PROD. DIRECTOR VS. CREATIVE QUESTION FROM A PRODUCTION DIRECTOR FOR DAN O’DAY: My company recently hired a new "Creative Services Director." Unfortunately, she knows less about radio production than I do. To illustrate my point, she didn’t know how to thread a reel deck until last month. She does not understand the basics of equalization, recording, editing, you name it; she is only now learning this. She freely admits that she only wants to write "creative" spots that rely mainly on character voices and the rest of commercial production is "boring." My question is: How do I combat this attitude that finds 95% of commercial production boring and therefore not worth the time it takes to create a good product? I’ve tried talking with my PD, but his answer was to delegate more onto me. So, I am now the only person in the station who has recording sessions with clients, puts together the imaging promos for all three of the stations and handles the commercial load from two networks. Now, while I’m on vacation, this is not being done and I know what awaits my return. While I relish the challenge of creating good production, I feel like I can't give the time to make each element I produce the best it can be! Any comment you can give would be welcomed if you have the chance. DAN REPLIES: If she works "under" you, just lay down the law. If she works for someone else (i.e., your PD), tell the PD, "She says she only wants to do ‘creative’ spots with character voices...and not the 95% of the workload that pays the bills around here. I am not willing to do the 95% of the work that she feels is beneath her." Then let your PD handle it. Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. The bottom line is you cannot single-handedly deliver a quality product for the station, and you shouldn’t be expected to.