Media Beat: April 29, 2019

By David Farrell

More CBC bashing from Postmedia

Awash in debt and a vocal adherent for federal bail-outs for national media, National Post columnist Terence Corcoran selectively picks and chooses research that suggests Google and Facebook aren’t the lone wolves picking at the carcass of the newspaper industry, offering him the opportunity to gnash his teeth at the federally funded CBC news media empire. There’s logic in the story but perhaps tainted by the possibility of a vested interest colouring his opinion. Then again, maybe not. – Terence Corcoran, National Post

The sad salaries broadcasters live with

A USA Today story highlights the 25 worst jobs in America, based on a 247 Wall St. analysis of 2018 CareerCast data.   The countdown is based on factors like job security, work environment, stress, and compensation. Among the report’s findings:

– Broadcaster: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a drop of 3.2% in overall jobs in the U.S. over the next 10 years.  They note that while many broadcasters have college degrees, the mean annual salary for these positions is just over $49,000 – just a shade over the median pay scale for all jobs in America.

– Disc Jockey: Coming in just ahead of corrections office, the report notes DJs “are projected to face one of the most challenging working environments in the future.”  Blaming a tough job market on audio streaming, podcasts, and other entertainment options.  They report a staggering decline of 11.6% for DJ jobs, nothing the average salary of $34K is more than $3,500 below the average job in the U.S. – via Fred Jacobs, Jacobs Media

Why AM radio still counts

For devotees eager to preserve the format, AM has a would-be savior in Washington: Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. Better known as a free-market “net neutrality” deregulator, Pai launched an effort to revitalize AM several years ago, shortly after becoming an FCC commissioner. Growing up in Parsons, Kansas, in the 1970s and ’80s, Pai has said he listened to AM radio with his parents, who had come to the United States from India with “little more than $10 in their pockets and a radio.” But purists are concerned that in his efforts to save AM radio, Pai might be inadvertently killing off what makes it unique, potentially curtailing long-distance AM broadcasters and moving more of its broadcasts to FM.

Over the past few months, Politico Magazine has drawn on radio ratings and conversations with broadcasting experts to identify some of the most distinct voices on the AM dial (via Sowny.net)