Issue 818 - August 1, 2022

Page 1

August 1, 2022, Issue 818

Radio Resignation Reactions

Last week, Country Aircheck shared results from a survey of onair and programming talent who have voluntarily left radio to seek employment in outside fields. After seeing the results and verbatim quotes from 68 respondents – 58% female, ranging in age from 26 to 73 with an average of 17.2 years spent in radio (see the complete study here) – several industry leaders agreed to share their reactions and ways they think the industry can step up in response. iHeartMedia National Programming Group EVP/Programming Maynard says, “Aggregating all industries together, quit rates have vacillated between 2.6% and 2.9% over the past year; however, the [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics] doesn’t break out radio individually in its monthly aggregated chart. They do have an ‘Announcers and DJs’ section on the bureau site, [which is] projected as a ‘growth’ role.” Maynard notes he does not speak for iHeartMedia, but adds, “Regardless of how big the company, most people’s reflection of their Maynard job or industry will directly lie with their local management structure and with the culture created. The same job in a different city – even with the same company – can sometimes yield different sentiments.” He also notes that change is inevitable. “In any industry, it’s important for people to feel like there’s a plan for them, to feel a part of something bigger, and to feel appreciated,” he says. “This is Kevin King a great reminder. Everyone evolves – both personally and professionally – and so does business. Sometimes it’s a good fit; sometimes it’s not. Radio has been on both sides of The Great Resignation, and some of the people starting in radio today, under a different model than how I started, are focused on what could be versus what was. We’ve seen many of them flourish. I’ve learned a lot from those people.” “Knowing these words came from people who were once part of my small [radio] family makes me sad,” says ADX WYCT/ Pensacola OM Kevin King. (continued on page 6)

When It Rains It Tours: River House/Columbia’s Luke Combs in Atlanta. Pictured (front, l-r) are Music Choice’s Jim Murphy, WQIK/ Jacksonville’s Brad Thornton, Cumulus’ Greg Frey, radio vet Lance Houston, Combs, WUBL’s Angie Ward, WZZK/Birmingham’s “Kelsey K” Schuler, WKML/Fayetteville, NC’s Sarah Weaver, the label’s Mark Gray and WQDR/Raleigh’s Mike “Mad Dawg” Biddle; (back, l-r) Cox’s Rob Babin, the label’s Lauren Thomas, WKHX’s Lucas Phelan, Cox’s Chris Egan, WUSY/Chattanooga’s Justin Cole, WSIX/Nashville’s Ryan McKiddy, WUBL’s Jeremy “Otis“ Maher, WIRK/West Palm Beach’s Nick Rivers, Scott Gaines and WQDR’s Heather Davis; (inset) Cumulus’ Mike Moore (l) and Phelan (r) present Combs with a gift for Tex.

CMA Fest Returns To The Screen

After a two-year hiatus, June’s CMA Fest brought the fans back to Nashville, and ABC is bringing the event back to television Wednesday (8/3, 7pm CT). CMA CEO Sarah Trahern and the show’s Exec. Producer Robert Deaton discuss the return, as well as a first Robert Deaton for the telecast. Sarah Trahern

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