by pave » Sun Aug 11, 2013 6:30 am
It might be of some value for readers to appreciate that Anotherwpgguy and I have been lifelong pals - meeting in the '60's as travellers to a northern Ontario radio station. His experience and expertise in many facets of radio goes unchallenged - other than the self-reported lack of knowledge about how radio sales really worked. One might have expected that, because of his appreciation for the real-world environments of the jocks, newsies and creative departments, he would have had an advantage as an owner.
While an intimate understanding of the radio "sales" dynamic is an absolutely essential element to any owner, it is not unreasonable to expect such expertise is available - from somebody. Somewhere.
My speculation (and we have had portions of this chat a few times) is that Awg was doomed to experience the very similar circumstances that almost every radio station on the planet is experiencing - even today. I am referring, specifically, to the traditionally-proposed and universally-accepted Rules of Programming - The Radio Dogma - that was, and continues to be, accepted and applied. It's as though "PROGRAMMING" arrives in the mail in a plain, brown paper-wrapped carton with instruction to: "Do these things and insert music format here." Every station got one and every owner was obliged to follow the instructions - some with more enthusiasm than others.
The tragic irony of even those owners who have programming and on-air experience is in the realities of so many others in management, those including: the seemingly, if not bigger, then more vicious 'gators populating the swamp. ("Draining has been postponed 'till further notice.")
Only my friend can comment on whether he would engage at this level of the business again or not. I suspect not.
My mantra - all along - has been one in which: Until we engage in a complete refurbishing and retraining of the on-air and creative department staffs in the specifics of communicating through a broadcast medium -- and the retraining of the management who will be compelled to support them, there would be little value in engaging in the business at all.
The unequivocal evidence of ongoing disasters in radio is, I submit, testimony to the fact that the industry has learned nothing of true value for a very, very long time. What is tragic, to my mind, it that no one has expressed an interest in endeavouring to find out just what, specifically, that might be.