Re: Bruce Bradley

["shel" <shel@big68.org>]

>I don't know anything about Bruce Bradley as a person and if the earlier
post
>was correct, he does not sound like a happy guy, but to knock someone for
not
>liking remotes is a little harsh.

Doing remotes is part of the job.  If that were to present such a big
problem to someone (yours truly, for example), I would have it in my
contract to be exempt from remotes.  But not all air talent understands that
remotes bring income into stations.  DJs, talk hosts, etc. are paid from
that income.

Broadcasting sure is fun, but the jocks are the ones who build the ratings,
and the sales people bring the money in, so that everyone - from janitor to
General manager - are paid.

 Some people are good on the radio and like
>the anonymity of being a faceless voice.  Being good in public and dealing
>directly with the public is a different talent that does not necessarily
come
>with being good on the radio.  A good manager would recognize what talents
are
>good on remotes and use them instead of the members of the staff that may
not
>be comfortable performing in public.


Agreed 100%.


>I know (remotes) bring in the bucks and help promote the station so they
are a necessary evil, but
>they usually do not add much to the programming.  Shut up and play the
tunes.

Agreed.

>It is also important to remember that the people who show up at remotes and
>want to talk to the air talent are usually not representative of the
audience
>in general.  (just like callers)

Yes, but we can't pick and choose.  We just went to meet a national TV star.
There were probably 300 people  there, and she (Jeannie Cooper, co-star of
The Young and the Restless) was just as nice as could be, to regular folks
and groupies.  She chose to get into show biz.  radio is show biz.  You take
the groupies with the regular folks, and that's part of the business.
>
>I love Imus' attitude about remotes.  He grumbles about them on the air,

He's childish, in my opinion, for that.  You don't rap the people who put
food on your table.

>My worst remote was a six hour remote at a supermarket opening in 90 degree
>weather with six breaks an hour.  Ugh.  It's a supermarket.  After a couple
of
>hours what's left to say?  The worst part was that the ad agency loved the
>tape that the station sent them and I ended up doing another store opening
a
>couple months later under similiar conditions.

I did a couple of those, and loved meeting the folks, and the compliments
received by the sponsor.  I think we'll have to agree to disagree.  Now the
following does NOT necessarily apply to you, at all.  Just my opinion:

Nobody puts a gun to one's head (except maybe the mafia :)) to take a job.
Not all jobs are fun and games.  I loved my last Radio job to pieces, but a
good 20% of it was grudge work, putting up with egos of the staff, and
occasionally putting out fires between staff, and doing off-air things for
listeners, like helping them find the phone number, location, or even the
price of something they heard in an ad or PSA they might have heard on our
stations.  But you know, I love helping people.  And that's part of the job.

However, there were a couple of things I had a real probem with.  So I had a
one-on-one chat with my Program Director, explaining that I would of course
do as he asked for as along as necessary, but that it really bothered
me...perhaps he could find someone else to do that part of the job.  It was
a friendly chat, and he knew I didn't have a habit of complaining.  So he
immediately reassigned one of the two "problem" areas, and I learned to
accept the other.  It was a fair compromise....and my boss understood my
frustration, and worked with me every step of the way.

It seems to me that there are many people who would be thrilled to have the
opportunity work in radio.  Those who work it and complain about it at teh
same time have every right to find another job, that will satisfy their
desires and make their dreams come true. Those who think they're "gods", and
are thus indispensable, are and have been often replaced by other people,
and worse, syndicated shows.  Those who worked their best and with humility
were given other opportunities, instead of the pink slip.

Best to all....and happy Thanksgiving!! :) shel

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