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

Sat Oct 8 13:02:09 CDT 2005

Larry,

You may be right. I only have 100 stations. I work with those GM's daily, 
and know how they feel about their engineers. If it can happen in my region, 
it can happen elsewhere.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry Bloomfield" <Larry at Tech-Notes.TV>
To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2005 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?

> 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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>>> Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.11.9/117 - Release Date: 10/3/05
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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