Sad News To My Friends and Former Co-Workers

I got this from CBSnews.com at their CBS Moneywatch website concerning jobs that are or will soon be disappearing..

http://www.cbsnews.com/8334-505143_162-57343788/will-these-10-jobs-disappear-in-2012/?pageNum=5&tag=next

Will these 10 jobs disappear in 2012?

By Louise Tutelian

Newspaper reporter

Read it and weep: According to the BLS, a whopping 4,400 jobs will disappear by 2018 (out of 69,400 total in 2008). That's more than three times the number of newsroom employees at The New York Times. The bad news for print can be summed up in one word: Internet. "Some of the print people are finding jobs online," says Lauren Csorny, an economist at the BLS. But there aren't enough to make up for the losses. No wonder that newspaper reporters ranked No. 184 out of 200 jobs, one slot above stevedore, in CareerCast.com's annual JobsRated survey.


Broadcast announcer

The play-by-play for this occupation isn't pretty. Consolidation has eliminated many jobs already, and technology is hijacking off-air tasks, such as editing, once performed by announcers (and future announcers paying their dues). Add the increased use of syndication and the growth of satellite radio and the picture is even bleaker. By 2018, broadcasting is expected to lose 2,400 radio and TV announcer jobs.


of course, this really isn't news to most of us who work or used to work in the industry -- John 

Weekend Television/ Radio

I don’t know about the rest of the US, but here in SC, the local television and radio programming here leaves a lot to be desired on the weekends. Otherwise, they do a very, very GOOD job.

Television consists of horrible educational morning cartoons, religious themed shows, and infomercials in between sporting events. This is especially bad in the afternoon hours. Radio has become one big infomercial with local real estate guys yucking it up and giving marginal real estate advice. We DO have a great local auto repair/info show on our ONLY major AM News/Talk radio channel here. It’s not hard being voted “the Best in the Upstate” when there’s little or no competition. That’s not a knock, that’s just what happens when you’re the best as what you do I suppose. I mean, may the good Lord help us if a major local event or accident occurs after 6pm on the weekdays or anytime during the weekend. Though I’m sure such measures are in place in case something DOES happen. I’m not preaching the highly unfair “fairness” doctrine or anything, I’d just like to see better alternatives locally that aren’t canned or produced elsewhere national content.

I'm of the opinion the local stations should open this time up for local variety programming. I don’t' mean infomercials for the local car lots or latest exercise or diet fads. Let the dozens of students at local broadcasting schools "intern" on these shows towards credit or just to simply hone their skills. Like an expanded version of both Kimberly Kelley’s daily shows.

I’d like to see some comedy/ improvisational shows or local comedy and drama put on by local groups or playwrights. Not just snippets to whet the appetite. The Greenville Little Theatre, the Warehouse Theatre, and The Café and Then Some Players, or other groups of people would be PERFECT for this. I’d LOVE to see local music shows. Personally, Gene Berger and Horizon Records could produce a GREAT weekly show. The Handlebar would be a good setting for local music as well. Shows featuring “Greenville After Dark” or something else cheesy could and would be fun. I understand that there are pretty much a couple of local cable TV channels dedicated to local public affairs programming, I’m writing about local “entertainment” programming,

It seems that the local broadcasting stations are trying to implement a lot of viewer content into their websites or news broadcasts. I’d like to see this broaden. For example: Channel 4 ‘s High School Playbook, while a more comfortable format with the intent of utilizing more local reporting, it lacks the flavor of the original or former “Friday Night Hits” in my opinion.

Other local channels like My40 or the CW- Channel 62, are making gains in the public promotion and information arena- I’d like to see them to more local entertainment. I love seeing the the Greenville Drive games..

But alas, the almighty dollar speaks loudly like it or not and the bottom line is advertising revenue for the local broadcasters. They can’t pay their bills or operate on “good programming” alone. I find it hard believe that advertisers would rather pay for a movie of the week or extreme bicycling in Thailand than local stuff. Of course, these commercials are probably just satisfying other contractual commitments for or by the networks. Until I win the lottery and get a chance to sposor a locally produced show, I’ll have ot be content with the “To Be Announced” or old sponsored movie of the week on Television or the usual infomercials on the radio on the weekends.

No wonder people are going to the internet in droves!!