad from the station that bills itself as "Worcester's News Leader".

If WCRN had the budget, this would be a golden opportunity for them, but we know that won't happen.

 

[WCRiNsider]

Budget? What budget? We are losing thousands of dollars a month!! Barely keeping afloat!

 

[MassMusicMan]

As for website, well we are still learning how to do that in house. Find us on Twitter.

You didn't learn 15 years ago when the Internet came into vogue?

There are companies that will provide you with a website on barter.

 

[WCRiNsider]

Will: we have tried several companies who offer barter, however they laugh at our ratings (or lack of) and decline our station services.

 

[MassMusicMan]

Oh.

Google "HTML codes." Good luck to you.

 

[DavidZ]

Will: we have tried several companies who offer barter, however they laugh at our ratings (or lack of) and decline our station services.

Who does the site for "Wake Up Worcester"? Wouldn't they do the site for WCRN, too. IMHO, it's pretty cheesy when Hank Stolz is promoting his web site and there is none for WCRN.

 

[BRNout]

'CRNInsider: My recommendation is for you guys to get a college or even a sharp HS student in to work as an intern for you. They'd appreciate the experience and you can have them put together a website for you (among other things). Stuff like that is a win-win.

Because in this day and age, you've gotta have a website! Good luck!

 

[MassMusicMan]

'CRNInsider: My recommendation is for you guys to get a college or even a sharp HS student in to work as an intern for you. They'd appreciate the experience and you can have them put together a website for you (among other things). Stuff like that is a win-win.

You want somebody to build a website for free? This, my friend, is why your industry is a joke. This isn't pouring coffee and networking, this is building a revenue-generating promotional tool, a skill for which people expect to be compensated with a wage.

 

[BRNout]

Will, you're way off on this one. For one thing, it's not "free" if it's an internship. Plenty of young people would love to get some experience at a radio station or other form of media. It's how you build your resume. They do some work in exchange for getting some experience and - hopefully - course credit. Perfect for a communications major or any number of other subjects.

My unpaid internship at a television station eventually resulted in a paying job and on-air gig. I worked hard around the station and learned a lot in the process. Paying your dues is what it's called (in case you've never heard of that). You want experience? A foot in the door? This is one way to do that.

Setting up a simple website is a relative pleasure for a lot of kids, easy for them to do, and it could be a very good task for someone to work on when there's not much else going on.

 

[MassMusicMan]

I paid my dues in radio. I ran the board for six dollars an hour. Why can't a station pay the kid $200 to build a site?

 

[rockcaptain]

I paid my dues in radio. I ran the board for six dollars an hour. Why can't a station pay the kid $200 to build a site?

Wow! Running the board for 6 bucks an hour is not paying your dues. You seem like a very bitter person who was not good enough to make radio a career. And please I don't need to hear how you make more jocking trivia than you would in radio. I am in radio and trust me I am sure I make more than you (not that money is my motivation---I LOVE radio and love my job).

Anyway, the experience and addition to a resume is worth way more in many cases than getting paid to build that site. An intern can be utilized in many ways. It is a mutually beneficial relationship (and in many cases the intern gets more out of the relationship). An intern assignment of building a website is much better and more valuable for the intern than fetching coffee. Or am I wrong about that?

 

[BRNout]

I paid my dues in radio. I ran the board for six dollars an hour. Why can't a station pay the kid $200 to build a site?

Granted, it would be nice. But an internship is an agreement between both parties (sorry rockcaptain - we were writing at the same time!). Sometimes the experience of working at a station is worth a lot more than the $200. It's not the only way to pay your dues, but it's not a bad way.

And it would be ideal if WCRN would work it out so the kid gets academic credit for it. He or she could learn a lot from the experience.

 

[MassMusicMan]

Wow! Running the board for 6 bucks an hour is not paying your dues.

You're right, it isn't. But I thought it was at the time. Glad I learned that at 19 and not 29.

You seem like a very bitter person who was not good enough to make radio a career.

I'm good enough to make radio a career. I'm thoughtful, personable, and bombastic. I just don't need a transmitter to entertain people, and you people aren't hiring.

And please I don't need to hear how you make more jocking trivia than you would in radio. I am in radio and trust me I am sure I make more than you (not that money is my motivation---I LOVE radio and love my job).

Good for you. Please continue to be kind and respectful to your colleagues.

Anyway, the experience and addition to a resume is worth way more in many cases than getting paid to build that site. An intern can be utilized in many ways. It is a mutually beneficial relationship (and in many cases the intern gets more out of the relationship). An intern assignment of building a website is much better and more valuable for the intern than fetching coffee. Or am I wrong about that?

Internships are for shit if there isn't permanent employment. Kiss 108? Three jocks left. Mike FM? No jocks at all. The jobs just don't exist. You'll have to forgive me for not advocating that a bunch of naive 19 year olds all stab each other in the back for free for nothing.

 

[rockcaptain]

Internships are for shit if there isn't permanent employment. Kiss 108? Three jocks left. Mike FM? No jocks at all. The jobs just don't exist. You'll have to forgive me for not advocating that a bunch of naive 19 year olds all stab each other in the back for free for nothing.

I think you are thinking solely on-air. Promotions is always hiring for street team. No, it isn't super high paying but I have seen interns move to street team and up the ladder from there. Odds are that if you start as an intern you won't make in on-air (at least in this day and age). And not everyone wants to be on-air. Many people want to work in the promotions side of things or even sales. I got in at the right time. I started working for nothing (not even an intern...I was willing to start paying my dues for no pay because I love radio). That is what you have to do sometimes. Now I am doing well for myself. It's the American dream.

 

[mistermicrophone]

I think you are thinking solely on-air. Promotions is always hiring for street team. No, it isn't super high paying but I have seen interns move to street team and up the ladder from there. Odds are that if you start as an intern you won't make in on-air (at least in this day and age). And not everyone wants to be on-air. Many people want to work in the promotions side of things or even sales. I got in at the right time. I started working for nothing (not even an intern...I was willing to start paying my dues for no pay because I love radio). That is what you have to do sometimes. Now I am doing well for myself. It's the American dream.

I hear ya, Rockcapt! Those who can, do. Those who can't, b!tch about it on the internet. With consolidation, it's so much easier for those who "can't" to write off their inability on the state of the industry.

I was a victim of "downsizing" about six weeks ago and I've rebounded (well, I start my new gig within a few days). I never once came on here and ripped the industry or made jaded comments like others because of the passion I have for radio. And if I know an intern or a young part timer that has passion for this industry, I will encourage them to WORK HARD to succeed...I will also open their eyes to the inherent instability of the industry...but those who have it, can do it.

 

[MassMusicMan]

I think you are thinking solely on-air.

Of course I am. That's the only thing I would do in your industry. I'm not going to dress up and kiss people's asses for a living.

Promotions is always hiring for street team. No, it isn't super high paying but I have seen interns move to street team and up the ladder from there. Odds are that if you start as an intern you won't make in on-air (at least in this day and age).

Good. That's the way it should be. I'm glad the industry has stopped putting radio people on the radio. Find people from other venues to put on a show.

I started working for nothing (not even an intern...I was willing to start paying my dues for no pay because I love radio). That is what you have to do sometimes. Now I am doing well for myself. It's the American dream.

I'm glad your career worked out for you, but if I found out that I lost out on a job because somebody was willing to do it for free, I would openly despise that person and the company who hired him. Just sayin'.

 

[rockcaptain]

Will, I still contend you aren't good enough to make it in this biz. You so badly want to be in it but you aren't good enough. Instead you bitch and complain about the industry on the internet. I see it all the time with mobile DJs (and that is pretty much what you are). Most mobile DJs I have met are bitter and they are doing what they do because they couldn't make in on the radio. How can you comment on the industry? You haven't been in it for years (I am assuming, I don't know you and I don't know your history in the biz). Were you ever on the air? Or were you just "running the board for 6 dollars an hour".

And you belittling those who "dress up and kiss people's asses for a living" shows your ignorance of the business. Hey, they are in the business and they are making a living. Both of which does not apply to you.

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I was right out of high school and desperate to get into radio. At that point I would have paid them to let me work there. That is passion for the industry. I knew I was good enough to make it and I would do anything I could to get my foot in the door. I didn't work free for long, they saw the value in having me around and started paying me. But someetimes you have to prove your worth.

 

[DG02816]

Rockcaptain totally nails it. You work hard, show your value in what you can do . That is how I started 30 years ago. Don't think any job is beneath you-it adds to your knowledge.