Re: Radio Misinformation
"....in the 9 years since consolidation began, we have seen
radio revenues across the country go up at a rate slightly
above inflation, something like 45% depending on the market
(Dallas was $218 million to $418 million, for example).
Nationally, billings went fro $11 billion to about $21
billion."---David Eduardo
And what did they get for their money?
"In that time, I have seen salaries everywhere I am familiar
with increase on the order of 50% to 60% at the minimum for
ongoing employees."---DE
Where?....Name names. With all due respect, David....You're simply dreaming.
"Why would a business... any business...
pay more than the lowest amount they can hire
somebody for?"---DE
Because Real Radio demands a better worker than what they can get for the "lowest amount they can hire some BODY for."
"Nowhere do I see a decline for ongoing staff."---DE
What? Again, where are you looking? Name Names.
"I see people who leave (for whatever the reason)
replaced with the most economical alternative."---DE
Most of Radio's catastrophic brain drain in radio has already occurred....And those people have been or being replaced with "the most economical alternative".
To survive, Radio must begin to hire the most talented alterative. Right Now.
"....you have a company of 1,200 stations but they do not
have 380 big corporate exectutives (1200 / 14 x 4). They
have, more like 60 or so, including corporate executives
and regional managers and format specialists. So they save
on executive salaries."---DE
"So, yes, consolidation allowed more stations to operate
with less people. Technology also allowed further reductions
in people requirements."---DE
David you're arguing against yourself. You can't say, "Nowhere do I see a decline for ongoing staff.", and then discuss how consolidation allowed operators to work with fewer people, thus more efficiently.
Pick a story and stick to it.
"The money saved has gone mostly to make radio more
profitable. It's a business."---DE
No David, it's not. Radio is a service. XM, Sirius, IPOD Content Providers are businesses. And since they are subscriber-driven, they can operate without commercials. If we continue to operate as "a business", we will go out of business.
"[Corporate] Boards have a compensation committee for
top execs. They know that to attract the top talent,
they must pay top dollar."---DE
Except when it comes to their product, right? For Programming/On-Air Talent, the manufacturers of their actual product, Radio can make do with the people they can get for "the lowest amount they can hire somebody for?"....Again, can't have it both ways, Dave.
"And there is not that much talent in any industry. It is the same
reason why Stern made what he did, and why good morning
people in the biggest markets make 7 figure salaries."---DE
First of all, that's a self-fulfilling prophecy....Fire all the On-Air talent, and replace it with the same 6 syndicated network shows, and then 5 years later, decry the lack of On-Air talent.
Secondly, Stern is making what he's making because Sirius is not connected to anything remotely resembling reality, except their own over-hyped Press Releases aimed at Wall Street. And if you really think that "people in the biggest markets make 7-figure salaries", I'm afraid you're dreaming again, so please do name names.
Further, most Americans live outside the Top-15 markets. Very few stations in markets 16-300 even operate with full airstaffs. Therefore, most of the American Listening Audience, Coast-to-Coast, is simply getting an inferior product from Radio....and the wheels are coming off.
"It all sounds market driven to me."---DE
Me too, David. Yes indeed, the destruction of Radio is certainly "market-driven". But you, and many like you, are completely missing it....
Radio is a Service, not a business. Radio's consumers are not Advertisers, Corporate CEO's, Wall Street Analysts, or even Company Stockholders. Radio's Consumers are Local Listeners. They have been left behind by Radio....and now they're returning the favor.
Radio must operate in the public interest as a public trustee, town by town, city by city, hometown newscast by hometown newscast, local crisis by local crisis. The perceived quality of Radio's product must be foremost in the hearts and minds of Local Hometown Listeners, not the capricious whims of a "market driven" quarterly report to the board.
"....in the 9 years since consolidation began, we have seen
radio revenues across the country go up at a rate slightly
above inflation, something like 45% depending on the market
(Dallas was $218 million to $418 million, for example).
Nationally, billings went fro $11 billion to about $21
billion."---David Eduardo
And what did they get for their money?
"In that time, I have seen salaries everywhere I am familiar
with increase on the order of 50% to 60% at the minimum for
ongoing employees."---DE
Where?....Name names. With all due respect, David....You're simply dreaming.
"Why would a business... any business...
pay more than the lowest amount they can hire
somebody for?"---DE
Because Real Radio demands a better worker than what they can get for the "lowest amount they can hire some BODY for."
"Nowhere do I see a decline for ongoing staff."---DE
What? Again, where are you looking? Name Names.
"I see people who leave (for whatever the reason)
replaced with the most economical alternative."---DE
Most of Radio's catastrophic brain drain in radio has already occurred....And those people have been or being replaced with "the most economical alternative".
To survive, Radio must begin to hire the most talented alterative. Right Now.
"....you have a company of 1,200 stations but they do not
have 380 big corporate exectutives (1200 / 14 x 4). They
have, more like 60 or so, including corporate executives
and regional managers and format specialists. So they save
on executive salaries."---DE
"So, yes, consolidation allowed more stations to operate
with less people. Technology also allowed further reductions
in people requirements."---DE
David you're arguing against yourself. You can't say, "Nowhere do I see a decline for ongoing staff.", and then discuss how consolidation allowed operators to work with fewer people, thus more efficiently.
Pick a story and stick to it.
"The money saved has gone mostly to make radio more
profitable. It's a business."---DE
No David, it's not. Radio is a service. XM, Sirius, IPOD Content Providers are businesses. And since they are subscriber-driven, they can operate without commercials. If we continue to operate as "a business", we will go out of business.
"[Corporate] Boards have a compensation committee for
top execs. They know that to attract the top talent,
they must pay top dollar."---DE
Except when it comes to their product, right? For Programming/On-Air Talent, the manufacturers of their actual product, Radio can make do with the people they can get for "the lowest amount they can hire somebody for?"....Again, can't have it both ways, Dave.
"And there is not that much talent in any industry. It is the same
reason why Stern made what he did, and why good morning
people in the biggest markets make 7 figure salaries."---DE
First of all, that's a self-fulfilling prophecy....Fire all the On-Air talent, and replace it with the same 6 syndicated network shows, and then 5 years later, decry the lack of On-Air talent.
Secondly, Stern is making what he's making because Sirius is not connected to anything remotely resembling reality, except their own over-hyped Press Releases aimed at Wall Street. And if you really think that "people in the biggest markets make 7-figure salaries", I'm afraid you're dreaming again, so please do name names.
Further, most Americans live outside the Top-15 markets. Very few stations in markets 16-300 even operate with full airstaffs. Therefore, most of the American Listening Audience, Coast-to-Coast, is simply getting an inferior product from Radio....and the wheels are coming off.
"It all sounds market driven to me."---DE
Me too, David. Yes indeed, the destruction of Radio is certainly "market-driven". But you, and many like you, are completely missing it....
Radio is a Service, not a business. Radio's consumers are not Advertisers, Corporate CEO's, Wall Street Analysts, or even Company Stockholders. Radio's Consumers are Local Listeners. They have been left behind by Radio....and now they're returning the favor.
Radio must operate in the public interest as a public trustee, town by town, city by city, hometown newscast by hometown newscast, local crisis by local crisis. The perceived quality of Radio's product must be foremost in the hearts and minds of Local Hometown Listeners, not the capricious whims of a "market driven" quarterly report to the board.
