VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

KaseyKruz · Club 300 Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 336 Location: Michigan

I know some of the wonderful folks on this board work in radio. I for one do, and I work for ClearChannel.
What might have gotten lost in the news (intentionally I think) is that there is a huge layoff going on right now of 1850 employess, or 9 percent of the staff. I will keep you all posted on my status, however I am actually welcoming a severance for numerous reasons but I know that some who can not afford to lose their positions will undoubtedly lose them. If you happen to be one of the fallen CC comrades, my heart and prayers got out to you.
I am thankful to be in a position where I dont need to sweat it or stress out over it, but I feel for those who had to endure through the uncertainty.
On a lighter note...how about that PRESIDENT OBAMA?!
_________________
Does life start at 40?

glittlefield · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject:

As a former CC employee, I feel for everyone who lost their jobs as well. I hope you can avoid that problem at this time, Kasey.
_________________
Greg Littlefield
VO-BB Member #59

Nelson Jewell · Guest

Hey Kasey...Hey Greg,

I, too, am a former CC employee. I was cut (along with 12 others) in the Bangor, Maine market a few years ago. I get a sick feeling everytime they boot good people to the streets. My prayers for better jobs and prosperity to all that were handed pink slips today.

Today, I'm with Cumulus Broadcasting as Promotions Director and air talent for an AC station. We recently had a number of cuts...I was on the list but they managed to hang onto me.

OBama? Awesome! As a man of color in this great nation (Native American), I have never been so proud as I was when he gave his speech. I believe we are truly on our way to great things under his leadership.

melissa eX · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:44 pm Post subject:

As one who recently went through cuts elsewhere I feel for everyone also.

All Access is constantly updating the list of those who were cut. It's here

You'll need to sign in/register to access it.

Moe Egan · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 4:01 pm Post subject:

Should we form a support group of former CC employees? I would be in that number as well. The day I left there was a downsizing of just one.... me. That was the day I became a full time voice over.
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

glittlefield · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:45 pm Post subject:

I truly believe this was inevitable with the voracious way they expanded and ate up stations after deregulation was put into place. Too many mouths to feed.

I didn't know the two guys at KZEP (San Antonio) that got cut, but it's painful when I remember what a blast it was to work there when it was part of a small company.

As Nelson knows, CC bailed completely out of the Bangor market. I've been sorta keeping up with stuff up here via radio-info.com and it's just not getting better. Glad you missed the cut this time around, Nelson! It's a tough region in which to be out of work.

And Moe... don't you think that just about anyone in radio would qualify for the ex-CC support group? Smile

_________________
Greg Littlefield
VO-BB Member #59

bobbinbeamo · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject:

That's broadcasting... and it was just a matter of time 'til CC started downsizing...but oh do I feel badly for anyone here that's affected. Kasey, hope you escape the bloodletting. Keep us posted.
_________________
Bobbin Beam
www.bobbinbeam.com
blog.bobbinbeam.com

Moe Egan · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:04 am Post subject:

I think you're right about that Greg...as the old saying goes...there really are only 50 people in radio, it's just that we move around so much, it makes it look like there's more.
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

Bruce · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:48 am Post subject:

CBS Radio has been cutting back too. They let go of the popular morning and afternoon jocks in the same week at their country station here because of their higher salaries. One of them had been there 21 years (a multiple CMA d.j. of the year award winner) and I'm helping him transition into full time voiceover with all the advice and help he wants.

While I haven't heard of this being on their agenda, I hope the powers in Washington consider busting these monopolies and yank these radio stations out of the hands of conniving corporations and put them back in the hands of small, caring ownership.

Of course I'm barking up a big, useless tree. Radio can probably never be the same. We used to have a handful of outlets for music and entertainment, and now we have hundreds. The radio I used to know and love has little place in this over-stimulated century. Sigh.

B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

JimRon · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:17 am Post subject:

As a fellow radio employee it's sad to hear news like that... and makes me worry as well. Especially since 2 people I work with now do double duty at one of our sister stations.

I long for the "mom and pop" days of radio,
_________________
Jim Feldman
www.jimfeldman.us
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimfeldman
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JimFeldmanVoiceovers

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:43 am Post subject:

KaseyKruz · Club 300 Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 336 Location: Michigan

Thanks for the well wishes, I did in fact make it thru to the next round...it's on to Hollywood baby!!! just kidding on the Hollywood thing...
My best wishes to all those who didnt make it...
_________________
Does life start at 40?

bransom · DC Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 650 Location: St. Louis, MO

I'm completely pessimistic about radio's chances for lots of reasons but mostly because my kids ... my college-age, high school-age and middle school-age kids, and all their friends ... never, ever listen to the radio. They consider it an inferior product, and would rather use Last.fm and Pandora to find new music and websites to track concerts, etc. Radio is just not a part of their lives, at all. It's so totally irrelevant to them that I'm pretty sure radio has lost their entire generation.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:44 pm Post subject:

These idiots (I speak , primarily, of the rocket scientists who run CBS Radio and Cheap Channel) have spent gazillions of dollars developing and promoting HD Radio (in my opinion, a soon-to-be forgotten relic, destined to become the next version of FM Quad or AM Stereo) because they have been needlessly fretting over the "threat" from satellite radio, which itself had to consolidate to try to stay afloat. If the over-the-air radio giants had a clue, they'd understand that their greatest weapon against incursion from geosynchronous orbit is the one thing that satellite radio is least prepared to provide: a local voice. Yet, the wizards of terrestrial radio continue to lay off the local talent, silence the local voice, and homogenize their product until its a wonder there are any listeners left.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

Yoda117 · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:23 pm Post subject:

my heart's out there with you folks in radio land.

More so than I actually care to admit (looks like 600 folks of mine are getting the axe from one group, about another 120 from the primary group that I work with).
_________________
Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor

Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones