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

Sat Oct 8 05:03:10 CDT 2005

Mike:

Having traveled the US over the past four years doing the Taste of NAB 
Road Show totaling 165  presentations to date (only 57 so far this 
year), I meet and speak with a lot of engineers in both large and small 
markets. Having been a Chief Engineer myself, I've also experienced what 
seems to be the norm across this great land of ours: most engineers are 
looked at as a necessary evil by their management. This has evolved 
since the FCC stopped requiring qualified and licensed people at 
stations. Once upon a time the Chief Engineer's word was gold. Today, if 
most are luck, it is not much better than toilet paper. Most managers 
are dollar/bottom line oriented and see engineering as an endless money 
pit in the corporate structure. I will say that most all engineers I've 
met on the Road Show are really very talented and well qualified and do 
not deserve the disrespect they get. Many engineers are required to work 
in violation of both state and federal laws where safety is concerned 
and many work hours they don't get paid for and if they put in for it 
get chewed out. I love this industry and it hurts to see what has become 
of it. I have to say there are a few luck folks like you, but your are 
in the minority and it is my experience interfacing with other engineers 
across the country that qualifies me to make this observation. Whatever 
I can do to bring solace, education and a bit of fun to their lives 
makes what I do worth it.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Larry Bloomfield, KA6UTC
Bloomfield Enterprises, LLC
dba - Tech-Notes
1980 25th St., Florence, OR  97439-9717
(541) 902-2424 - Home/Office/Cell
WWW.Tech-Notes.TV  -- See you on the Road Show.

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
>
>
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> Received: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 07:44:25 PM PDT
> From: "Mike Gideon" <mikegideon at comcast.net>
> To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
> Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?
>
> Never ceases to amaze me how much bad we can be credited for. We own 
> 10% of
> the radio stations. How the HELL can we eliminate 100% of the farm 
> system???
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil Alexander" 
> <dynotherm at earthlink.net>
>
>>
>> OTOH, it does appear that CC is using the experience and
>> ability of people that will have no replacements when they
>> retire because they, and others, have clustered the broadcast
>> "farm system" out of existence.
>>
>> It is a problem the industry will be forced to confront
>> during the next generation, and, in fact, it is already
>> beginning to show.
>>
>>
>> Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMD
>> Broadcast Engineering Services and Technology
>> (a Div. of Advanced Parts Corporation)
>> Ph. (317) 335-2065   FAX (317) 335-9037
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
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>>
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>
>
>
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