Radio Promotions As A Way To Starve

[scottythecynic]

Face it. Working radio promotions can be (but isn't always) fun. If you get your jollies sweating under an Easy-Up handing out station Merch made in China, and haggling with boisterous crowds that bitch and moan about free t-shirts that do not fit, that's all good. Really it is. More power to your dedication.

But what about the lowly pay? I mean, there's always some gigs where you can filch some tickets to a game or concert, and ways to let your buddies win akin to Chicago politics, but you're to starve in the long run. Did I mention being the beyotch to some egotistical local celeb? Oops. My bad.

Now here's The Ticket looking for promo people at a whopping $6.55 an hour. Wow, you can almost start an IRA with that! Not. While I understand that jocks warrant decent pay, it should never come at the expense of the people that are the backbone of the station(s), i.e., the promo crew.

The Ticket is just another in the long line of corporate slave masters: http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tfr/783935829.html

 

[little1]

The BACKBONE of a station?

Okay, i wasn't an antaomy major in kollege, but do you really believe that promotions assistants are the backbone of a radio station?

Sorry, but the promo crew is more like the hair extensions or fake fingernails of a radio station. They're there, they might be nice to look at, but they're pretty much interchangeable. You can switch from blond hair extensions to brunette to redhead, and it's still not goingto effect what lies underneath.

Because let's get real. Promo crew may help in getting people to learn about a station (handing out t-shirts bumper stickers etc at events) but people are listening for the content.

People don't tune into the ticket because of what promo crew is working a remote. they're tuning in because they're interested in sports and/or they find the hosts entertaining.

 

[scottythecynic]

Perhaps a poor choice of words, but they are crucial to a station. It's ok to disagree but don't be a fool when doing so.

 

[longtimelistener]

Since less than 1% of a station's listeners ever show up at a remote broadcast, I hardly think the promotions staff is "crucial" to any station. Helpful, yes. Worth more than minimum wage, no.

 

[little1]

Good point LTL-

and I was listening to the hardline yesterday when Rhyner brought up that not only were they #1 M25-54, #1 PERSONS 25-54, but they were also #2 overall 12+.

(That's 3-7p, not KTCK as a whole BTW)

Do you think your credibility is gutted at all by the fact that the Ticket pays minimum wage for such a "crucial" position but still manages to have ratings success, revenue success and peer group success (Marconi noms/win, etc)

Put me on record with LTL- helpful yes, crucial, no. As I said before, they're interchangeable. And while I might be willingto pay a good one a little more, I bet a popular station like the ticket doesn't have a problem finding people to work for 6.55 an hour.

 

[belowtheline]

- helpful yes, crucial, no. As I said before, they're interchangeable. And while I might be willing to pay a good one a little more...

Yes, they can be interchangeable. However, each promotion is an opportunity to gain a new listener by introducing them to the station. Even the little old ladies handing out free samples at Sam's can bring in a long term customer if they present (themselves and the product) well. Good people working promos are valuable, they are ambassadors for the station. Let's be honest, though, these aren't the only positions corporate will try to get on the cheap. Long gone are the days when most corporations in any field truly value (and pay) contributing underlings....look at public education, for example.

 

[Lowly Board OP]

While I will be the first to agree that promo guys can do alot of work for not much cash, they are very expendable. Its just one of those jobs that about anyone can do as long as they will show up.

Now with that said........... DONT GET ME STARTED ON BOARD OP-ING !!!!!!!!

 

[Cracker Jack]

Just outta curiosity... Does anybody have a general idea of what your average promotions coordinator gets annually? I don't imagine it to be much, but I've always wondered. It IS a full-time gig, so at least they've got company benefits.

 

[MikeShannon914]

My buddy who used to be the coordinator at The Bone in its earliest days made....sitting down?....$17,500 a year. Yeah. Really. Not "assistant," but "COORDINATOR." And overtime was expected (since it was salary and not hourly-based) including babysitting or at least visiting every single remote. He was working 60 hours a week, 6 to 7 days a week, and using his own car much of the time, if he didn't want to be stuck at an event all day by riding along in the Prize Van. Needless to say, he wised up quickly and got out of it.

At The Oasis, they actually treated us peons pretty well. The assistants made $10 per hour in 2003, and I believe the coordinators made $28,000 a year. They trusted us to handle our jobs, and didn't really feel a need to show up at events to supervise. We might see the AE at an event sometimes, but usually it was just the assistant, and sometimes the talent. (Talent was getting $300-$400 for 2-3 hours then, paid by the client on the spot at the event.) The assistants would usually get some perks at events...food, drinks, VIP privileges, etc...so it didn't "feel" like peon status. Really, it was a good investment on the stations' behalf--I've seen assistants for nearly every station in town over the years, and comparatively, the crew we had at the old Infinity was first class. I felt very good about the image we were projecting, and the job was really a lot of fun.

I interviewed at The Bone for a promotions assistant job sometime in early 2004 (post-Infinity...I was already doing traffic and working FT hours for PT wages and no benefits at ABC, and still needed a THIRD job...yeah, welcome to radio.) They did a mass interview with about 20 of us, took us on the grand tour, hyped up the place, told us what an honor it should be TO us to even work there, and then assembled us in a conference room to throw water on this wonderful fire they created for us...they were paying $6.00 per hour. I believe everyone in the room, including me, walked out. Sorry, it's not that much of an HONOR, folks. I know they really push that kinda crap with the Ticket applicants...it's babes, man, it's a cool station, man, you get to hang out, man...did I mention the babes, man? Yeah, some guys are indeed going to respond to that, and might even work for free.

 

[5410]

I have worked promotions and I would not wish it on my worst enemy. It's not carrying stuff, or being in the heat, or even dealing with the crazy listeners. It is the way your treated. At the station, in the public. Everyone looks at you like your a homeless bum or something. You really are treated like a peon.

I think it is important for promotions personnel to be paid a little more. Yes, they can be just a body. How many times have you seen a station's tent out somewhere and the promo crew is just sitting there at their table, not saying a word, just watching the clock. It seems like such a waste of money for the station.

 

[Slambang]

This is why i've never work promotions nor will I ever. You're basically slave labor that drives a van/car around town to events then get paid less than what McDonalds pays a newhire or unemployment gives you for sitting at home. For the folks who say it gets your "foot in the door", thats an total out and out bald faced lie. Most people who are in on-air and sales didnt start throwing out t-shirts, koozies and blocks of tickets to a concert, they either went to college or learned on their own.

My Advice: If you want to be on-air/production, start a podcast or even a live365 station, you get more real experience with the music and mic time. If you want to be in sales, learn sales techniques by actually working in a business outside radio.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

A station is only as good as its worst employee. With that being said everyone at stations generally thing thier job is the most important thing out there. Truth is it is all very interconnected and all aspects should eventally contribute to the bottom line one way or another. In the world of supply and demand the supply of acceptable promotions assistants is great therefore their pay is LOW. The supply of great sales people, good engineers. great traffic dept. help or good station managers is low therefore the pay is higher. The truth is that if people dont want to be paid in pennies try leaning a skill in radio that others wont or are incapable of learning and become so good at it that you are always the last man standing if there are cuts. More than one useful skill these days is the ral key actually for survival while being paid real money in radio opposed to food trade and concert tickets.

 

[longtimelistener]

Getting "your foot in the door" as an unpaid, official intern or unpaid, unofficial gopher INSIDE the station has to be better than working in promotions.

Even better for youngsters that want to be "in radio": get a "gopher" job at a small radio station outside of the DFW metro area.

Someday, someone with a real job might not show up and you could be pressed into service. That's what happened to me 40 years ago at a 1,000 watt daytimer.

I'm still in the biz; God help me, I do love it so.

 

[Dndsh237]

Getting "your foot in the door" as an unpaid, official intern or unpaid, unofficial gopher INSIDE the station has to be better than working in promotions.

Even better for youngsters that want to be "in radio": get a "gopher" job at a small radio station outside of the DFW metro area.

Someday, someone with a real job might not show up and you could be pressed into service. That's what happened to me 40 years ago at a 1,000 watt daytimer.

I'm still in the biz; God help me, I do love it so.

Agreed!

 

[Slambang]

Getting "your foot in the door" as an unpaid, official intern or unpaid, unofficial gopher INSIDE the station has to be better than working in promotions.

Even better for youngsters that want to be "in radio": get a "gopher" job at a small radio station outside of the DFW metro area.

Someday, someone with a real job might not show up and you could be pressed into service. That's what happened to me 40 years ago at a 1,000 watt daytimer.

I'm still in the biz; God help me, I do love it so.

Agreed!

I got my first experience at KNON years ago, when they were in the house on san jacinto. I sent out mailers and cataloged cd/vinyl as well. That taught me more about the day to day then getting a minimum wage job tossing out koozies to people.

 

[johnqdoe]

Contrary to popular belief here...not ALLLL banner hanging, t-shirt flinging, sticker giving promo kids WANT to be on the air. For many, radio promotions is a cool gig while they finish school. It's much cooler to say, "I work p/t at the Eagle" than saying , "I work at Whataburger"....

 

[board monkey]

While I will be the first to agree that promo guys can do alot of work for not much cash, they are very expendable. Its just one of those jobs that about anyone can do as long as they will show up.

Now with that said........... DONT GET ME STARTED ON BOARD OP-ING !!!!!!!!

Man, Do I feel your pain on that one.

 

[board monkey]

Getting "your foot in the door" as an unpaid, official intern or unpaid, unofficial gopher INSIDE the station has to be better than working in promotions.

Even better for youngsters that want to be "in radio": get a "gopher" job at a small radio station outside of the DFW metro area.

Someday, someone with a real job might not show up and you could be pressed into service. That's what happened to me 40 years ago at a 1,000 watt daytimer.

I'm still in the biz; God help me, I do love it so.

Agreed!

I got my first experience at KNON years ago, when they were in the house on san jacinto. I sent out mailers and cataloged cd/vinyl as well. That taught me more about the day to day then getting a minimum wage job tossing out koozies to people.

This makes two of us. I was board op-ing the morning show. Almost fell through that rotted azz floor behind the board. Made John Wiley Price laugh! ;D

 

[Channing1969]

Contrary to popular belief here...not ALLLL banner hanging, t-shirt flinging, sticker giving promo kids WANT to be on the air. For many, radio promotions is a cool gig while they finish school. It's much cooler to say, "I work p/t at the Eagle" than saying , "I work at Whataburger"....

You are SOOOO right! Then again, just because you have it on your resume, it might not mean shit. Trust me, I have radio all over my resume and while it might look "cool", it hasn't done much for me. (I also have a degree. I have found my degree isn't worth the paper, or frame I put it in.) I'd have been better off to start out part-time at Whataburger and move into management. Do you know how much a friggin' FAST FOOD MANAGER MAKES?!?!?! Sure, it's not "cool" but DAYYYUUUMMM!!!

 

[Slambang]

Getting "your foot in the door" as an unpaid, official intern or unpaid, unofficial gopher INSIDE the station has to be better than working in promotions.

Even better for youngsters that want to be "in radio": get a "gopher" job at a small radio station outside of the DFW metro area.

Someday, someone with a real job might not show up and you could be pressed into service. That's what happened to me 40 years ago at a 1,000 watt daytimer.

I'm still in the biz; God help me, I do love it so.

Agreed!

I got my first experience at KNON years ago, when they were in the house on san jacinto. I sent out mailers and cataloged cd/vinyl as well. That taught me more about the day to day then getting a minimum wage job tossing out koozies to people.

This makes two of us. I was board op-ing the morning show. Almost fell through that rotted azz floor behind the board. Made John Wiley Price laugh! ;D

I helped start the teen talk show back in 1997, got canned about three weeks into it because I was too white for the station....