^I appreciate your thoughts, OKCRG, but I guess we can agree to disagree about Renda being the Great Satan. Just because they're cutting back in tough economic times and making hard business choices doesn't make them a sinking ship or hard-hearted. They're kicking rating's tail and taking names with their three heritage stations/formats. However, the spin-off is sucking funds out of them. But doesn't every broadcast group have at least one ratings/money pit?
Companies in general have been firing trusted, long-standing employees forever. My dad was shown the door after nearly 30-years with his company in exchange for a cheaper, younger, less qualified employee. And the recent blood-letting I referenced in my earlier post involved a single mom who lost her lone source of income when she was "downsized". Oh, and a buddy of mine recently moved across the country for a radio gig only to have the station change formats three weeks after his arrival. He wasn't reimbursed for his moving expenses, either! Now, that's evil, but seemingly par for the course in this brutal business!
Maybe I'm alone in my thinking, but when it comes to radio I've always expected the worst in terms of longterm employment. I entered the profession being told that it was one of the few careers that you go into knowing that you'll likely be fired FOR NO REASON. Format, PD and ownership changes used to be the big instigators, but in the current evolving world of mass media and profit sharing, downsizing is usually to blame.
It's by the grace of God that I've been able to make a living in this business for as long as I have and I know that it can end at any moment, without notice and without warrant. It's a cruel reality, but not indicative of a suddenly sinking industry ship; the radio vessel has been listing from the get-go.
