There are lots of sure things in life, rules by which we should all live. Critical stuff like never draw to an inside straight, don’t spit into the wind, always wear clean underwear in case you’re in an accident, and if you read a “letters” section of any publication often enough, sooner or later, you’ll read something that’ll hit a nerve with you.
“Bill from REACT” (probably not his real name) hit a nerve [July 1998 RAP Letters]. I’ve been in radio since 1971, and my experience is varied between small market “the owner does momings” operations to currently working for Gulfstar Radio in Fayetteville, Arkansas. There are ups and downs in every situation. For the most part, small market, locally owned stations don’t usually have the competition or pockets deep enough to do things in a big-time way. Large group-owned/controlled stations, for the most part, lack the intimacy that you can get by going in and talking directly to the owner about what you want, need, or just plain think.
I recognize that I’m fortunate to be working in an industry that, like most industries in our changing world, is down-sizing. It is a crying shame to see good people lose their jobs. And guess what, regardless of the competitive or ownership situation, good people lose their jobs, both deservedly and not The choice then becomes whether to whine about what’s happened to you or get busy and find somewhere else to be. This can be an exciting time to be in radio. People who are good at their jobs and who are capable of getting along with other people can always find a job. When one door close, another opens—but you gotta look for the door on occasion. And if you do want to complain about companies doing business legally, I think you ought to have the intestinal fortitude to sign your name.
Jim Harvill
Gulfstar Radio
Fayetteville, Arkansas
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