Don't know when this week's All Access newsletter will actually get into the mail- the folks who do that are shorthanded today- but here's a preview:
I was talking to a friend at that talk radio convention last weekend when he asked me if I'd noticed something.
"Noticed what?"
"Nobody's here."
I looked around the room. It looked reasonably busy. "What do you..."
"The jobseekers. They're not here this year."
And he was right. In past years, you'd see a sizeable number of people looking for work- pros and wannabes, the confident and the desperate. This year, it seemed like they weren't around.
Where did everyone go? I know for sure that there's a long list- getting, sadly, longer- of talent looking for work. But they weren't around this year, they weren't buttonholing PDs and syndicators in the lobby, they weren't pressing business cards and CDs into the hands of anyone who paused near them. What happened?
I wonder if some of them have given up. I've heard that from some of the folks who have gotten tired of waiting for that elusive opening in the syndication-saturated lineup of some station or another. I've heard it, too, from people who are employed but want to move up in market size, daypart, or salary- they're ready to throw in the towel, hang 'em up, go do something else. And it's a shame, because these are good, talented people who love radio, who have it in their blood, but they just don't feel like fighting the tide anymore.
Meanwhile, I hear a different story from PDs. They'll tell me that they aren't finding a lot of developing talent out there. They say that the farm system is depleted, that the changeover of smaller market talk radio to all-syndicated, turnkey-automated radio has left them having to look outside the business for talent, and that doing so is way more chancy because, well, everyone THINKS they can do this but, as you know better than anyone, it isn't as easy as it looks.
So, what advice can I give to the jobseekers who are giving up, and the PDs who can't find the right talent? Let's see... first, for the jobseekers: persistence pays. Networking, as I've told you before, pays, too. Do not give up because 100 attempts to get a job have failed. Don't stop knocking on the door. Don't stop calling unless you're told to stop (and threatened with a restraining order). And don't assume that just because you've mailed and e-mailed and FedExed your stuff to a PD, he or she's seen or heard it. Keep trying. Send the stuff to stations you know have openings and stations that don't. You never know when something might open up. And if there were PDs complaining that they can't find the right talent out there at this convention, perhaps you should have been there to present yourself as the solution to that problem. (You may not be what they're looking for, but if you don't make an effort, you'll never know)
Besides, just when you think you're out, they pull you back in. You can't escape. The longer you try to stay away, the more likely you'll end up doing 20 minutes on the immigration bill into the drive-thru order mic at Whataburger.
Next, for the PDs: looking at nontraditional sources for talent is hard. It takes a lot of work and a lot of trial and error. You may need to try out or otherwise check out every TV news anchor, newspaper columnist, podcaster, blogger, and bartender in the market. And you may need to actually listen to every single one of those CDs and MP3s that have piled up on your desk and in your e-mail box over the years. It will take a ton of direction and coaching. It is hard. But that's what you do. And I'll remind you that some of the most successful names in the talk show genre started out as, among other things, top 40 jocks, hot dog joint proprietors, tin knockers, lawyers, sportswriters, prank callers, and, of course, disgraced politicians. It may take a long search to find what you're looking for... which is why, if you DON'T have an opening right now, it's the perfect time to start looking. Ask the Imus stations what happens when you don't have a Plan B in place.
Summary: For talent, there are fewer opportunities. For PDs, the obvious pool of talent is smaller. For everyone, keep trying. However exhausting or discouraging it may be at times, persistence is the key.
And if you're currently on the air (watch how deftly I segue into the plug), the key is show prep, and the key to show prep (here it comes) is Talk Topics at All Access News-Talk-Sports (there it is), which so far this week features items on Bob Barker's mic, a really stupid world record, how Britney Spears is helping out all of the world's amateur comedians, how cell phone video and YouTube have encouraged questionable social interaction, a 37 year old cat, the rise of the fake wedding cake, why "Sir Clowns-a-Lot" isn't happy with his teachers, a guy who got arrested for DUI twice within five hours, the trouble with "reform math," why most workers commute alone, why some people sue over roaches in coffee while others enjoy lollipops with insects embedded within, the side effect that will probably keep a weight-loss drug from being approved for America, the bomb scare at my very own high school alma mater, how to prepare your dog for July 4, a town that banned saggy pants, Mario Impemba vs. full disclosure, Paris Hilton, the Sopranos, Paris Hilton, the election, Paris Hilton, Gaza, Paris Hilton, and, especially, Paris Hilton. Also in the N-T-S section: "10 Questions With..." comic, syndicated host, and extremely outspoken labor advocate Jackie Guerra, and the Talent Toolkit with some unusual sites about father stuff in time for Father's Day. And over in Net News, you'll find the radio industry's best, fastest, and most complete coverage- why wait until tomorrow for part of the news when you can get all of the news right now at All Access? Plus, the Industry Directory, managed by the King of Information, Paul Cartellone, lets you find everyone in the business, the Mediabase charts tell you who's playing what, and you'll find Arbitron numbers and message boards and more, all for free.
By the way, whatever I learned about hard work and persistence came from the example set by my father. He's no longer with us, but Sunday will be another opportunity to remember his love and wisdom and inspiration. And if your dad is still around and showed you the way, too, make sure you honor him on Father's Day and every day. That's what unlimited cell phone long distance is for.
To all fathers everywhere, have a great Father's Day.
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