The radio industry has a long tradition of hating the competition — especially on the programming side.
Why?
Why, because….They’re the competition! Of course we hate them. They’re a bunch of no-talent jerks.
What other profession is like that?
I’m pretty sure that when a dentist attends a social gathering and discovers another of the party guests also is a dentist, he doesn’t respond by yelling, “You bastard!”
You love radio and you work for Station X (or Cluster X).
Somebody else loves radio and works for Station Y (or Cluster Y).
You despise them for loving the same thing as you?
I don’t get it.
(Actually, I do understand the temptation: Radio ratings are a zero sum game. You’re fighting for the same turf. But there’s a difference between being competitive and being stupid.)
And mark my words: Stick around in this game long enough and one day one of those “bastards” will be in a position to offer you a job…
…perhaps at the very moment that you really need one.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I think that radio is like team sports. When the game is on (when you’re on the air), you’re there to win. When the game is over (when you’re outside the radio station), you’ve got to have respect for people who play the same sport that you play.
When they’re outside the stadium (or the arena) and they’ve taken off their jerseys, baseball, basketball, football or hockey players have respect for one another.
I suspect it goes back to the fact that we’re in radio mostly because we are so punishingly insecure.
Maturity helps with this topic. As you pointed out Dan, one day that team you despise may want you to join…so be careful with your hypocrisy!
Radio should be about competition and admiration. What someone has figured out how to do well, you should copy it, to further your own aims.
We as an industry need to serve listeners and clients. Wherever you find success ‘make it your own’ and give everyone the best experience possible so the industry thrives against all the competition we face.
GT
I have found that the radio people with the fewest ideas are the ones that are most afraid of their competition. Lazy people like to sit back and complain. Innovators see opportunity. We can all choose who we want to be.
My most favorite LinkdIn reccomendation is from a former competitor who says I was always cooperative and professional.