Shocking! A radio job opening! From Craigslist


Date: 2008-12-22, 11:40AM PST


We don’t have openings very often, but right now we are looking for an experienced full time announcer. You must currently live in Thurston or Mason County. You won’t get rich--at least not right away--but you’ll have the satisfaction of talking to a loyal audience of adults. You’ll also be working for one of the oldest radio stations in the country, KGY, Olympia. Submit your resume via e-mail to mary.briggs@kgyradio.com. We are an equal opportunity employer.

* Location: Olympia, WA
* Compensation: Beginning Salary $1,700 per month.
* Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
* Please, no phone calls about this job!

For the sake of an argument, Why would you list the opening on Craig's List rather than the WSAB or even the local paper. Secondly, How many qualified Apps are they going to get if they limit it to CURRENT residents of Thurston and Mason Counties? Is that area a hot bed for experienced announcers?

Full time for $1,700!!!!!

173.3 hours in a full time month. That's less than $10/hr.

No wonder the industry is in the dumper. Dead. Done. Gone.

The listing is closed as well. Wow that two county area must be where all the unemployed broadcasters move to.

Still was nice to see someone run an ad, other than the KMAS one that is a permanent fixture on WSAB.

I actually would be surprised if they hire someone. Over the recent years they have advertised various openings for on air, news, ft and pt, but I can't think of a time they added anyone. Others might have a better idea.

What amazes me, is that the salaries have slipped to "entry level" wages, but in many cases the expectation is for much more than an "ENTRY LEVEL" employee.

So, how much experience does their 1700.00 a month buy?

Radio, no longer a business, it's a disease!

How much experience does $1,700 a month buy?

Well, it coulda bought mine, that's for sure!

$1,700 a month? That's what? About $300 to $400 a month more than you'd get at KMAS?

or 200 more than Longview! ;-)

Still think it was odd that the opening was for an EXPERIENCED broadcaster living in Mason or Thurston counties only. Why not Pierce or Lewis or Grays Harbor? A Grays Harbor resident of McCleary, or Dupont, Pierce county resident is closer to the station than a Mason county resident of Lilliwaup, if that was the criteria.

When ads are written like that, and then posted places like Craigslist, it usually means they have a candidate they want to hire, but are going through the motions for FCC/EOE reporting. By making the job description as narrow as reasonably possible, it reduces the possibility that a qualified EOE candidate will surface meeting the description.

I went to their website and was amazed that the AM station has live 5 live jocks. Seems the FM is running ABC's satellite feed of Real Country. Too bad they aren't streaming, be interesting to hear their AM programming.

KGY is an Olympia fixture. When I was at the NAB conference in Austin in September I ran into Dick Pust from KGY. He's been with the station for more than 40 years. The station is committed to the local community (hence the live bodies on the air!) $1700 a month isn't a lot of money...but what the person who is hired will get is the loyality of local owners and management, and a lot more job security than your average station. I think Terry Danner is correct about the job description being written intentionally narrow. I have known several stations to use that trick. FYI...a number of stations are listing openings on Craig's list in the wake of the FCC's increased EOE requirements.

So then the question is if they want to add a specific person, why not just add them, and who is the wizer.... no advertisement necessary. Can't complain about an eoe violation for an opening that was never offered publicly.

Same goes for all the internal moves. Why waste someones time and get their hopes up if you have no intention of considering them. If you can't find an insider, THEN post it for the rest of the world.

There is also this posting:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tfr/974822481.html

>>There is also this posting:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tfr/974822481.html<<

Here's a little more detail on that opening - from the station's website:

"Mixx 96.1, "Soft Rock for the Great Northwest," has a need for an on-air substitute. At this moment, we are particularly looking for someone in the immediate area who can reliably get to the station whether or not it's snowy or icy. We may also have some full-time openings soon as well, so this is a good time to send your materials. However, we will not be considering people from out of the area unless they are moving here anyway."

This sounds a bit like they're just jerking the "we're gonna replace you" chain of someone who failed to show up for work due to the bad weather and having too far to drive.

'BRAVO' on that one Tdanner!

I would love to work in Thurston County, all the benefits of working near the 13th largest market, without the headaches. Unfortunately 17 hundred a month buys you MAYBE a studio apartment, and the Mickey D's dollar menu several times a week.

And yes, Terry, you nailed it. Looks like they want someone who is within walkin' distance!

Haven't you radio people heard of the seasonal staffer...SnowMan...