Re: Hutch

["Aaron [Bishop] Read" <aread@speakeasy.net>]

At 02:06 PM 8/26/2002, Roy Lawrence wrote:
>I'm surprised that engineering gigs are drying up. I
>see so many ads looking for engineers or assistants.
>Reading different trade mags indicate more seasoned
>engineers are looking to bail out because of digital
>technology and the enormous training required to stay
>on. Admitedly - it really does look overwhelming.
>
>Roy Lawrence

After a merger most managers look at the staff roster and think "We only 
need one engineer for our company."....regardless of the fact that where 
that one engineer was supporting two or perhaps three stations they are now 
supporting ten after the merger.

For no extra pay, or benefits.

And most companies assume that any engineer can handle all the IT/Computing 
demands because "It's all engineering, anyway."  Nevermind that they're two 
totally different fields with completely different training and disciplines.

For no extra pay, or benefits.

And most companies assume that any engineer can handle all the phones and 
telecommunications because "It's all engineering, anyway."   And all the 
construction work because "It's all engineering, anyway."  etc etc etc etc

For no extra pay, or benefits.

And that's why so many engineers have left the field - it's not worth the 
bulls**t for nothing extra when they can go work in IT for twice the pay 
and half the hassle.  Or become an independent consultant for the same. 
That's less true today than it was three or four years ago...but it's still 
true even now.

As I said - it's not at the critical level where so many engineers have 
left the field that meltdowns are occurring...but it's getting there 
fast.   It won't be all that long before talent reaches that level 
too...but it'll take longer for the "meltdown" to occur.  The reason is 
that with engineering - the "suck point" is more cut and dried.  Either the 
transmitter is on or it's off.   How bad the equipment is can only be so 
"grey" an area before you're into black and white.

But with talent...well, managers can delude themselves into thinking bad 
talent is "good enough for the listeners" for far, far longer than they can 
delude themselves into thinking the studio isn't literally falling apart.

Yeah I'm bitter and the whole world knows it. :-)

____________________________________________
Aaron "Bishop" Read     aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels.com Technical Consulting
www.friedbagels.com   AOL-IM: ReadAaron