The Boss Using A Studio Hotline to chew out jocks while they're on the air

[radioindy]

Of course record all his calls!!! You can put them on CD and use them as entertainment at private parties.

Record and Save ALL calls from management. And also, now that mp3 players have a voice recorder feature, you should be recording EVERY face to face conversation with management/owners and storing those.

Back in the day, we had to use the 120-minute cassette tapes, and you had to hope the conversation would be over within the 60 minutes so the owner/gm wouldn't still be in the room when the tape recorder reached the end of the tape and LOUDLY shut off while hidden in the desk drawer.

I have recordings of the owners' boasting of his great sexual escapades, volatile in station tirades (those are the funniest), admitting to watching video of female workers (morally these should be brought to the attention of those being 'violated'), etc.

These are not only priceless personal entertainment, but in case of firing, etc, just let them know you have them, and you'll be amazed at how much bigger your severance check will be.

The boss doesn't need a hotline to get the automation to do what he wants. Like duh. I wonder why so many DJs are being replaced???

Because being an owner/boss does not mean you have any clue what you are doing. As stated above, you can only blame the hired help for so long, then you have to realize that it was YOU that let the station's ratings take a nose dive by restraining your jocks and even putting the words into your jocks' mouths.

You're free to run your station the way you want, but it doesn't mean you are right.

Again, just look at your ratings. You know who you are ...

 

[Ur-A-Dawg]

There was star jock in a Indiana medium market that was doing production during a frustrating day. He just couldn't record the ad right. Suddenly in a fit he blurted out a bunch of expletives into the recorder. After this emotional outburst he thought he had the production right, he took the tape & fed it into the automation system. He then went outside the station door to burn a fat one "420". He put his foot in the door because he didn't have a key & the next jock was due in a couple of hours. As his buzz was kicking in, he heard himself on the air cussing & swearing through the speaker above the door. At that point his foot slipped out of the door & he was locked out of the station. He could see the hot line flashing from his boss through the window & he realized there was nothing he could do but quit so he drove off while this was playing in a loop

For you to know all the fine details, it must have been you.

 

[radiowannab]

It would seem rather silly to me to call someone while they are trying to do their job to the best of their ability and treat them like garbage. I know in my job all I ask is that my boss treat me with dignity and respect. Critcism is ok and if done constructively can help me do my job better. But why would any of you allow another person to degrade you like some of the stories I am hearing here? The money can't be that good can it?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Radio is my anti-drug.

This message paid for by the ONDCP and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

 

[RememberWHEN]

"Radio is my anti-drug"

Dang...wish I'd thought of that. Love it! You haven't copyrighted® that yet, have you??

Regards,
RememberWHEN

 

[cold_coffee]

(quote)
(There was star jock in a Indiana medium market that was doing production during a frustrating day. He just couldn't record the ad right. Suddenly in a fit he blurted out a bunch of expletives into the recorder. After this emotional outburst he thought he had the production right, he took the tape & fed it into the automation system. He then went outside the station door to burn a fat one "420". He put his foot in the door because he didn't have a key & the next jock was due in a couple of hours. As his buzz was kicking in, he heard himself on the air cussing & swearing through the speaker above the door. At that point his foot slipped out of the door & he was locked out of the station. He could see the hot line flashing from his boss through the window & he realized there was nothing he could do but quit so he drove off while this was playing in a loop.)

The jock in the above story had to find a new field. He now makes $100,000 instead of $15,000.

 

[FiveStar]

It would seem rather silly to me to call someone while they are trying to do their job to the best of their ability and treat them like garbage. I know in my job all I ask is that my boss treat me with dignity and respect. Critcism is ok and if done constructively can help me do my job better. But why would any of you allow another person to degrade you like some of the stories I am hearing here? The money can't be that good can it?

I recently warned a young person who's looking at getting involved with radio, that's it's a lot like crack: fun in the short, but not necessarily good for you in the long run. Radio is one helluva a lot of fun and some people with the right mix of talent and luck can make hellajack doing it, with hot and cold running groupies, associate producers and creative directors.

For the rest of us, it's like the old joke about the circus worker who cleaned up after the elephants when the parade was over. Someone asked why he didn't quit and he answered "What?! And give up show business???"

 

[Timewarp]

Good to have a thread that brings a few laughs. Hotlines seem to improve ratings.
Gues I'll install a couple more.

 

[SheJay]

It would seem rather silly to me to call someone while they are trying to do their job to the best of their ability and treat them like garbage. I know in my job all I ask is that my boss treat me with dignity and respect. Critcism is ok and if done constructively can help me do my job better. But why would any of you allow another person to degrade you like some of the stories I am hearing here? The money can't be that good can it?

It's too late to turn back now. Been at this for 20 years now, and what else am I gonna do? So you take the good with the bad, and in my case, be damn thankful that I have the best job on earth. Hotlines and all, there is nothing that could ever come close to it. And if you are in a decent market, there is good money to be made.

 

[ChiefEngineer]

How old are you "J"?

Where are you now. Enjoyed hearing you on the buzzard.

 

[SheJay]

How old are you "J"?

Where are you now. Enjoyed hearing you on the buzzard.

I assume you are talking to me, and I think you have me confused with someone else. I was never a standard on the buzzard, although I pulled a couple of overnights to help out. I am now pushing 40 and am in Missouri.

 

[around_the_block]

"For the rest of us, it's like the old joke about the circus worker who cleaned up after the elephants when the parade was over. Someone asked why he didn't quit and he answered "What?! And give up show business???"

Has anyone ever considered reconciling with the fact that the radio business is what it is? By understanding the pay will not be great. By understanding the benefits will likely be dismal. But if you are good at what you do and love doing it, you might have a great deal more peace with yourself than most of the people on this planet?

I've been in radio for over 20 years. I've made my mistakes. They cost me a few jobs. But I've learned. I've worked in "the real world" and gradually came to a deeper understanding of myself and the talents I've been given. I want to go back into radio full-time. Am I crazy? Possibly. Are there maniacs in radio? Let me fill you in on something: there are maniacs, control freaks, general bastards in every area of work. If you don't have the sufficient maturity to realize this and find sane, healthy ways to cope and manage the stress, I feel for you.

Radio is a facet of show business. Period. You'll have the groupies, the headaches, the remote broadcasts with sponsors you would sooner spit on than work with, the ego-maniacal managers at every level. Sales people who could easily double for prostitutes in more ways than one. But you can let your ego and/or your attitude get the best of you or you can realize one of the bigger purposes for the broadcasting industry is to SERVE. The biggest need for the radio business is to do what Sirius and XM will never be able to do: warn people about danger, whether it's weather-related, traffic, whatever. Entertain our listeners, inform them? YES, that too.

I don't own a pair of rose-colored glasses. There is one station in central Indiana for which I would love to work full-time, but for reasons I am not privy to I will likely never have that chance. As we are human, we're not always going to get along. We might not always get what we think we want and/or need out of life. But if radio is really in your blood, you need to see it for what it is, do what you LOVE and do it well, and go on. Abusive managers? Did you ever try to ask them why they need to call you during a shift? Is there really something you're doing that they want you to change? Can you record yourself - skimmers are rare things to find in most stations anymore - and make it a point to ASK to meet with your managers to change and maybe even improve what you're doing? Can you take criticism?

Sling however much mud as you want, but as with anything else in life, we must take a good, hard look at ourselves. I know people who could tell you more horror stories than I've already seen on these boards. But EVERY business is like that. EVERY SINGLE ONE. And if you move from business to business or radio station to radio station and run into the same trouble, angst, frustrations, there remains one thing you've got to do: stop and look at who you are, what you are. If you can't stop long enough to recognize that the weaknesses in others that drive you nuts are things you do yourself - there may be no answer sufficient to help you handle your life or help you find peace.

 

[gr8oldies]

Very well said, around the block!