1 of 1- Muffaraw Joe
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Is ageism in radio in Canada a real issue?
Here is an interesting article on Ageism in the U.S. radio market, my ask is do you feel it exists in the Canadian market?
Ageism is a number of industries and workplace situations, however, as technology progresses and replaces human beings, in a work situation is it just the way things are or do we paint it with the brush of "ageism"?
Here is the link to the article...enjoy...
Comments and views welcome!!!
The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
- Radiowiz
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Re: Is ageism in radio in Canada a real issue?
Jewel 88five snatched up former CHFI radio announcer(s)
The big players may spit people out, but thankfully the smaller companies are finding them employment.
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- Andy McNabb
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Re: Is ageism in radio in Canada a real issue?
Yes. That's been shared with me by two separate people working for two separate companies: a regional sales manager from one of Canada's largest media companies, as well as the VP Sales of another one of the largest groups.
Kudos to owners and managers who prove themselves as exceptions to this matter - including Ky Joseph and Bill Evanov of Evanov Communications, and Chris Byrnes of Byrnes Media - for bucking the ageism bias and choosing people who can produce results.
Agesism is what it is. In different management and ownership roles, having hired a roughly equal number of sellers and managers older and younger than me, I've consistently seen a better work ethic - and better results - from the older workers, than most younger hires.
Outside of my previous business ownership and marketing project work, being offered employee positions, now as the older person, it's motivating to meet others with the same perspective.
Proof of a positive attitude when facing adversity is foundational. That, and a proven ability to contribute to be part of the rising tide that lifts all people's boats - two rare traits found in few people.
If you're good to great at what you do, and you've been marginalized in the hiring process by age bias, know that the good to great managers will want you. Those managers biased against older workers automatically exclude themselves as people for which you'd want to work, in most any circumstance.
Although corporate resume-filtering algorithms may exclude you, businesses owned/managed by older people make for excellent job prospects, as well as those businesses that have a record of hiring older people. Businesses that are targeting older customers, also make for better employers for older people.
Don't wait around for the position and cheque you "deserve"; do something in the meantime that keeps depositing into your bank account. In the words of Tom Caldwell of Caldwell Securities, "Don't just look for 'the' job, but get 'a' job".
Yes, keep applying for the "right job", but get back in the employment game - now - in some form or fashion. For that "now" employer, bring a unique and compelling value in the form of a heart-felt positive attitude that defies circumstances. Prove yourself based on the employer's criteria, not your own. Once you've established what I call "equity in the workplace built on credibility by example", any contributions you make to that rising tide will have greater impact and lead to better opportunities.
From that position of stability, you'll have the clarity, confidence, and peace of mind to choose the best future employer, should you choose to move on from that "now" employer.
Last edited by Andy McNabb (January 28, 2019 1:56 pm)
Andy McNabb
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- Lee Marshall
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Re: Is ageism in radio in Canada a real issue?
Is it really "ageism"? Maybe to a degree, in some cases, 'cause some ownership/management people are socially uneducated, and/or ignorant and definitely inexperienced when it comes to having empathy and an understanding of 'others'. These drawbacks can, all too often, allow for all sorts of bias and prejudice to manifest in terms racism and other forms of marginalizing of various folks, including old farts. But ageism seems, sometimes, to be a fancy way of disguising the actual disgust for other large numbers like the number of weeks PAID vacation the "good to great" ones get. And let us never forget the bottom line where an extra 0 or two is the 'ageism' bean-counters really take note of. So "good to great" may be an asset to ANY radio outlet but all of those 0's act like an eraser which wipes both good and great off of the page. [some morning show hosts excepted for awhile]
[And although earned...taking too much time off is a real detriment to success...for both the individual and for the outlet. When the audience can't rely on 'your' being there because you only deem them worthy of your company when you're good and damn well ready to share it, well, that CAN'T work. They'll find someone they can count on.]
It just goes to show anyone who's interested that 'doing' radio is, for 90-some-odd % of the on-air and programming employees, a PISS-POOR career choice. [unless you're ready to retire just as soon as the 'powers that be' decide that you're done. And in over 9 out of 10 instances 'they' most assuredly will.]
- Ms. C.
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Re: Is ageism in radio in Canada a real issue?
Andy McNabb wrote:
Don't wait around for the position and cheque you "deserve"; do something in the meantime that keeps depositing into your bank account. In the words of Tom Caldwell of Caldwell Securities, "Don't just look for 'the' job, but get 'a' job".
Not to be confused w. Bayshore Broadcasting's Doug Caldwell