Today’s “Throwback” blog post is just a short four year-ride into the past – but it may as well be light years. The world was a very different place in pre-pandemic 2019. And today’s topic – Gen Z and their willingness (or lack thereof) to pursue careers in radio – is even more critically important today than it was back then.
Sadly though, nothing has changed. Young people aren’t flocking to the broadcasting industry, in TV or radio. If anything, they’re choosier about the work they do and where they do it. And that puts even more pressure on employers to make their companies more attractive to the next generation of employees in America – and around the world.
Since I wrote this blog post in 2019, the RAB has taken over the National Radio Talent Institute. Back then, I was about to speak at their event in Boston; in a couple weeks, I’ll gladly be back in Chicago. Believe me when I tell you, the need for us grizzled radio veterans to connect with young people seeking careers has never been more important. In recent years, we’ve worked with organizations like the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, very much aware of the hard work that must be done to make radio a more attractive destination for young people in schools across the Lower and Upper Peninsulas of the Great Lakes State.
Interestingly, we’ve found that when high school and college students visit broadcasting operations, they’re pleasantly surprised to learn there’s more going on than an announcer in a studio or an anchorwoman on a news set. Stations today are ensconced in all sorts of digital content creation, from podcasts to short video production. Their sales and marketing efforts are more varied and sophisticated than ever before, opening up pathways to more career opportunities. And of course, social media is at the foundation of their outreach to audiences and advertisers.
So, yes – better marketing of radio (and TV) to America’s youth would be a logical starting point. But so would giving them something to listen to (and watch). Fact is, fewer and fewer spend much intentional time with broadcast media because so little is being produced with them in mind. If we broadcasters don’t remedy that situation – and soon – we will most certainly live to regret it.
I’m writing this from Radiodays North America in Toronto. Last night at dinner, I was talking to a podcasting executive in the States about this very topic. He asked me whether young people would even listen to a radio station programmed to their taste. After all, they’re hooked on Spotify, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.
And my response? I have no idea. But I do know this: if we don’t produce anything for them, nothing will ever change. Let’s hold hands as we go over the “Demographic Cliff” together. – FJ
June 2019
Last week, I had the honor of once again speaking at Dan Vallie’s National Radio Talent Institute program, this time at Emerson College in Boston. Beasley Media sponsors this amazing program where bright, motivated young people come to learn from grizzled, hopeful radio broadcasters from all over the market.
It works.
I met several students who were more than just on the ball. They were excited, pumped, and eager to learn from us radio veterans. And as often happens at these events when young people get together with older generations of radio pros, the learning flowed in both directions. I wish everyone in radio could see what I saw at Emerson last week.
Buzz Knight and I enjoyed a conversation with this group – they asked us questions and we turned right around and pumped them for information. I believe each of us learned a lot from one another – and where radio has been and where it may be headed.
The question on all our minds as I sat in that Emerson College classroom was how we “manufacture” thousands more of these kids who are absolutely, positively excited about careers in radio.
It gets more difficult every day, because of the continued bad rap broadcast radio gets from just about everyone. While some has merit, much of
it is patently unfair. Sadly, however, the evidence suggests that jobs in radio – and in all of mass media – are becoming more scarce and don’t pay especially well.
Lew and John Dickey echoed that thinking at Conclave a couple days later. When asked about job prospects in radio, they pointed to new opportunities in areas like video, social, and digital. But they also conceded that when industries consolidate, job cuts are inevitable. Given another pending round of deregulation if the NAB gets its way, that trend is likely to continue.
That reality was confirmed last week in a “Hey Tutor” blog post: “College majors with the highest and lowest unemployment rates.”
This isn’t one of those subjective surveys made up of all sorts of weird variables. It’s based on the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report. As we know, the overall job picture in the U.S. continues to be a bright one. Unemployment has dropped to new lows, while more Americans are getting college degrees.
Good news, right? That is until they start listing the college majors with the highest rates of unemployed young people.
And you can stop at #1 – mass media degrees.
At more than a percentage point above the next worst major, mass media students are facing industries beset by layoffs and “projected negative career growth.” And that leads the authors to conclude that those who attain degrees in this discipline “might want to look elsewhere for gainful employment.” They suggest advertising and marketing careers as a fallback.
And to make matters worse, the early career mass media average wage is $35K; mid-career salary is only $60K. A philosophy major makes more money.
So, what does this tell us about radio’s future – not just the industry’s ability to attract bright young people, but the need to create content that resonates with Generation Z, encouraging them to enjoy radio?
It suggests broadcasters have a lot of work to do in both areas. A good start is that there’s a college, university, and community college in close proximity to every radio manager reading this post.
Establishing a relationship with these local schools, their administrations, their faculties, and their students should be at the top of the priorities list. 
Thankfully, many state broadcaster associations have programs in place to do just that. But they need your continued support because this mission is of paramount importance.
Institutes like Dan Vallie’s need to expand into more markets, and become annual fixtures on the calendar. More and more broadcasters need to engage, participate, and contribute money, time, and expertise to make them happen. Beasley, Hubbard, Kerby Confer, Art Kellar, and a handful of state broadcaster associations – Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri, Georgia – have already stepped up. But the industry needs to be more supportive of these efforts and invest in its future.
It’s not just a good idea to engage and encourage young people seeking careers in broadcasting.
It should be Job One.
For information on Dan Vallie’s National Radio Talent System, contact Dan here.
Thanks to Randy Kabrich for the heads-up on this story.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Wife Michele convinced me to sit down and watch the Arnold Schwarzenegger documentary with her. My takeaway was that there was no real career path for him; he basically forged — out of nothing and from raw materials — the industry known as “AH-nold.” He did so via existing media avenues to became what he is today: massively rich, globally recognized and with clout to spare.
Maybe Gen Z’ers would connect more with radio if they knew a way to make it a part of their overall strategy to becoming the next Big Thing? Maybe.
“Internet influencer” only goes so far in today’s mediascape, where you’re forgotten in six seconds after a couple of swipes. At least on the radio, you stand a chance at some name and regional recognition.
I agree, Alan. If you don’t believe there’s a “there there,” why go “there” to begin with?
Why would someone whose while life is ahead of them embrace a career path on one with a similar trajectory to radio’s? Content/age mismatch aside, every year radio’s use, revenue and head count drop – what kind of future does that portend? Would you recommend it to your kid if they just graduated college?
Bob, radio is well behind the curve here. That said, I do believe more and more organizations are figuring it out – RAB, state broadcaster associations, and college/university radio stations. But what’s lacking is radio content that appeals to young people. Until that happens, progress will only be incremental.
As the General Manager of 88.7 The Pulse at East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) in Mesa, AZ and a former commercial broadcaster, this has become my passion project. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments expressed in your posts. It is crucial for the broadcasting industry, especially radio, to actively engage and excite young people about pursuing careers in this field. The changing media landscape and evolving preferences of Generation Z demand that we adapt and showcase the multitude of opportunities available within radio. By forging partnerships with local schools and colleges, we can foster relationships with administrators, faculty, and students, ensuring that they are aware of the diverse range of roles and advancements in our industry. It is incumbent upon us, as seasoned professionals, to invest our time, expertise, and pay it forward. We must dispel misconceptions about the radio industry and create compelling content that resonates with today’s youth. Together, we can instill excitement and enthusiasm in young individuals, encouraging them to embark on rewarding careers in broadcasting. This is what we endeavor to do every day at EVIT.
Our mission statement is: “To change lives by loving our students and serving our communities with a career and college preparatory training experience that produces a qualified workforce, meeting the market-driven needs of business and industry”
Just recently Hubbard Radio in Phoenix was gracious enough to host me and four of our students on a tour of their facility. Unequivocally, I can tell you that this was a life altering event for these future broadcasters, a day they will never forget! To this day, I can still remember when I was their age visiting WLS in Chicago. It was a seminal moment in my life and career. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Fred, Thank you for indulging me…..
Here is a link to an interview that RadioInk was gracious to do with me that goes into greater detail on my thoughts and our Philosophy at EVIT in Arizona.
https://radioink.com/2022/09/15/keeping-the-kids-excited-about-radio/
Thanks for fighting the fight!
My Very Best
MM
Michael, thanks for sharing this great example. (I know the Hubbard Phoenix team will see it.) I applaud you on the work you’re doing in Mesa – I wish more radio vets were as generous with their time, and grasped the importance of what you’re doing. Paul and I work with a number of state broadcaster associations, most of which are well aware of the importance of the mission to embrace youth. And sometimes – as you point out – it’s as simple as getting them inside aa modern day radio facility (Hubbard Phoenix is one of THE best in the U.S.) and letting the magic take over.
When the High School Radio Project was officially launched, I was wondering why it hadn’t happened before. That said, I think that it’s better to position it as a broader educational program–rather than as a narrowly focused, job-training one.
https://benztown.com/press/bz-helps-students-learn-through-nba-and-mba-high-school-radio-project
Thanks, Eric.
So -when you talk about “Mass Media” – in 2023, how different is it from the way it was in 2013? 2003? 1993? In 2023 Does radio really have the freedom to create compelling content that resonates with a younger person? I believe we’ve got to be honest with ourselves in answering that, and that answer might not be what we want.
Right now, the answer is “no.” And that’s what we need to address.
Dan’s a friend of mine, going back to his days at 92Q in Nashville and mine during college at WBGN/Bowling Green. He was kind enough to invite me back to my alma mater—Western Kentucky—to speak a few times at his Talent Institute there.
It was always a tremendously rewarding experience, meeting such smart, enthusiastic students and doing my best to “pass the ladder” to those looking to climb it as high—or higher, hopefully—as I did.
One of the concerns/complaints they voiced about radio was not only too many commercials in general but not being able to get on-air AT THEIR OWN UNIVERSITY STATION. And not the internet “lab” stations; the real FM ones. I also heard this several times while at KLOS/LA when speaking with students at Cal State Northridge, Santa Monica Community College, Long Beach State—all hiring mostly (if not all) older adults for on-air shows who remain there for years while these stations apparently try to compete with established commercial stations in the market. And lose, ratings-wise.
If you wanna major in broadcasting or “mass media” but have virtually no shot at real on-air experience that you’re paying the school thousands of dollars for, then perhaps you pick something else with a foreseeable future. Or find a school that makes (and even pays!) actual students to host shows, rather than hiring adults old enough to be their grandparents.
Just a thought.
And a good one, Gary. I’ve found college radio hiring to be checkered – no across-the-board pattern. Some stations are admittedly hard to get on the air. Others cannot find enough students to properly staff up. Sometimes, it’s a maatter of whether there’s a broadcasting department/major in the school. I look at Goshen College and it’s 91.1 the Globe (WGCS) as a great example where the department is in-synch with the station. This does exist.