Question/comment/A Civil Action (Was Re: Question/comment)

[mwaters@mail.wesleyan.edu (Martin J. Waters)]

>>Bruce Schwoegler wrote:
><snip>
>>CBS just announced that they are
>>dumping the pension plan.  In such an unstable business, that might be moot,
>>but it is an important sign.

        It's grim to see even the largest corporations eliminating pension
plans. You mention instability, but with fewer and fewer companies left in
the business, CBS might be figuring that its liability may go up in future
years as larger numbers of people actually stay with the company, although
perhaps at different stations, long enough to become vested.

>>Were I 30 again, I would not consider
>>broadcasting as the future appears bleak.  There is an influx of often
>> mediocre people working to become "stars", and they work for
>>peanuts....then fade away.  That makes room for another batch.

        Oh, you mean TV now is the way radio has been for generations <g>.

>>It also
>>promotes low quality talent, writing and analysis....but the bean counters
>>don't care.  They seemingly don't have to answer to the public anymore, and
>>much of that public is fleeing for quality on cable or the web.

        I gotta say, 'Huh?' Anyone who (1) is looking for quality
news/public affairs on cable and the internet and (2) would know it if they
saw it, will be extremely disappointed, IMO.

        Footnote -- Seeing your post just reminded me: Do you know that
your voice appears in the film "A Civil Action?" The lawyer played by
Robert DeNiro is sitting in the courthouse hallway with his portable radio
and the soundtrack for the radio is a few seconds of WBZ with you giving
the weather. But I guess you'd have to know, cashing all those royalty
checks <g>. Seriously, I'm curious about how that works for such a small
bit--any idea how much the station was paid for that, do you get anything,
etc.?

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