Some
Salaries/Markets Never Change
Subject: Salaries
From: Name withheld by request
I'm a 25-year radio vet, with lots of
medium- and major-market experience. This includes a long stretch with a national network
syndicator.
For several weeks, I've been engaged in phone conversations with a certain medium-market
PD. I had sent him tape and resume in response to his classified ad, which stated that his
successful station was looking for a new morning person/music director.
He called me last week and asked that I come up for an interview. In the course of that
phone conversation, he said, "You understand, this won't be a 45- or
50-thousand-dollar-a-year job, right?" I replied that I understood this, based on the
size of the market.
I went out Tuesday and spent over $80 on new clothes (even a tie!) ... Made the six-hour,
400-mile drive on Friday night ... the station put me up in a nice hotel, and paid for my
meals ... Then came Saturday's interview with the PD and the GM.
Not only would the station *not* pay for my relocation, but ... The job pays $22-thousand
dollars a year. (They later allowed as to how they thought they could bring it up to
$22-thousand-five, just for me.)
It's been over twenty years since I've worked for that kind of money. My jaw dropped. I
stood up, shook hands, and made the six-hour, 400-mile drive back home.
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