NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?

[Mike Holderfield]

I have to agree. If anything, the respect level seems higher
than in the past.
I never encountered this problem in my nearly 30 years of
broadcast engineering.
Even though there were times in my career that I feel
I was unworthy :-)

Mike Gideon wrote:
> Dana,
> 
> I see a lot of respect for engineers out there. A smart GM (and there 
> are still a lot of them) realizes that engineers are a huge factor in 
> the big picture. I have it easier than some. It comes from the top in my 
> region. I can't think of one of my GM's that doesn't have the proper 
> respect for engineering. If the problem does crop up somewhere, I'm on 
> the phone with the GM.
> 
> Budgets are a reality, so you can't staff a small market cluster the 
> same way you staff a big market. But, there are practical minimums that 
> have to be communicated. When it comes to budget cuts, it also has to be 
> communicated that the expectations for engineering should be adjusted 
> according to staffing.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "DANA PUOPOLO" <dpuopolo at usa.net>
> To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
> Sent: Friday, October 07, 2005 9:45 AM
> Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?
> 
> 
> I don't think that CC (or anyone in particular) has killed the farm system.
> What I DO think has happened is that compared to other disciplines of
> engineering, radio has become the most work at the poorest pay. Even worse,
> what I call the "recognition factor" has dropped significantly. Years back,
> you had staffs and managers that appreciated and respected engineers. They
> were seen as part of the team and treated accordingly. Today's managers see
> them as cost centers to be eliminated where possible (and who decides 
> whether
> they're necessary? The clueless manager!).
> 
> Unfortunately, it's the big companies who have put many of the clueless 
> into
> power at radio stations. Indeed, I consider many officers at the big
> consolidators to be totally ignorant about radio themselves. All they 
> know is
> spreadsheets and the next quarter's guidance. They'd likely sell all their
> radio stations and invest in cookies if it made the company more profit. 
> They
> are NOT broadcasters!
> 
> When I worked at CC Tucson, our four stations got 40+ cents of every dollar
> spent in that market. The regional VP rewarded the manager by firing 
> her. Two
> years (and two managers) later they owned seven stations there and their
> revenue had dropped to under 20 cents! Half the staff either quit or was 
> let
> go by the second GM who tried to cook the books by slashing expenses. I
> believe that at one point they had NO engineer for months! They still 
> have not
> recovered, even though they hired back the original GM - who had never 
> should
> have been fired in the first place.
> 
> What happened to that VP? He got PROMOTED!!
> 
> How do YOU spell Peter Principle?
> 
> I'm not singling CC out here. I'm sure that this happens routinely at other
> companies too. The reason that radio engineering sucks so bad as a 
> career is
> that general managers suck so bad. The good GM's are retiring and clueless
> sales whores are taking their places.
> 
> Add to this that the "show biz" allure of radio is almost completely 
> gone and
> it's no wonder why young engineers don't go into radio any more as a 
> career.
> After all, we're the educated, intelligent ones. Why would we want to 
> work at
> a place where there's poor pay AND we get abused?
> 
> Yes, there are exceptions to this. Probably quite a few in fact. BUT please
> remember this: Though you might be working for one of the great managers
> today, they might get fired this afternoon and tomorrow you might find
> yourself working for a completely clueless asshole!
> 
> Don't think so? It's happened to me at least twice.....
> 
> 
> -D
> 
>