The best radio gig? The Grand Poopah says it just might be in Public Radio. Public Radio you say? Yes, you know, the stations like KWMU here in the STL. Most of them are NPR affiliates. And the majority of them are owned by Colleges and Universities. Your tax dollars at work, both state and federal. In Migthy MO the University of Missouri has 4 of them (St. Louis, Columbia, KC and Rolla which is now mostly simulast with KWMU here in the STL). And most of the Public Radio stations also get some help from the the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Once again, your tax dollars (not) at work.<\/p>\n
So why do I say the Pubcasters are the best gig in radio? Because more and more of them are going union! Nothing against unions (the Grand Poobah used to belong to AFTRA back in the day) but almost every radio dude and dudette knows the best gigs in radio are union! Usually good $$$ plus health care, pension and other union bennies. And now that the Screen Actors Guild merged with AFTRA to form the current SAG-AFTRA union you get all the Oscar nominated movies sent to you and get to VOTE for the Oscar awards. Think I’m kidding? NOT! And how many times do you hear about staff cuts at the Pubcasters? Or new owners? Or format changes? NEVER! Listen to NPR sometime and listen to the credits at the end of the shows. They read off a gazillion names of who put the show together. In “real radio” (commercial as we call it) most on air dudes and dudettes are running the show SOLO! What? You don’t have an Executive Producer on your show. Or an engineer? Or a staff of digital editors? Or a librarian? Or a chef (yes, NPR has them)?!?! Well then you need to make the move to Public Radio!<\/p>\n