I'm wondering how many personalities have web sites that are independent of their stations' official sites.

Do you think these are valuable or not? Do they promote the personality more than the station, or does each enhance each? I'm also wondering if there are any ethical considerations involved. Obviously you don't trash the station you work for on your independent site. Are there any other pitfalls related to having your own site, connected with, but not necessarily endorsed by, the station your work for?

My wife and I voice track for a station and we still have our own independent web site for all the other voice work we do even though we are promoted on the stations official web site.

However if I were under contract with a station I would ask if they had some sort of policy. My feeling is if you are already established with a web site prior to coming to a station you should be allowed some independent status as long as there is no conflict of interest.

With the popularity of MySpace.com, it's probably very, very common.

Many station web sites have links to their personality's personal blogs/myspace pages/webpages. No longer is a personality dependant on the station to promote them. It's also handy for a personality to have their own independent sites to keep in touch with listeners if they lose their jobs at a station. They keep up their fan base for the next job and don't simply disappear like the old days just because an individual station pulls the plug on their show.

I don't think there is any reason a jock shouldn't have a myspace page in this day and age. It's a tool to help connect with your audience.

Which brings up the question, if a persons personal web site, references their employment, should the employer have the right to control the content to any level?

I think an employer has a right to tell an employee to remove confidential content about the comany, or risk corrective action.

How about if its not confidential, but negetive about the employer?
I have worked at 2 places, that fired someone for putting negative info about the company on their personal web sites.

I would say it depends on the nature of the position you hold with the company. If you use company resources to promote your website (as on-air talent could do) or hold a position where you are supposed to promote the company (sales, marketing, promotions, etc.) then I can understand a company taking that action. It would be a conflict of interest. I'd hope they'd warn the person first though!

In any job (not just radio), people ought to actually read the employment agreement they're signing. Something else I've noticed is lots of fine print at the bottom of pages that says something along the lines of 'This page contains my own thoughts and does not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.' Ask for a copy of the version you signed, so you have it for your records.

My personal opinion: anywhere that requires you to sign a non-disclosure agreement, just refrain from talking about them at all if you possibly can. Saves a lot of trouble later on.

Nwokie: if you were an employer and one of your employees put something derogatory about either you or your company on their own website or did something like the taser guy at the jail, would you also be in a position to fire them?

I have been thinking about this. If it was something untrue the person would definitly be gone. If it was true, I honestly cant say what i would do. I like to think I would set down and discuss the issue with the person. Then decide what I would do. Considering, was it something I knew, or should have known. Did the person try to address the issue through normal channels, etc.