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When bad stations lose good talent
- Thread starter Surfer
- Start date
I
InSearchOfGear
Guest
Surfer said:
7/15 will be 30 years for me and have been almost continuously employed in the biz since. Would I "like it" if I ever got out toally? Can't really say. I do have other interests. I think radio is more like an addiction than a real job. As long as someone's willing to employ me, I'll stay in. When the day comes and there's no gig for me, I don't think that wil necessarliy be a bad day. Just time to do something else, I guess.
I'm all "bent out of shape" from wrestling with your subject line. ;D
For this discussion, does it matter whether the last station you worked for (if you leave the business) was a good station or a bad station? Isn't this really a discussion about the merits of getting out of broadcasting vs. the merits of staying with broadcasting through the good times and the bad times.
And one could argue that this is really a discussion about the personality of individual people who face that choice. I "hung in there" for 15 years. At the time it seemed like a lifetime! When you are just past 30, 15 years IS a lifetime.
I envy people who can spend years and years and years at one station. Second on my envy list are people who can spend years and years in the same market. For me it was a career of pack-up-and-move, pack-up-and-move, (repeat as necessary). I got out in fairness to my wife and children.
You and I may thrive, "feeding our ego" by visibly "being someone" that the whole community knows about, but what about the ego of your spouse, the ego of the children? They are people, too, you know.
Now that we are empty-nesters, I tried to find my way back into the business. When I looked at what has changed in the business, I said even more firmly than when I left: "I will return when I can OWN the place." I guess I won't be back.
And about that wives thing. Still married to the girl I started dating when we were in high school.
And about that childlren thing. None are in jail. None are on drugs. None are writing or calling asking for money. Most of them seem pretty sane.
Now, Jerry. Explain to me one more time how this Podcast-thingy works.
For this discussion, does it matter whether the last station you worked for (if you leave the business) was a good station or a bad station? Isn't this really a discussion about the merits of getting out of broadcasting vs. the merits of staying with broadcasting through the good times and the bad times.
And one could argue that this is really a discussion about the personality of individual people who face that choice. I "hung in there" for 15 years. At the time it seemed like a lifetime! When you are just past 30, 15 years IS a lifetime.
I envy people who can spend years and years and years at one station. Second on my envy list are people who can spend years and years in the same market. For me it was a career of pack-up-and-move, pack-up-and-move, (repeat as necessary). I got out in fairness to my wife and children.
You and I may thrive, "feeding our ego" by visibly "being someone" that the whole community knows about, but what about the ego of your spouse, the ego of the children? They are people, too, you know.
Now that we are empty-nesters, I tried to find my way back into the business. When I looked at what has changed in the business, I said even more firmly than when I left: "I will return when I can OWN the place." I guess I won't be back.
And about that wives thing. Still married to the girl I started dating when we were in high school.
And about that childlren thing. None are in jail. None are on drugs. None are writing or calling asking for money. Most of them seem pretty sane.
Now, Jerry. Explain to me one more time how this Podcast-thingy works.
G
garnet
Guest
I was in for 21 years nonstop. Got let go at the height of my career. Had some money, stayed part time. After a year and a half I discovered that radio(I'm a jock) was the only thing I knew how to do that would pay me more than $10-11.00 an hour, so I got back in. I travel a bit more, and its a smaller market, but I'm making enough for the family to live and enjoy things. Not like when big money was the norm, but we planned ahead, didn't buy BMW's and $400,000 homes. I consider myself lucky, even if it all didn't turn out as planned...and if I can milk another 5 or 10 years out of it, I'll be evn more lucky.
I did 8 years, from the time I was 19-27. A year or two ago I probably would have killed to jump back in but it's funny how your perception of the life begins to change. I never got involved in radio to be rich, I just enjoyed the fun and speed of it all.
It wasn't until after I was out that I found that the world actually respected my bachelor's degree and wanted to pay me accordingly. My wife and I were able to save, buy what we wanted, and start our family. Eventually I got to where being in radio would be a sacrifice compared to how I live now.
At this point, I'd still love to save atl sports talk at a time of my choosing. But it'd have to be on a weekend morning, and for only 2 hours. Just as long as I didn't have to committ to anything more.
It wasn't until after I was out that I found that the world actually respected my bachelor's degree and wanted to pay me accordingly. My wife and I were able to save, buy what we wanted, and start our family. Eventually I got to where being in radio would be a sacrifice compared to how I live now.
At this point, I'd still love to save atl sports talk at a time of my choosing. But it'd have to be on a weekend morning, and for only 2 hours. Just as long as I didn't have to committ to anything more.
The thing to do if you're going to involve yourself with radio at all is turn them from an employer that you're "counting" on, to a client that's just one of many. If you're 100% dependent on that industry in any way, you're living in a house on the side of a steep hill during a mudslide.
It's absolutely AMAZING to me how many people want to correct my STUPID TITLE!!!
However, in the interests of proper english usage, I shall offer this revision...
WHEN STATIONS WHO TREAT EMPLOYEES LIKE GARBAGE LOSE EXTREMELY TALENTED PEOPLE AND WHERE DO THOSE FOLKS GO "AFTER RADIO".
Does that help?
;D
However, in the interests of proper english usage, I shall offer this revision...
WHEN STATIONS WHO TREAT EMPLOYEES LIKE GARBAGE LOSE EXTREMELY TALENTED PEOPLE AND WHERE DO THOSE FOLKS GO "AFTER RADIO".
Does that help?
;D
I will try. Some (the super talented ones) do PR or production work for ad agencies. (Did Bobby Harper do PR for MARTA?) Some end up in sales. After I was out I got a couple of calls from stations which I turned down, tried of moving. I ended up in a tech job and got married. It was the best thing that ever happened to me! 
BTW Just reading the title I thought it was about the stations. Like 94.1 after S & V, or 96.1 after TRG.
BTW Just reading the title I thought it was about the stations. Like 94.1 after S & V, or 96.1 after TRG.
I have encountered people who used to work as on-air talent in the fields listed below. It is not a complete, comphrensive, or exclusive list.
Actor
Stand up comedian
Voice-over actor
TV game show host
Columnist/writer/blogger
Advertising copywrighter
Musician
Minister/Preacher
Sportswriter
Public Relations
Insurance Salesman
Truck driver
Some seem more like career progressions that others. Some are obvious total career direction changes.
Considering that the number of available jobs in radio is in a constant and severe state of decline, what with voice tracking, syndication, etc., it only makes sense that there are an increasing number of former radio workers in the world.
Actor
Stand up comedian
Voice-over actor
TV game show host
Columnist/writer/blogger
Advertising copywrighter
Musician
Minister/Preacher
Sportswriter
Public Relations
Insurance Salesman
Truck driver
Some seem more like career progressions that others. Some are obvious total career direction changes.
Considering that the number of available jobs in radio is in a constant and severe state of decline, what with voice tracking, syndication, etc., it only makes sense that there are an increasing number of former radio workers in the world.
It seems we all do a lot, and can't seem to get out of it. I believe radio is a "calling" of sorts. And, it seems like we're like the abused spouses that, no matter how bad we're treated, we keep coming back! Take those of us that are "out of the business and LOVE it". You're on a radio message board, aren't you? So, you can't quite stay away, right? Neither can I.
I have to say, although slow, my career's finally starting to pick up steam again, and I have to be grateful to God and my friends for the blessings I've been bestowed with.
However, we have to look out of the box. There are many avenues radio opens up, on and off the air. Just because we don't hear a certain person's voice everyday anymore doesn't mean that they're not working and, these days, not in the market anymore!
Some have gotten out of the industry and love it, some can't stand to be away. But, I'm sure all of us are/would just be grateful to pay our bills, put food on the table and take care of our loved ones.
I have to say, although slow, my career's finally starting to pick up steam again, and I have to be grateful to God and my friends for the blessings I've been bestowed with.
However, we have to look out of the box. There are many avenues radio opens up, on and off the air. Just because we don't hear a certain person's voice everyday anymore doesn't mean that they're not working and, these days, not in the market anymore!
Some have gotten out of the industry and love it, some can't stand to be away. But, I'm sure all of us are/would just be grateful to pay our bills, put food on the table and take care of our loved ones.
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