What Am I Doing To Ensure I Have A Job In The Future?

[SomeRadioGuy]

Someone asked me in a FB broadcasting group, "What am I doing to ensure I have a job in the future?" as we discuss AI Voices on the radio.

He's got a point. And I wouldn't say I was defending myself, I sure wasn't angry or mad.. but this was my answer:

Far exceeding any expectations of community service. We aren't required to maintain a public file anymore but any requirements the FCC has/had, we far exceed.

Anything local, news and events get on the air. I do numerous interviews through out the year.. I make the station as involved in the community as humanly possible and I report on important news nights or weekends, regardless of time.. if my community needs to know, they'll know regardless of the time of day, esp. if its a health or safety issue.

If there's news from an outside source that I know is of interest to my listeners, I make sure it gets on air. News reports from other AKPM member stations? I air it and post it online.

Live coverage of the Iditarod or Kusko 300 aired on other media? I air it on KSKO.

News content such as the Governor's State Of The State Address that is only on TV or streamed? I air it on KSKO.

Native corporation news/meetings? I air it on KSKO.

It is the right thing to do and my job is to make sure KSKO fulfills its mission of informing, educating and entertaining my listeners. I have the time to make sure the communities we serve are proud to have KSKO.

My goals with KSKO are many fold. 1.) To do my best to NEVER give anyone the excuse to say they didn't know because KSKO didn't talk about it. 2.) To never give anyone a reason to say I don't care 3.) To never give anyone a reason to dislike me or KSKO 4.) To remain fair, impartial and trustworthy in the information we broadcast.

 

[spt87]

Based on your previous posts it seems like you are a jack of all trades - that seems like a good way for job security in the business moving forward.

 

[Kelly A]

Based on your previous posts it seems like you are a jack of all trades - that seems like a good way for job security in the business moving forward.

And to an extent, that's the bottom line. A lot of what can be considered 'grizzled veterans' have been kicked to the curb because they make no effort to remain valuable to the station by being flexible. That includes being active on social media in the promotion of the station or group, being willing to publish unique interviews or topics on the station website, Facebook page, posting photos and info on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, etc. And that doesn't mean going off the rails with political or socially unacceptable comments or editorials. One has to remember that you're on live representing the station, and your talent, all the time.
Same goes for behind the scenes; if you're familiar with multiple tasks around the station, you make yourself available to help if something comes up. The more value you have to give, the more likely they'll keep you around. Anymore, one trick ponies end up at the glue factory.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Some of the hardest working, most versatile people I've known in the radio business have been among the first to get canned. The big corporation execs don't care. The local managers have to follow their orders and make things work, even after frequently having to fire their most talented and resourceful workers.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Based on your previous posts it seems like you are a jack of all trades - that seems like a good way for job security in the business moving forward.

Yup. I've been in this similar situation before.... partly because of a combination of budget and often times there just isnt the need for 3 full time people.

Jack of all trades, master of none.. except maybe programming. I'm ok with technical but can be talked through about anything. I'm always upfront about my weaknesses

Im the only full time employee here. No GM/OM or CE

 

[Mikey Radio]

Having been around for more than a few years, I'm inclined to agree with @Theater of My Mind - That's just the reality of the situation. When stations or networks decide to automate or change formats or "go in a different direction" with different staff or whatever reason they give, it often doesn't matter how much or little one does around the station, for better or worse. I've seen other cases where the "jack of all trades" at a particular station doesn't get eliminated, but their hours are so greatly reduced that it's just not economically viable for them to stick around - unless they're desperate.

What I think @Kelly A and a few others have done well, at least from what I've read and understand from their postings here at RD, is they're not so much concentrating on being jacks of all trades at the station or facility they work at, and aren't solely aiming to please their current employer, but they also spend time networking - at trade shows like NAB, on social media, etc. and keeping in contact with others in the business, and most importantly, constantly keeping up on new and different technologies in an effort to not only make themselves more attractive to their existing employers, but also to form a kind of safety net in case things change and they need to make themselves attractive to other companies or use those contacts they've formed at trade shows or networking to (hopefully) find something elsewhere in short order.

Of course, every situation is different. Someone working as just about the only paid employee at a pubcaster in rural AK and living at the station they oversee may be more or less safe in that role for as long as they want it. For those working at larger stations, for larger corporations, in larger markets or on the engineering side, their situation may be entirely different.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Of course, every situation is different. Someone living and working as just about the only paid employee at a pubcaster in rural AK may be more or less safe in that role for as long as they want it. For those working at larger stations, for larger corporations, in larger markets or on the engineering side, their situation may be entirely different.

AS long as one keeps the board happy ie: does their job to community and station standards and keeps everyone else happy... thats generally true.

KSKO had a GM who was GM 3 different times in our 42 year history for a total of about 20 years.. started, left..... came back, left...... and came back then retired

 

[TheBigA]

I have a different view on this subject. One can only do the best job they can possibly do. The way one ensures they have a job (which doesn't necessarily mean the same job you have now) is to continually adapt to changing circumstances. If that means learning new technologies, then do so. If that means taking part time classes at a local community college to enlarge one's knowledge base, then that's what it means. Because one can't anticipate what someone else will do. One can only focus on their own situation. I would also suggest doing a lot of outreach and networking with others outside the workplace so that if the inevitable happens, there are others who are familiar and can help, either in providing recommendations, or in hiring as an outside contractor.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I have a different view on this subject. One can only do the best job they can possibly do. The way one ensures they have a job (which doesn't necessarily mean the same job you have now) is to continually adapt to changing circumstances. If that means learning new technologies, then do so. If that means taking part time classes at a local community college to enlarge one's knowledge base, then that's what it means. Because one can't anticipate what someone else will do. One can only focus on their own situation. I would also suggest doing a lot of outreach and networking with others outside the workplace so that if the inevitable happens, there are others who are familiar and can help, either in providing recommendations, or in hiring as an outside contractor.

I shouldve added the caveat.. i have no real plans on leaving KSKO anytime soon, so ensuring my job HERE. 3 years this Oct 31.

 

[Kelly A]

I shouldve added the caveat.. i have no real plans on leaving KSKO anytime soon, so ensuring my job HERE. 3 years this Oct 31.

Sounds like if you left, the station would likely no longer exist.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Sounds like if you left, the station would likely no longer exist.

Theyd find someone else.... theres almost always someone who can do a job like this... each person has their own style and strengths, leading to things being done a bit differently.

The guy who worked here before me has my old job at KIYU, 125 miles north of here, that i held until 2017

 

[michael hagerty]

"Be able to do everything" was always my approach.

In TV, besides the job description of writing, reporting and anchoring, I made sure I could shoot, edit, produce a newscast, and operate a microwave live truck all by myself---and on several occasions over 30 years, I was called upon to do every one of those things more than once.

The only things I didn't know how to operate were the satellite truck and the helicopter (though our pilot let me take the stick for a few blissful minutes out over the Arizona desert (it was equipped with dual controls and he was ready to take it back in a heartbeat).

But increasingly, the decisions about who gets to keep their job and who doesn't aren't made by people who know who you are or what you do or can do.

Case in point: The January, 2020 iHeart layoffs. 1,500 of us nationwide got a copy of the home game that week. At that moment, I co-anchored the afternoon news, was producing the afternoon news, was the go-to guy for any time we needed to do live coverage, and was building a healthy endorsement portfolio for the station.

Knowing how relatively lucky we were compared to other iHeart stations, there were almost certainly people who wore even more hats at their shops who lost their gigs that week---and in other layoffs before and since.

But the way that went down (as reported in the trades at the time) was that the Market Presidents and VPs of Programming were summoned to New York on 48 hours notice, handed envelopes with names of their employees inside and told "these people are leaving us next week. This is not a negotiation."

I'm fortunate that I landed on my feet six months later, in the same city, at a place where there is no "corporate". Yes, there's a Board of Directors that has to approve a budget every year, and that could conceivably, at some point, be a smaller budget requiring tough choices. But those people live in Sacramento, listen to the radio station and attend our all-staff meetings. We're not just names on a spreadsheet that might end up in an envelope someday.

 

[davideduardo]

"Be able to do everything" was always my approach.

Totally agree.

I went from a go-fer and board op to owner at age 18. I had some basic knowledge from reading Broadcasting and Sponsor and other trades for the prior 5 or 6 years, and that was it.

I bought a CP for a fulltime AM in a market of about a million. I had some basic programming ideas, mostly from being Top 40 listener and an invaluable few hours with Todd Storz on a trip through Miami. I had built Heathkits, so I bought studio gear but it was so modern nobody in-market could understand it. I took several Cleveland Institute courses and became my own Chief Engineer.

As a start, I had the right format and right sound and a good signal. The station became #1 in a 40-station market. I suddenly had to learn how to sell. It sold out in less than two months. With income, we had to do accounting. I hired an accountant and then read some basic accounting books and the local tax laws.

In the end, I learned engineering and could build my own transmitters. I learned programming by going to every convention and seminar I could. I learned sales out of desperation and belief in my product; several ad agency executives found the 18-year-old station owner interesting and mentored me. I read up on accounting and business, and had a good lawyer (he became the Secretary of Justice later in his career). And I had stupid kid good luck.

I could clean the transmitter at midnight on Sunday and on Monday pitch an annual contract to McCann-Erickson in another city!

In TV, besides the job description of writing, reporting and anchoring, I made sure I could shoot, edit, produce a newscast, and operate a microwave live truck all by myself.

That was the "I know Michael can help" situation. It means higher ups know you are reliable and multi-faceted.

But increasingly, the decisions about who gets to keep their job and who doesn't aren't made by people who know who you are or what you do or can do.

And being back-up for many functions means you have greater value than a one trick pony.

But the way that went down (as reported in the trades at the time) was that the Market Presidents and VPs of Programming were summoned to New York on 48 hours notice, handed envelopes with names of their employees inside and told "these people are leaving us next week. This is not a negotiation."

And so they lost those people with deep inside knowledge as well as a variety of skills that exceeded the job description.

I started www.worldradiohistory.com because there is so much misinformation in radio and so many staff members who think they invented something that was tried over and over a few decades ago, meeting with absolute failure. But they had read on the Internet that it was a great idea!

Heck, that got me invited to be a panelist at NAB in New York in October!

 

[landtuna]

But the way that went down (as reported in the trades at the time) was that the Market Presidents and VPs of Programming were summoned to New York on 48 hours notice, handed envelopes with names of their employees inside and told "these people are leaving us next week. This is not a negotiation."

This is slightly off topic but I think you, and others in a similar situation, will find it humorous.

Years ago while working for a corporation not to be named (but easily figured out if you know anything about my history) the suits announced a "layoff" was coming. It wasn't a layoff, it was a mass firing as no one was ever rehired.

A list of all employees was printed and an asterisk placed beside every unfortunate to-be victim. When a sharp eyed HR bureaucrat noticed this clearly identified the to-be-laid-off people he/she had the lists reprinted this time using White Out to cover the asterisk. This from a company noted to be at the top of their game at that time.

You can imagine what happened next.

Under the threat of a general uprising a different plan was quickly hatched (no one ever admitted to it but it probably came from one of the senior suits who had grown up in Eastern Europe).

As we arrived for work on D-day we were told either to assemble in the cafeteria or go to another isolated room. Those of us in the cafeteria were told we were still employed. The others were escorted to their desks by 'security', told to gather their personal effects and escorted out of the building. We were kept in the cafeteria until the others were gone.

It was at that very moment I lost every bit of envy of American corporate culture (I had already tossed politicians and military leaders in the bin). Mass communication companies seem to drag their bar lower than others making me so happy I didn't go that career route.

 

[michael hagerty]

This is slightly off topic but I think you, and others in a similar situation, will find it humorous.

Years ago while working for a corporation not to be named (but easily figured out if you know anything about my history) the suits announced a "layoff" was coming. It wasn't a layoff, it was a mass firing as no one was ever rehired.

A list of all employees was printed and an asterisk placed beside every unfortunate to-be victim. When a sharp eyed HR bureaucrat noticed this clearly identified the to-be-laid-off people he/she had the lists reprinted this time using White Out to cover the asterisk. This from a company noted to be at the top of their game at that time.

You can imagine what happened next.

Under the threat of a general uprising a different plan was quickly hatched (no one ever admitted to it but it probably came from one of the senior suits who had grown up in Eastern Europe).

As we arrived for work on D-day we were told either to assemble in the cafeteria or go to another isolated room. Those of us in the cafeteria were told we were still employed. The others were escorted to their desks by 'security', told to gather their personal effects and escorted out of the building. We were kept in the cafeteria until the others were gone.

It was at that very moment I lost every bit of envy of American corporate culture (I had already tossed politicians and military leaders in the bin). Mass communication companies seem to drag their bar lower than others making me so happy I didn't go that career route.

Yep.

My personal favorite (and I need to leave names out of this) was when I was pitched a job. It was part of a re-structuring that was going to close several newsrooms.

The pitch included a PowerPoint---which they neglected to update, revealing that, as recently as the week before, the job they were pitching me was in one of the newsrooms that were going to be closed.

Realizing its survival was a near-miss, a fluke, or both played a big part in my deciding to turn the position down.