THE UNTOLD TRUTH

[dcday]

Women in Broadcasting are seriously under-rated even when they manage superior ratings--WHY??

Are we, as an industry THAT backwards?

 

[Nokmo True]

Women in Broadcasting are seriously under-rated even when they manage superior ratings--WHY??

Are we, as an industry THAT backwards?

Are we backwards? Isn't it apparent?

Man or woman, if you work in radio there's a better than even chance that you're answering to a sales cretin or a mouth breathing programming type. Rare is the manager who earns (or deserves) any respect from the people who work for them.

Women are not a rarity or an oddity or a commodity in broadcasting and it remains a good old boys game. If a woman feels slighted, "Oh well" will be the attitude she faces followed by "So long" and followed by "Next!" So you accept that and work around that or you get out.

 

[Aramondo]

I'd say you hit that nail right on the head. So, no replies since yesterday, why...because they've all either been sales cretins or mouth breather programming types who visit here?

 

[The Former Mac Austin]

I can remember a story relayed to me about the "good ol' boys" at WBRE years ago - they started a "society" they called G-BOOBS. This stood for the "Get the Broads Out Of Broadcasting Society."

Funny thing is, I don't think it stopped at discrimination against on-air personalities. I can remember working at WDLS, when the jocks programmed their own show, that a rule was to never play two female artist songs back to back. Even though it's not a rule today, that was the mentality that I would assume is still rampant in many areas.

 

[Keeth]

Oh Yeah...back in the day I was constantly called on the carpet for playing two female artists in a row. I had a nuber of bosses tell me that too many females on the radio was a tune-out factor. I always thought it was Bulls@#t...and the proliferation of female artists today proves that. It's impossible in this day and age to go without playing two, maybe even three female artists in a row in a contemporary format.
As far as female broadcasters, I say bring em on. My last morning show partnership was with a female and I never had so much fun in my life. AND for a while we were followed in middays by a female.
Flamers can insert ratings wisecracks here, but I seem to recall there being no great tune-out because of it.

 

[The Sigon]

Are we backwards? Isn't it apparent?

Man or woman, if you work in radio there's a better than even chance that you're answering to a sales cretin or a mouth breathing programming type. Rare is the manager who earns (or deserves) any respect from the people who work for them.

And yet it's funny because no manager was born a manager. They all came from the ranks. Do they forget the a-holes they had to contend with when they become managers and so are doomed to become one themselves?

I have had many radio bosses in my years. Some were idiots and ham-handed, others were charming and off-putting, but all but one were in over their heads. Their best talents were making it look good. The art of illusion. The one manager I actually had respect for finally had enough and left the business. I guess it's tough being so alone in an industry populated by "cretins and mouthbreathers".

 

[89birddawg]

Hey, I remember applying for a midday position at WPST back in the 80's.
The PD gave me a whole bunch of lip service on how I'd fit right in, sound great,
quick wit, good presentation BUT he was hoping to fill the position with a FEMALE.
Probably needed to fill it to satisfy the EOE act. EOE unless you're male.
It's a female world out there...be careful.

 

[fennessy]

Pre-top 40 music radio had a totally abstract formula, which called for a male, followed by female ( never two back to back) group then instrumental. Totally abstract, totally dumb.

As for DC Day, when I worked down the hall from her, I thought she was one of the best talents in the market, and did one of the best " reads" in the market, male or female.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

I think this issue cuts both ways. Years ago, I worked for a manager whose wife HATED the Supremes and as it later came to be known, just about any female singer-group of color. Although the music was pre-programmed, she'd call her husband and say things like, "Your afternoon guy plays too many Supremes songs!" Her husband, the GM would try to explain that the music was pre-programmed, to little avail. Once, at a company Christmas party, I slipped the sound guy a ten with a request to play the Supremes, Chaka Khan and Pointer Sisters back to back. While the dance floor was packed, the GMs wife looked like she was gonna pop a vein. Such sweet revenge. We had a midday woman who was quite good. She worked middays for about three months until she was banished to overnights. Could have been the best overnight (female) jock in a medium market. The GM's wife was the catalyst in that sorry move. The jock left about a year later, went back to college, got her masters degree and has had a successful career as a teacher. The GM wasn't a bad guy, more of a putz than a tyrant. On the other extreme, I knew a medium market PD, a woman, who was an absolute tyrant, mostly towards women. Go figure. It's a weird game this business.

 

[89birddawg]

Anyway, DC DAY probably one of the best voices in radio, period.

 

[ThomasCarten]

Fennessy --

>>>Pre-top 40 music radio had a totally abstract formula, which called for a male, followed by female ( never two back to back) group then instrumental. Totally abstract, totally dumb.<<<

I dunnno; I did that when I began and it was a good mix that kept us from doing any two types b2b. I always thought our sound was better than stations which did two alike. We had variety: you didn't like the gal, 2.5 minutes later you had the guy; ditto with the group or instrumental.

 

[radioboss]

Kevin,

You're alive yet!!!

Still in Florida? Email me sometime at [email protected].

How is Joanne doing?

SJ