What are these companies thinking?

[theneedle]

In the Dallas Morning News today is a story about Bob Scheifer, who took over for Dan Rather "for a few months." That was over a year ago and ratings have gone up considerably. He's going to be 70 on his next birthday. He'll be leaving soon by his own choice, but the point of this is ,"what's too old?" It's a fact that recently some major advertising agencies admitted that they had "missed the boat" in realizing the revenue that was thrown out the window when they concentrated too heavily on younger demos. Not that they aren't important, but the baby-boomer dollar is so paramount right now, and still most radio stations in America are too stupid to realize it. Why? Look at the people in charge. The Clear Channels and Infinitys are so damn big and out of control on a local level that the Presidents and CEO's have no idea how unqualified their managers are. The Super Bowl executives were smart enough to correct their mistakes and still radio doesn't get it. Why do you think the Super Bowl paid Paul McCartney and the Stones about as much for 13 minutes of work as A-Rod makes in a year? Because the BABY-BOOMERS are spending the money!! They're also running the country. Where did it all get off track here? Television is back with hit adult shows all over the place. Now where's radio? The latest casualty on a local level hit yesterday with the firing of Tempie Lindsay from the KOAI. And the reason? Making too much or "too old?" What are these so-called executives thinking? Do you realize how many big names radio has let slip away in Dallas-Ft.Worth just in the last YEAR? Let's go down the list....most recent besides Ms. Lindsay.
Larry Dixon-now doing PART TIME work on KLUV for peanuts per hour after a long and brilliant career in DFW. Is he not good enough anymore? Please....
Jon Dillon-over 30 years here on rock radio. After a long time out he's back on nights at KZPS. He deserves more. 7-mid. is a lousy shift.
Chuck Brinkman-probably time to retire, but the way it was done was horrendous. At the age of 70, where was the fond goodbye after 17 years? Shame on Infinity.
Ken Barnett-how many guys can last that long at a station? Was his time over? Maybe, but why isn't some other station smart enough to call him with an offer?
Fast Eddie Coyle-he might be remembered most from his Eagle days, but he always sounded great no matter WHAT format he did and he hasn't lost a beat. 18 years in the market. A friend told me he just started his own company outside of radio. Good for him.
Jeff Elliot-did mornings at KDMX for something like 8 years. STILL out of radio. Unbelievable.
Sammi Gonzalez-has worked just about EVERY format in the market. She's been here for about 15 years. Still out.
So where is radio going with adult formats? Is KVIL the answer? The Mix?
KZPS? I don't think so. What I DO think is this. If it's all about money, why does radio ignore the people who actually HAVE IT? Wouldn't it be smart to have the people they know talking to them and asking them to take out their checkbooks? They're listening to Bob Scheifer...........and he's a LOT older than most of the people on the list above.

 

[upndownthedial]

> Because the people making the decisions are in their 30s. Remember how you thought you knew it all in your 30s?

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

> > Because the people making the decisions are in their 30s.
> Remember how you thought you knew it all in your 30s?
>
Excellent points. We have 30's somethings with the 80's mentalities of Business degrees"not substance making these "bottom line"decisions.They are too preoccupied with their blackberrys, cell phones and laptops to actually get out and meet the real people on the streets not their own bretheren. Good Radiothat was an fantasitc post.Too bad consultants and their ill repute won't get it or try to.

 

[EARCANDY]

Excellent point!! At the risk of sounding like the broken
wheel of whah! radio isn't what it used to be like....well
it isn't and it is a sad fact.


> Look at the people in charge. The Clear Channels and
> Infinitys are so damn big and out of control on a local
> level that the Presidents and CEO's have no idea how
> unqualified their managers are.


Boy is this the truth. Managers with little to no experience
running major (even minor) markets all with their own hidden
agenda. It is not about what they know but who they know and
who they are willing to blow.....eh, let's say smoke at whomever
needs to hear what they want to hear. If you do not agree with
the way things are being done (regardless of if it could save the
company money), keep it to yourself. Top management doesn't want
to hear it.

With these companies being so large, there are so many people
involved and so many hidden agendas, so much 'I'll scratch your
itch if you scratch mine' that the basic "We are a team radio station
and we are putting out radio that people can't wait to listen to" has
long been forgotten. Sadly, because so many have watched this go on
starting from the top that it isn't just confined to management anymore.
Have you noticed how an intern or someone just starting out in radio
picks up real quickly that if they 'party' with the right people, they
can wiggle their way into a position that they never even imagined?



> If it's all about money, why does radio ignore the people who
> actually HAVE IT? Wouldn't it be smart to have the people
> they know talking to them and asking them to take out their
> checkbooks?



While the younger folks do seem to be the 'prime demo' these days,
aren't the majority of them in debt as well? The younger audience
does tend to buy a lot because when they see something they want it,
so they buy it. What happens when that 'no interest, no down payment'
is up? Are they able to make the payments? Unfortunately a lot of the
younger (not all) generation has a mentality of 'the world owes this to
me - I should have everything that I want'. If they can't pay for what
they bought, then did the advertising do any good?


The bottom line is money. Good talent is being let go because A)they
are making to much money; B)they are being replaced for someone new and
fresh; and/or C)their ratings aren't what is expected therefore the station
is losing money. Well, A)the salaries of sales managers and the guarantees
for sales staff are outrageous; B)sometimes in this world of constant change
it is nice to hear a seasoned pro on the radio - like an old friend - always
there; and/or C)maybe the station isn't making money because it isn't
billing what it could be billing.

Sorry, I do go off on this. It sure seems easier said than done - I guess
because it was done before. I just hope that the spaceship that dropped me
off on this radio impaired planet returns soon!

 

[nuzguy]

> Excellent point!! At the risk of sounding like the broken
> wheel of whah! radio isn't what it used to be like....well
> it isn't and it is a sad fact.
>
>
> > Look at the people in charge. The Clear Channels and
> > Infinitys are so damn big and out of control on a local
> > level that the Presidents and CEO's have no idea how
> > unqualified their managers are.
>
>
> Boy is this the truth. Managers with little to no
> experience
> running major (even minor) markets all with their own hidden
>
> agenda. It is not about what they know but who they know
> and
> who they are willing to blow.....eh, let's say smoke at
> whomever
> needs to hear what they want to hear. If you do not agree
> with
> the way things are being done (regardless of if it could
> save the
> company money), keep it to yourself. Top management doesn't
> want
> to hear it.
>
> With these companies being so large, there are so many
> people
> involved and so many hidden agendas, so much 'I'll scratch
> your
> itch if you scratch mine' that the basic "We are a team
> radio station
> and we are putting out radio that people can't wait to
> listen to" has
> long been forgotten. Sadly, because so many have watched
> this go on
> starting from the top that it isn't just confined to
> management anymore.
> Have you noticed how an intern or someone just starting out
> in radio
> picks up real quickly that if they 'party' with the right
> people, they
> can wiggle their way into a position that they never even
> imagined?
>
>
>
> > If it's all about money, why does radio ignore the people
> who
> > actually HAVE IT? Wouldn't it be smart to have the people
>
> > they know talking to them and asking them to take out
> their
> > checkbooks?
>
>
>
> While the younger folks do seem to be the 'prime demo' these
> days,
> aren't the majority of them in debt as well? The younger
> audience
> does tend to buy a lot because when they see something they
> want it,
> so they buy it. What happens when that 'no interest, no
> down payment'
> is up? Are they able to make the payments? Unfortunately a
> lot of the
> younger (not all) generation has a mentality of 'the world
> owes this to
> me - I should have everything that I want'. If they can't
> pay for what
> they bought, then did the advertising do any good?
>
>
> The bottom line is money. Good talent is being let go
> because A)they
> are making to much money; B)they are being replaced for
> someone new and
> fresh; and/or C)their ratings aren't what is expected
> therefore the station
> is losing money. Well, A)the salaries of sales managers and
> the guarantees
> for sales staff are outrageous; B)sometimes in this world of
> constant change
> it is nice to hear a seasoned pro on the radio - like an old
> friend - always
> there; and/or C)maybe the station isn't making money because
> it isn't
> billing what it could be billing.
>
> Sorry, I do go off on this. It sure seems easier said than
> done - I guess
> because it was done before. I just hope that the spaceship
> that dropped me
> off on this radio impaired planet returns soon!
>
And rightfully so that you and others go off on this topic. All too many so-called managers in radio today couldn't cut it chopping onions at Wendy's or sweeping up at a Dairy Queen. So they've miraculously found a home ruining (the word "ruining" intended) radio properties that are themselves owned by people who know no better and can do no better. It's the blind leading the blind and ignorance protecting ignorance.