Oh, CRS.  I'm really surprised you've replied.  What a shock.  You've been posting essentially the same thing for the past few years.  You REALLY need to move on with your life.  Or come up with a new handle.

Listen, I understand you feel "radio ain't what it used to be", but that's life.  Business models are changing everywhere.  You could say anything "ain't what it used to be".  Radio needs to step up it's game, and react to the changing face of media.  Radio can compete, and find it's new niche, but we (as in, us "working folk") need to care.  The problem I see today is apathy.  The same old boring breaks, and the same old boring content.  We got in the business because we love radio, but it's hard to hear that sometimes.  And that's not the fault of "big business", that's just a scapegoat.  It's just lazy.  

I don't want young broadcasters leaving this site feeling bitter about the industry, but that's a likely response after reading post after post about how radio is on the decline.  Shut up.

it can be a challenge to cut through the "bitter crap" on here sometimes ( I htink I am bitter to the bitterness... so it doesn't bother me, besides, this place would be pretty boring with out the fights ).  But, there is lots to learn... always TONS of news on this site... and if you read between the lines, future job ops before they are poted on Milky.... I have even retooled some of those "back in the day we did this..." for modern broadcasting.

Plus... some companies get more bitter thrashing than others... and if you read enough... you can get a pretty good idea of who and where you wanna work.

I hated hearing the "old guys" tell me how radio was so much better when they were young.
Who's life isn't better when they are young? Give the old guys a break thanksfrthat. Take what they say with a grain of salt and move on. We all have problems with some of the things going on in the industry and I think the worst thing anyone can do is bury their head in the sand and say "way it goes". I think the corperations are evil but they are made up of "people" who can occationally be swayed. Lets quit wining, get organized and make them listen. We are communicators after all.

Gee sorry "thanks".  i didn't see the sign in here that says this is a website EXCLUSIVE to those in the industry or those who have nothing but NICE to say about the state of broadcasting today.  Sure thing, I'll tell the masses how much I enjoy listening to a radio station programmed 100 km away after 10am where announcers read from cue cards instead of ad-libbing and how young "up and coming" broadcasters should strive to be robots like them.  Be all optimistic about their entry level opportunities in an industry where there's no longer all-night shows that "green" announcers can make all those early foibles.  

Oh and BTW "thanks", you didn't address whether Bruce Payne should also "get a life".  Answer me that.....

PS:  I'll work on finding a more "positive" name to befit all the positive developments in broadcasting today!!

Quoted from thanksfrthat

I'm sick of all you bitter idiots on this site.   If you're out of radio, then MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE.  Quick lurking on industry websites, 'cause it's pathetic.

Let's see. Hm. nope. I'm not bitter. I still do quite a bit of voice work, but I am glad to be off the air.  I 'lurk' here to talk to the people I still like and respect in the business. I still have a lot of friends in the business, and I like to see where they are, and how they're doing. I wish the young broadcasters coming up today had the same level of opportunities that we had.  It's a harder business now I think, but I hope it's still fun.  Perhaps not, judging by how tightly you appear to be wound.

Dave  

Yeah, that was a little harsh, so I apologize.  Again though, I don't find it all that useful to talk about how great it "used to be".  It's not a "radio specific" problem.  It's the fault of globalization, and capitalism.  But that's another topic.

Nothing personal Davel, I just felt the need to say something.

I've worked in 2 small market stations in Manitoba, and am now in a small market in AB.  My salary nearly tripled, which is quite something, but I will probably never own a house out here without 3 jobs.  

I don't know what the pay is like in Winnipeg, but I've heard stories, and if you're full time at Astral or Corus, I'm pretty sure you're doing very well and are able to buy just about any house you want.

Winnipeg is an awesome city and Manitoba, as a province, is a phenomenal place to live.  Lots to see and do, and affordable to live in!  It does, however, carry a reputation and people from the Calgary's/Edmontons/Torontos/Vancouvers/Montreals of the world have a habit of dumping on it.

Burpee was just trying to save himself some hassle in the hiring process...oh, and he's not "born and raised" in Winnipeg, but is from MB.  He's a good guy.

So, I'm not adding anything important to the thread, but I felt I needed to defend my home province a bit.  I'm 6 years in the bizz as of May 6th 2008, so I suppose I'm a young-ish broadcaster, and still quite impressionistic.  Sometimes the bitterness of you older guys can cut through...makes a guy wonder...

One of the questions I was able to ask myself when I first stated "playin' the Hits an' talkin' dirty" on the radio was: Ten years from now, will I have the opportunity to do this much better for a lot more money? The answer: an unqualified "Yes"!

Today - for young broadcasters who may ask themselves the same question - I feel the "yes" may still be there, but not without many qualifications.

Even here in Toronto, daytime radio personalities (a couple or morning shows notwithstanding) are unlistenable. Not their responsibility either. Nevertheless, they hardly have an opportunity to stretch, experiment or learn.

I have no doubt some of these folks are talented and clever, but the evidence of that is not on-the-air. That is, unless I'm obliged, as a listener, to pick up some Einsteinian nuances when I hear "Toronto's Best Music" ad infinitum.

Quoted from Poppa

Sometimes the bitterness of you older guys can cut through...makes a guy wonder...

Nope not bitter here. I sincerely FEEL for the up and coming broadcasters and the limited opportunities which Pave eluded to in the preceding post.  Rather than me babbling on (is that a collective cheer I hear??? ), how 'bout some feedback from those soon to be graduating or that HAVE graduated from a recognized broadcasting school.  What are your instructors telling you about the job opportunities, room for advancement, ability to be creative?  When I got into radio in the early 80's, overnight shows were still LIVE.  How many small market stations can still make the claim?  

I can totally agree with the quality of on-air talent in the major markets not being what it used to be.  Places like Vancouver should never be an entry level market, but with the limited opportunities in small town radio, that's what it's become.  If that comes across as being bitter VS a dose of reality, accept my apologies.  If Winnipeg is hiring or small market radio on the Prairies kids, give it a try.  Your chances of living on $10 hour in Flin Flon or Swift Current are much better than trying to do the same in Vancouver.  Besides you'll get the experience of working in a small market, which probably is your best chance at being creative.  My best radio memories are from my small market days...

Flamey, I'll pipe in with the missed the point thing here.  I didn't find too much questionable in Ace's posting.  The way I read it is that he's looking for someone to make a commitment to the city and to the station, if you're unsure about it, move on.  That's all very fair in my books.

of course Arnie.  When I first made the post a month an half ago, I put a different spin on his poor choice of words and used some flimsy research to try and make a funny... and the posts at the time picked up on it and if you read back to original posts, I thought it was a fun thread.

it was a funny coincidence to me.

now, when you have to explain a joke, its not funny.  sorry

Quoted from CRS

Nope not bitter here..

Oh CRS be serious.  You are seething with bitterness about the business.  You apparently were wronged by Jimmy Pattison, Ted Rogers or someone like that years ago and you continue to spew the same "doom and gloom" about the business on here week after week, you and a few others.  You are now a 911 operator, Coast Mountain Bus Driver or Skytrain Security guard or whatever you  are doing and happy, safe and secure....good  for you.  I am one of the "old guys" who still  enjoy working in the business.  Has the business changed over the years, you bet.
Technology has brought about big changes in the business just like technology has brought about big changes in almost all businesses, hasn't the 911 call centre been centralized in recent years because of technology?
To those younger broadcasters who come here for maybe a little information or inspiration about the business radio is still a good place to be , if that's what you really want to do.  There are good places and good people to work with in the business, but like almost everywhere else you can work, it isn't perfect.  It is what you make it and put into it.  Now go and read that cue card with gusto!!!!

...or better yet don't read that cue card.  Find a station that will allow you to be a personality and have the commitment to help you along with your process.  I happen to program one of those stations.  We have liners for sure, but I get mighty agitated when they're read word for word and it doesn't happen very often.  In return, our station kicks ass in the ratings and we have probably the best morale of any station I've ever been at.  Yet, how many unsolicited applications have I had here in the last 2 years?  NONE.  Seriously I can't believe it.  When I was a young 'un trying to break into the business I sent stuff everwhere constantly, I even made cold calls just trying to get my name out there.  I'm not sure what they teach in broadcasting schools on this but a lot of what we do is marketing on so many levels.  If you can't properly market yourself you're in no way going to be able to market the station.  I may have an opening soon and have absolutely nobody "on file".  Amazes me.   Sure we're not in Southern Ontario or on the West Coast or anywhere in Ontario but our market is a HUGE tourist destination.  This place is insane with tourists.  It either comes down to people being lazy, unwilling to move, or not knowing thier country... or unable to market themselves.  I could place an ad on Milkman but why are people waiting?  Putting those ads are funny though because you get the same 30 people who apply for every single job.  I'd rather have somebody I already know who has taken the effort to find my station without being prompted.  In an age where email is free, there's no excuse to not flood PD's emails with "just in case you're ever looking" applications.

I've definitely done the "...blind dart..." thing in the past.  When I was still in my first 2-3 years in the business, I liked to send airchecks to different PDs just to get a different take on my stuff than what my own PD was giving me. (2nd opinion is always nice, right?) As I've become more comfortable with who I am, and where I'm working, I haven't really felt the need to do that as much.

On top of that, I think I've become a little disillusioned with major markets.  I've been hugely successful in small-medium markets and am curious to find out if it's me or the market, by taking my show on the road, but I can't get the shot.  I'm never going to have the Jeff Rechner-esque voice, so I take what I am good at (energy through the roof without being over the top and a serious country music audiophile) and excel as much as I can.  Over the years, though, I've come to believe that the major markets are just looking for a "voice" and don't really care about the content that's coming from said voice.

Too often, I heard the same PM Drive Guy with the super-deep voice doing breaks that rambled, provided nothing, and made a mockery of the country music industry with his lack of knowledge.

Thoughts?

I agree, once you get to a certain point in your career you start looking desperate sending that stuff out. Looking desperate to get a break is actually a great quality in a rookie.