What's in a name?

If you're not in the radio biz you might not know that there are some mass firings going on courtesy of two huge broadcasting companies, Clear Channel and Cumulus. This has become a regular twice yearly event as the companies try and cut costs so they can pay off the giant debt they've accrued with the venture capitol people so they CAN BUY MORE RADIO STATIONS! In this day and age of digital alternatives to local radio you would think the station owners would do the smart thing and become more locally relatable than ever. But NOOOOO! They are sacking longtime air talent for cheap network, syndicated, or voice tracked programming. The kind of programming that can't even look out the window and tell us it's raining where we live because it's coming from someplace else.

I am equally amazed at the buzz phrases these corporations keep coming up with when they want to make you un-employed. For those of you who need a translation for the corporate-speak,....... "right sizing" = You're fired....downsizing = your fired, re-engineering = you're fired" and the curent favorite, "reduction in force=you'te fired!" What;s next?...."employment challenged?"

Broadcasting's other problem is denial. (which contrary to popular belief, is not a river in Egypt)

Most of them seem to think they can put darn near anything on the air and it will be a success. Stations are acting like they didn't have competition from iphones, ipads, ipods, Pandora, etc. All of these gadgets are pretty neat but none of them can look out the window and TELL YOU IT'S RAINING!

I remember fondly the days when radio was a business but not a BUSINESS!!!!!!!

The radio industry is rapidly losing it's soul.