Why is it...

[reptimania]

so difficult for radio stations and the posters here to embrace change??? life evolves.. so do tastes in food, clothing... and get this... music. so why is it most people here spend thier time reminising in the past and day dreaming of the good old days... and no one is asking the relavant questions that might actually improve a very poor selection of music and talent on your stations??? a station fires its 15 yr veteran and goes from 3rd to 6 in the ratings and still pretends the world is flat and all is well. another talks about having oldies on the website which no one visits. ... (u can see traffic and rankings on a site called dnscoop.com) you just seem very much outta touch with reality and your market your trying to service.... or is that the problem... the only thing your trying to serve is your own interests. ... if that's the case it would explain alot. maybe your just a bunch of stubborn pa dutchies that still listen to jolly joe and that's what you base your decisions on. all i know is this market has over 2million households and you act like we're billings montana.. (no offense billings) there is so much money and markets to be tapped into right here in our own back yards and yet you seem to be happy with the status quo and declining market share.... and that my friends.. is just a shame.

 

[Radiodeity]

Well, just my 2¢...

Maybe we need to look at a different set of 'numbers' in order to get a better picture of what might be happening, in all fairness. What are the sales numbers of iPods, 360s and other game systems, XM and Sirius subscriptions, other media outlets such as those now available through things like cell phones and PDAs? Agreed that radio in the 'Valley' seems stalled and stale but the people (and machines) we hear on the air aren't the problems. They are only doing what they are being told by people who, for the most part, reside outside and way outside the market and have no idea what this area requires. If people who still listen to free over-the-air radio are happy with hearing Sweet Home Alabama for the 8 millionth time why criticize them? They don't want change so let them linger along the road of going nowhere and move on yourself. Why hang back waiting for people who don't want to move ahead all the while holding yourself back? Doesn't make sense to me. Personally I have no idea what is playing on free over-the-air radio these days, except the PBS and NPR stations that I still switch on at times. Commercial radio? Don't know, don't care - they don't offer anything of substance or service anymore anyway. I can get Traffic and Weather updates and warnings (along with Amber Alerts if needed) through my cell phone and I don't have to suffer through all that repetitious drivel to boot.

Once again, this is not a slight or criticism to those of you who we would hear on the air each day - far from it. You 'on air' people do a good job in spite of having both your hands (and at times your feet) tied so tightly I'm surprised you can even move.

I better go now... there's someone at the drive-thru I gotta take care of... ;D

 

[KenMatthews.com]

First of all...I just want to thank Repti who always seems to be in my corner in one way or another...that's cool.... And I have to say Radiodiety brings up some solid points.....a lot of good talent has their hands tied...
and somebody posted a while back...it's fear that's drivin' this train.........and managers know it. That's why you can make more at Best Buy or as a Burger King manager(good $$$). I do and did stuff that i-pods can never do but it's risky to speak up about it. And if the entire management chain is terrified of losing their gig...well the talent...doesn't stand a chance. Bad news: Jocks are expendable. Good News:Talent & Personalities are not AS expendable. We always land somewhere using our skill-sets. Yes, some people just want music....That's why I listen to CDs....I've been a listener for 15 months. The best CONTENT wins. Get rid of the Talent...there goes the CONTENT. Get rid of the jock...who cares? Ask any PD..stilll employed....how hard it is to find GOOD TALENT...
Jox are a dime a dozen.....that's why there is so much whining about $$$ on this board. GOOD TALENT....all around -get it done on and off the air -talent FINDING THEM....well good luck with that. And Good Luck finding PD's that want to look for that....farther then their own hallway. It's not always a budget issue...if that were the case...all the dead weight in other departments would be cleaned out and management would focus in on the product like a laser.......It's Applecartitis.. Sometimes Hiring REAL TALENT is a hassle..and what manager wants to ROCK THE BOAT? - it's not like working in retail or fastfood although some of my former managers would do an outstanding job there. ORDER UP !....managing TALENT IS work....managing JOX is like a factory gig....ya line up the cards and the cookie sheets and assign all the same stuff.....and set the template and turn it on. With REAL Talent , a manager will be questioned, challenged..and occasionally overshadowed. There is not a TALENT crisis in Radio today.....I hear brilliance come out of part-timers mouths in markets smaller than this one...THERE IS A MANAGEMENT CRISIS......It's scary. No one said leadership would be easy. I only draw some of my conclusions from my experiences working for 19 PD's, 23 GM's and 7 consultants. I was at one station where I survived 4 PD's in a row.They took the third one away in cuffs(extra cool). I've worked in programming, promotions and production.and ON-AIR..but my passion is MORNINGS. Another good point Radiodiety brought up "you can't blame people for what they want"..I'm paraphrasing. There are now 7 places on the dial I can hear the WHO in my Camaro....(I don't really have a Camaro...although I wish I still had my '69 GTO).That's true. For God's sake don't freak people out...not in this economy...what if a manager loses their job....I mean, at least TALENT has talent. And one last thing...Why is it that such a "specialized job" pays so little? I'm referring to part-time on-air talent? Who's fault is that? I never had any complaints in the salary department...others did. God Bless America. I think Air-Personalities should be paid MORE across the board...never scored points with management on that one either....but did help to get raises for a few colleagues along the way. Yes there were some excellent PD's on my list 19...no I will not list them. This was a fun little riff.

Here's my PLUG without the OLA

www.KenMatthewsBlog.blogspot.com

 

[Radiodeity]

...and somebody posted a while back...it's fear that's drivin' this train.........and managers know it...

That may have been me... It's amazing how fear is such a great motivator, ya know? All boils down to food really. We all have to eat. Think about it - people live in cardboard boxes, use public transit, skimp and scrape all their lives... and sometimes when you look those people in the eye you can see some of them are perfectly happy that way. But a lot of people have become programmed to get up each morning, trudge to a 'job' they really don't care for, enter the place and step into the hamster wheel and begin running like mad... all the while going no where. But at least they are giving it 110% so management can stay happy they are driving a productive train. I agree with Ken, the real frightened people are the managers... especially in this economy. Where else can some of these people gross 60, 70, 90 thousand per year (or more) for doing what they are doing? That kind of cash would be difficult to give up wouldn't you say? So what happens when the bottom line begins to grow thin? It's the people - you can only drive them so hard until they break down. And 'repairing' people is far more expensive than repairing oh say, a computer automation or other machine and in some cases it's easier to throw away the computer and get a new one, right? But when you do that to people it becomes an altogether different story. Even more difficult than hazardous waste disposal. But I'm going off topic a bit here...

It's difficult to change, especially when we all remember how much fun it used to be in the biz. When the Broadcasters left the building and the Stockholders strolled in was when things changed. But just like anything else time doesn't stop because we like where things are. Yup... it sucks. Plain and simple but it's this reality. And deal with it is what we have to do because no amount of wishing or reminiscing will make the 'glory days' return. Radio is a business pure and simple, always has been, always will be. Businesses are in business to make a profit.

Well gotta go... the doughnuts are floating and the drive-thru is getting backed up again... ;D

 

[reptimania]

It's difficult to change, especially when we all remember how much fun it used to be in the biz. When the Broadcasters left the building and the Stockholders strolled in was when things changed. But just like anything else time doesn't stop because we like where things are. ..... Businesses are in business to make a profit.

i think clear channel and what's the other one that's gone from like 20bucks to 3 in stock price again?? oh yeah citadel.. could use a few more stockholders looking over thier operations because its been plain obvious that the cut talent and lower costs method hasn't worked because more people are downloading CONTENT they pay for and paying for satelite radio to get that content... but its not they aren't listening to ads on radio.. its thier turning the channel caus the music or talent stinks anymore. being that i'm a listener and not a radio insider.. (thank god... 60, 70 or 90K is a not so bad 6 months.. not a year in my world. ) and cops make more than that... (so should teachers.. but that's a whole nother topic) what we listeners want is something enjoyable to listen too.. period. sirius has a kids music channel that entertains my daughter most of the day (sometimes i think its more for my wife actually caus i find her singing along when its not on occasionally lol) that 104.5 outta philly plays great diversity of tunes ... but now i've recognized that they have shuffle on the same tunes so they tend to repeat alot of those obscure tunes that u haven't heard in a long time and then it becomes not so great after a while ... kinda takes the mystique away u know?? give us a reason to listen... mmr... preston and steve mornings... no naked women.. just funny stuff... mid day work force blocks with the legend pierre robert... (or as robin williams busted on him for peter robert .. what the hell were your parents thinking.) or tune in to jackson's ipod or for the 10 club block of pearl jam with matt chord... see.. i actually know those peoples names caus they make it interesting and u look forward to hearing what they are gonna do.. ... and honestly.. i wouldn't know who ken and kitty were if the managers of the station didn't babble about them on here so much when they came back.. but notice u don't hear a peep once again.. ???

any who.. all we listeners want is content worth wild tuning in for.. and we will even pay to get it if free radio ( oxy moron since it is truly not free because advertisers pay for it... don't know how much longer they'll pay for a fm station that lost to an am station but...) won't give us what we want.. just ask apple and thier ipod download site... even the beatles have signed on to have thier stuff downloadable... (could be because sir paul has to pay for the divorce but i'm hoping its just caus of sensibility .. i can dare to dream can't i??) so bottom line.. give us what we want and we'll listen.. keep doing what your doing and the market will continue to decline.

 

[KenMatthews.com]

www.topix.net/forum/com/ccu

 

[Radiodeity]

...i think clear channel and what's the other one that's gone from like 20bucks to 3 in stock price again?? oh yeah citadel.. could use a few more stockholders looking over thier operations because its been plain obvious that the cut talent and lower costs method hasn't worked...

...give us what we want and we'll listen.. keep doing what your doing and the market will continue to decline...

It seems like companies today just don't care as long as they make money. And you know what occurred to me just the other day?

The Me Generation as accepted charge of the 'New Generation of Broadcasting'. See what it's done? They already got theirs - all stashed away in various funds and investments so when (not if) commercial radio tanks they won't be at all hurt. (Hey, I got mine, get your own...) But if you believe the above statement then think about what that might mean. In a few years (hopefully) we will begin seeing stations returning to the 'Mom and Pop' type operations and the only way they will survive is provide what the listener wants, not a nice end-of-year P&L statement for their stockholders. Now... I have to use a local example that will most likely draw a few posters out of the woodwork. Look at WGPA. From all appearances making money, right? Not gobs of cash but they are able to pay the bills and some of the staff a couple bucks too. Is that station for everyone? Heck no! But the market bears that sort of format and they make a few dollars at the same time. They offer a service and some people pay and listen and it's not the same old same old day after day.

As more and more people tune away from commercial radio, and reptimania admits he isn't even in the biz and is honest about his choices, sales figures will begin declining. That of course will affect the bottom line. Stockholders will begin questioning their investments and might just start transferring bucks into more profitable choices. Management will begin having to carry additional undergarments as Profit & Loss figures begin threatening their positions. Owners will then have to begin divesting properties in an attempt to lure investors back and keep the ones they have. (Wait, isn't Clear Channel doing just that right around now...?) The business will begin to turn to a living hell for those still left behind as more and more work (and stress) is piled on them for less and less financial return. Good people (the ones who have drive and have stuck it out) will now be making too much money and will need to be cut to address profit margins. (Hello, Ken...?) Those just getting into the business will have no clue what the business was like and radio will become nothing more than a glorified factory job complete with none of the perks you would get in a factory. Weird, huh? The misery will go on until it stops, right back where it began and radio will have to re-build from the ground up. New people, new ideas, new formats - or will it be?

History has a way of repeating itself....

Well.. the horns are honking and the drive-thru is backing up again... so until next time... ;D

 

[reptimania]

The Me Generation as accepted charge of the 'New Generation of Broadcasting'. See what it's done? They already got theirs - all stashed away in various funds and investments so when (not if) commercial radio tanks they won't be at all hurt. (Hey, I got mine, get your own...) But if you believe the above statement then think about what that might mean. In a few years (hopefully) we will begin seeing stations returning to the 'Mom and Pop' type operations and the only way they will survive is provide what the listener wants, not a nice end-of-year P&L statement for their stockholders. Now... I have to use a local example that will most likely draw a few posters out of the woodwork. Look at WGPA. From all appearances making money, right? Not gobs of cash but they are able to pay the bills and some of the staff a couple bucks too. Is that station for everyone? Heck no! But the market bears that sort of format and they make a few dollars at the same time. They offer a service and some people pay and listen and it's not the same old same old day after day.

i like where your tryin to go with this.. but unfortunately in the real world.. it doesn't play out... clear channel is losing revenue and profits are in decline... the stock price has declined significantly over the past few years so stock holders are going elsewhere... and wgpa.. bad example.. jolly joe has his "talent" pay him for the airtime which he whores out to anyone willing to write a check to him.... and he still won't give away the expired mayo.... wgpa has tremendous potetial in this day and age of the "webcast" but will never achieve its potetial caus of jolly joes small market and cheap pocket thinking... (i've done some homework into this potential and his expectations for payola and reality are way far appart)

the reasons why mom and pops fail is because they fail to adapt. for example.. mcd's is the most successful franchise in history... (as of a few years back only one had ever gone bankrupt) and they sell billions of burgers for 1.00 on the value menu... but if u give the people what they want.. they will still pay more for the same burger if you dress it up and make it fancy because your now making the people eating it feel special to eat it.. and some restaurants will charge you a $100 for the same burger and people are willing to pay it. now the restaurant that sells the $100 burger has far less competition on its level than mcd's does but as well a far smaller market (ie polka wgpa) but can still be extremely profitable if done correctly... where as the mcd's has tremendous competition in a much larger market ... so what they have to do is have the general public perceive they are providing more for that value.. (whether they are or not) the problem with radio is they think that because they are so big that the value doesn't matter... and that is what almost bankrupted the entire mcd's corporation back in the 90's.. (i think you can thank clintons frequent trips there for saving them he had to help monica keep her weight up lol) and until corporate radio realizes that.. the internet and ipods and satelite radio will continue to kick its butt.

 

[Radiodeity]

...clear channel is losing revenue and profits are in decline... the stock price has declined significantly over the past few years so stock holders are going elsewhere... and wgpa.. bad example...

...the reasons why mom and pops fail is because they fail to adapt...

... so what they have to do is have the general public perceive they are providing more for that value...

... the internet and ipods and satelite radio will continue to kick its butt...

Well... I have to agree with your response. You narrowed into the very thing that has radio in the state it’s in. When radio was the only game in town everyone tuned in. Then along came television and took a chunk out. But television wasn't as portable as radio so, well... radio just went on doing what they do.

Then technology began to miniaturize – alternate forms of distractions were introduced and radio began to become impacted. But radio kept doing what it always did. Then since (I believe) radio looked at itself with delusions of grandeur things just went along like it was still 1965. No one wanted to step out of ranks, rock the apple cart. I mean after all, that’s how it’s always been done and we’re not changing and no one is gonna make us. And like you said, mom & pops began closing up like old west ghost towns when the gold ran out.

Then in steps the consolidators. What radio couldn’t do with a handful of stations, mega-mergers would. And the race was on, sky’s the limit. Or was it? They forgot the old saying “…what goes up…” So as you said, CC is attempting to unload some of their loosing properties and re-align some of the marginal sites. All at the same time trying to get rid of those pesky stockholders who demand a quarterly return on their investment. But the business finally hit the wall and CC is now trying to save what they can (remember the very upper guys already have their stash hidden away, all taken care of) and are trying to go un-public so they won’t have to share what little is flowing in.

And then I also have to agree – WGPA was a bad example. Things could get ugly there if anyone with a bit of drive were to press a few buttons in the correct order…

But if I understand your post correctly it all boils down to this – radio doesn’t provide value anymore. After all, as I posted before I can get all the local information I need from my cell phone. Why do I even need radio anymore? Which brings it along to your thoughts – if radio were to offer double-latte-over-easy-light-on-the-cream-with-a-cherry-on-top coffee instead of poorly vended Maxwell Instant from a machine, we would hear a welcome change.

Satellite, iPods and Internet are things you have to pay for so right away people perceive them of value. Radio just is.

So I have to take a stand in your corner… radio failed to adapt. Oh… and HD isn’t going to save the medium either. They need to change the recipe - it’s the same mcd mystery pattie wrapped in a different wrapper is all.

There goes that stinkin’ drive-thru again… gotta go. ;D

 

[reptimania]

"They need to change the recipe - it’s the same mcd mystery pattie wrapped in a different wrapper is all."

kinda like when mcd's went from styrofoam to paper and then to cardboard boxes for thier quarter pounders??? lol difference is.. still gotta love the quarter pounders but i don't think a single person really cared about its evironmental effect besides al gore. lol