As a former radio GM, I am convinced that radio is the best buy for the
advertising dollar. It is very low cost and is very effective and I think
95% of businesses should spend at least part of their advertising budget on
local and/or national radio.

Many advertisers, though, feel like radio is not as glamorous as television,
not as serious as newspaper, and not as timely as outdoor. Of course, I beg
to differ on all accounts.

I'm guessing that when you were a GM the station(s) was/were owned by a
company smaller than one of the mega-groups. Or maybe it was taken over by
one of them. I think one of the reasons that so many advertisers are
by-passing local radio stations is that there's a good chance they are not
being called on by account execs who have any clue as to what they are
doing. It seems to be the policy of both Clear Channel and Infinity (and
possibly others) to fill their sales staffs with quantity rather than
quality. Both chains hire herds of sales people, irrespective of experience
or qualification. They field such large sales staffs that account lists get
thinned out too much for many of them to earn a decent living. So most
stations end up with a few successful sales people who call on their old
reliable clients, and a revolving door of beginners and other lesser sales
people who have neither the sales skill, understanding of radio, nor the
ingenuity to convert the vast numbers of potential advertisers into paying
customers.

Lee


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