CC DALLAS CLEANING HOUSE

[JBanks]

Is this really a shocker.  Every company does it.  It is just a little harder to take when it happens to good talent at a great radio station.  CC is infamous for cuts, but every company does it.  I dont care where you work or who you work for.  At some point a suit with a calculator will evaluate your worth and you could end up in a "Meeting with the Bob's"(Sorry had to put the Office Space reference in there).

This has become a reality of the business we work in.  It does not get any easier with new jocks working for pennies just to be able to be on the air.  Radio has bitten off the hand that feeds it.  No talent, no more audience.  Welcome to radio kids.  Get used to it.

[Tenn Radio Boy]

Great point; it is the reality we live in.
This industry was built on great talent and great stations, but now with Ipods, internet, cell phones. mp3 and the like, radio is not a destination point anymore. They are too many other cool choices for younger demos.

There is no incentive for young people to join this industry, expecially when they see companies cutting veterans like culling the herd of old bulls.

[Steve Eberhart]

This is just another example of something I have always said and believed.  If you are an air talent at any radio station, you better be a juggler. 

By that I mean, you should have at least three things going at all times. Your on-air gig being the main income source, and one or two "side-gigs" to supplement.  When times are good, it will be extra income to sock away for a rainy day.  If any one of them suddenly goes away, you are not left getting "rained on".  If the unfortunate happens, you lose the main air talent gig, (which does sometimes seem to happen for no real reason - budget cut, ratings drop, new boss that doesn't "get" you, etc) - then you have something to keep you afloat.

Voiceovers from a home studio, voice-tracking for a station or two outside your market, mobile DJ, schedule music for another station, web design, or anything non radio related too.  There are many ways of supplementing income. 

The other smart thing to do is save 25% of your take home pay.  That's more aggressive than even most financial planners suggest, but this can be a volatile business at times and the extra cushion of savings can be a life saver.  It is hard to do because of temptation, but it is a smart thing to do.

[redneckriviera]

This is just another example of something I have always said and believed.  If you are an air talent at any radio station, you better be a juggler. 

By that I mean, you should have at least three things going at all times. Your on-air gig being the main income source, and one or two "side-gigs" to supplement.  When times are good, it will be extra income to sock away for a rainy day.  If any one of them suddenly goes away, you are not left getting "rained on".  If the unfortunate happens, you lose the main air talent gig, (which does sometimes seem to happen for no real reason - budget cut, ratings drop, new boss that doesn't "get" you, etc) - then you have something to keep you afloat.

Voiceovers from a home studio, voice-tracking for a station or two outside your market, mobile DJ, schedule music for another station, web design, or anything non radio related too.  There are many ways of supplementing income. 

The other smart thing to do is save 25% of your take home pay.  That's more aggressive than even most financial planners suggest, but this can be a volatile business at times and the extra cushion of savings can be a life saver.  It is hard to do because of temptation, but it is a smart thing to do.

That's probably good advice for anyone working in any American industry today: Live below your means--just in case.

There ARE good companies in radio--I've been with one for ten years. Some of the best radio companies are those owned & operated by ex-jocks and/or longtime radio salespeople. The worst are those owned by investment brokers and car dealers. What did Lowry and Red do down in SA before stumbling into radio?

[VERITAS DE VOCE]

Steve is spot-on, kids.

His advice reminds me of a GM once who was a sage. I tell you, the guy read Nostradamus, Confucius and the Bible just to be up to date on current events.

Anyway, he once threw out some jocular thought that stuck to me like glue, "Always look out for number one in this business, or you will step in number two." 

Yeah, it was funny and I may have upchucked my lunch a little, but the thought was clear. If my air check wasn't stacked every week (or month) with my best clips, VO tracks, copywriting and edits, then I was only screwing myself. Look for the side jobs... they are everywhere. Look for the trades... always know what is going on in the biz, from people that are moving to technology that may move you.

In short, sports fans, if you love being in broadcasting and don't have have another stream of income, then you need to move closer to the water. 

[jeffdfw]

I remember when KHKS downsized before...the ratings tanked and it took them a long time to recover.  Just recently they returned to the top of the ratings again.  Gina Lee is awesome!  Maybe KHKS is trimming down the budget because Kidd Kraddick wanted more money...if not voice-tracking in market #5 is down-right stupid.  Maybe Cruz and Gina will move up the dial to Movin and be the new Morning Show???

If KHKS is doing this to itself...then maybe Dan Mason will take notice and flip 105.3 to CHR while KHKS is imploding all by itself!???

Movin has been adding a morning show for a year now.  Will it happen before the format tanks?

[Robert Bass]

Excellent advice guys.  I'd only add one more.  Try to make yourself invaluable to the company.  See if you can find additional hats to wear, in addition to your primary duty.  Get yourself into a position where being fired would hurt the company far more than just eliminating what they think is fat.  Prove your worth!

R

[Robert Bass]

Yeah, it was funny and I may have upchucked my lunch a little,

VDV, I'm seeing a pattern here.  Try not to eat or drink while humor is present.   

R

[adguy]

Jocks-learn how to sell and get a salesperson number in your sales department so you can collect the commish.  If you can sell YOUR show to major advertisers that will help make yourself invaluable, but they'll still find a way to parse your job to 3 other people once they get rid of you.

Actually some stations do that, especially AM talkers.  Some hosts are going out and selling their shows and doing quite well with it.  You may not like the idea of selling, but as talent you walk into the client as the show, not just a hack representing one.

Anyone see a trend developing?

[1Letterman]

Another tip: Incriminating photos of the station's ownership/upper management are always a plus.