[BC] Broadcast Engineers = wimps?

[Dana Puopolo]

What have we become? 

Are we so afraid of losing our jobs that we now let everyone walk all over us?
Do we so desperately need the general managers' pat on the back that we're
willing to do anything to get it?

Have we all beccoem a bunch of wimps, afraid to tell the truth about things
bad for radio such as IBOC-AM? We seem to all KNOW the truth (at least from
what I read here). We seem to bitch back and forth to each other about how
crappy the business has become - yet we remain stangely silent outside forums
such as this one.

I've been doing a lot of research over the last few months for an article
about Broadcast Engineering, circa 2007. It isn't pretty. Want a preview of
what many of you have told me?

Age discrimination runs rampant. Though the average age of a broadcast
engineer is in his fifties, good luck trying to get a new job if you're over
50. Very few will hire you. Its almost as if experience counts against us! By
the way, job discrimination by age is illegal.

Every group broadcaster has a 'No hire list'. They might not be in writing,
but they nontheless exist. A few VP's have told me this is not true, they
consider everyone equally, but based upon what dozens have told me privately
who would know, the VP's are lying. After all, the have to....these might well
be illegal too.
Many of you are very unhappy with what you do every day. The business is now
run by accountants. It's become a science instead of an art.

There's a lot more......

WE have LET these situations happen. We have LET our business go down the
tubes! Now, what are YOU willing to fix it?  Anything?

I know-maybe the SBE will help. Their charter states that their very reason
for existance is to improve the professionalism of broadcast engineering. From
what I've seen, perhaps it's time for the leadership there to (finally) READ
that charter.  Otherwise, don't expect any help from them...

-D