WPIG Olean needs Afternoon Drive Jock

[William C. Walker]

As someone that has hired and fired people in years past, the tone of the post by Cee was unusually negative and would immediately turn off a HR director or manager that has the capability to hire someone. 

While there may not be very many options in metro markets these days, there are still opportunities to break into radio in rural areas or small markets.  Here's another perfect example of a NY station that is staffed with local on air personalities.

http://www.am1340went.com/

And recently I did a write up about a live and local AM in southern Illinois. He recently hired a young guy from CT to work full time at his station.  Here's the link if you'd like to read it.

http://wilw.com/page30/page30.html

[cee]

the post by Cee was unusually negative

Really?  Well I guess that's because (a) I'm unusual and (b) have such a dim view of society that I make the late radio humorist Fred Allen look like Regis Philbin.  But as good as The Pig may be, I still don't see much future in radio. 

Advice to younger people:  Avoid radio like the plague.  Get into new media or something else.

[alw]

I'm curious about all the "New Media" opportunities out there for young people to get hired into and make a living wage at. I don't know about any blogs that are hiring large amounts of people, or internet music services that can't wait to pay for a staff to offer an alternative to radio.

I'm not saying that traditional radio is a highly lucrative place to start, it never was. But, I can't think of an alternative star being born in the "new media".

I know it's a very hip, with it thing to say "avoid radio at all cost", but it's much easier to say it if radio has, in fact, been avoiding you.

For some folks with an over abundance of talent there is a future in radio. (i.e. Stern, Michaels, Limbaugh, Imus, Rhodes, Miller (Stephanie), Beach, Reynolds-the list goes on) The fact has always been true that radio has forever been the story of "Haves, Have Nots & Have Somes". If you're talented and willing to work hard and never hear the word no...you can still do something in radio.

So called New Media is not the magic pill. When I hear about newspapers dying away and the slack being taken up by the bloggers it makes me smile. Without print and electronic newsroom resources, where would all these almighty bloggers get their opinions.

Mr.cee, you sound like a young man with issues regarding a field you know nothing about, no make that 2 fields.....Radio and New Media. Find out about the real world economics of both.  Please, do that before you pronounce anything dead.

My 2 cents, for what it's worth.

[cee]

Mr.cee, you sound like a young man with issues regarding a field you know nothing about, no make that 2 fields.....Radio and New Media. Find out about the real world economics of both.  Please, do that before you pronounce anything dead.

I'm not young and not saying anything that hasn't been said on this board so many times before.  I know the real world of radio economics pretty good.  I'm glad you're still working in radio and I'm glad there's still some employment out there for those who want to stay in the business.  BUT - as I pointed out(I thought I was merely stating the obvious) -- talent and hard work are often unrewarded, especially now with uh, jobs having been disappearing for many years now.  Audiovault, Prophet(Profit), Satellite, De-regulation, CC, Citadel, etc. etc. --- I thought we already covered these subjects in detail, ad nauseum. 

Yes, if you want to work for low pay and low security kids, there are still some gigs in radio.  Like the guy in Jamestown who posted earlier this year - 60 hour work weeks for 18,500(or something along those lines).  Let's say that your best friend from college becomes a school teacher - your friend might be making 40,000/year and good benefits....and gets union protection(which to me is a huge asset in today's world).  You really wanna get stuck at 18,500 and not as good benefits?   

As far as New Media is concerned, I wasn't talking about the internet(which is part of "new media" & of which I'm very aware is not a hotspot for top employment gigs).  New Media also includes things like computer multimedia, computer games, CD-ROMS, and DVDs.  You could better yourself by going to a school like R.I.T. and getting into a career in such fields.  Or you could go into radio and relocate to Jamestown or Olean.

But of course I'm pointing all this out once again(like countless others since I first discovered radio-info.com many years ago), but in my particular case, I must have some "issues." 

[William C. Walker]

The vast majority of people that get into radio don't do it for money.  They do it because they love the field and in many cases, they want to serve the community either by entertaining or providing valuable news and information to the listeners.

I have a friend in RI that started out with a Part 15 AM station in the early 90's.  He took the profits from that station and started a 100 watt non commercial by the time he was 25 years old. Now ten years later he owns a 1 kw commercial AM station and who knows what he can do from there.  BTW.  Back when he started the Part 15 AM about half his staff were people ranging in age from high school to their late 20's.  And that was also the case with the non commercial FM station.  He still has a couple of the younger people on board in addition to many middle aged and a couple of elderly employees and interns.  And that AM station in southern IL is also owned by a 35 year old and staffed by people mostly in their 20's.

Like I said, local radio is far from dead is you just know where to look.

[cee]

The vast majority of people that get into radio don't do it for money.

True and not true.  There's nothing wrong with doing something you like for modest pay(that could be considered admirable) and then there's getting paid so little you're eligible for food stamps.  However there were a lot more relatively good paying gigs in the past - still a few, but not as many.  And radio(of the corporate dominated kind) in the future is a scary thought to contemplate.  This was the basis of my original post on this subject. 

As far as community radio, we are in total agreement on that.  Particularly ownership.  Small town AM stations can be had for a bargain these days and in that respect.   With automation, you can run 'em on the cheap.  And you're not letting a bunch of corporate bean counters dictate orders.  And yes, even an unlicensed Part 15 AM in a little town can make money.  I admire those who have gone that route and followed their dream.  I dare say most of us here on this board have great respect for community broadcasters in general.

Trying to be a DJ and rising upward in the corporate controlled radio world - if you're gonna do it beware - it's pretty risky.

Happy New Year!

[scbhawks23]

Hello,

I am graduating in May, and I have been a DJ on 89.1 the Point out of Brockport for 4 years. Any way I could find out more details?

[SirRoxalot]

Have you tried calling them?

[JustPastBuffalo]

Hello,

I am graduating in May, and I have been a DJ on 89.1 the Point out of Brockport for 4 years. Any way I could find out more details?

See Rox's advice. Don't just call. Show up, look sharp. Bring that CD demo with your best takes up front. Brockport has a great FM. I check it out whenever I do a road trip east. It will help if you know and enjoy country music, because the Pig faithful sure do. Good luck! BTW, I'm told the Pig pulled a 17 (and change) share Persons 12+ in the Fall book and just about owns Persons 25-54. Their closest country competitor pulled a 2. Oink!

[Radio_bored-Op]

In an unrelated topic, to the following
post-thread, how much does one
estimate WPIG/or olean's WMX0 would
sell for / if the as they say,
"the price was right"
(also, the estimated selling price
for "hero_Radio") in the southern tier,

(just an estimate, its not like i have
#$$$,$$$ laying around to make a serious offer)