FINANCIAL PAIN BEHIND THE JOKES AND LAUGHS!
We all know just how financially difficult the year 2009 has been. Cursed by a cataclysmic economic downturn many American owned businesses are struggling to survive.
But if you turn on 97.9 The Box all you'll hear are upbeat on air personalities. You'd think the economy was doing great. The disc jockeys and personalities have one goal in mind, to keep you listening and laughing. Behind all the smiling faces and jokes is serious pain. Stressful pain felt by the employees of Houston's #1 hip hop radio station.
The Insite had a chance to sit down with Box morning guy Madd Hatta. He says no one is interested in what goes on behind the scenes but I beg to differ. What goes on behind the scenes at the radio station is what I call sacrificial entertainment. More than 100 employees of the radio station have endured tremendous sacrifices to keep their listeners entertained.
The Insite has learned the workers at the Box have taken pay cuts. Some of their hours have been scaled back. Others are working an additional day like Hatta.
Sitting behind his brown tinted sunglasses he says it's what they have to do to survive in the tough economic climate. The Box is owned by Radio One. It's a company that has over 60 radio stations around the country and as a result of the economy many of their properties are struggling. Hatta is quite aware of the that. The morning show personality knows if there aren't sacrifices his show and the jobs of others could disappear.
Hatta says he and many of the staffers decided to accept the cuts and make the adjustments to stop the hemorrhaging. He says lots of people were being laid off by the company. A trend many media outlets and broadcast properties are experiencing.
So, the next time you tune into the Box remember the sacrifice those on air personalities are making to keep you smiling on your way to work!
Sucks and I have love for a lot of folks who work in radio. But um, its the suits who have no connection to the people who shoul dbe taking paycuts and being fired. Allow the airwaves to represent the people and play more songs and really give a more well rounded view of the world and maybe they would be more successful. Listenership is down because the people in charge have no vision. If Hatta was in charge, the Box would be in better shape. If the DJ's hands were not tied, the station would be in better shape. But everytime this stuff happens they just tighten the reigns up even more and the station falls off even harder. I LOVE Hatta, Brandi, man, most of the folks on the Box, but I mean, come on now man. Make better radio and maybe your station will do better. That goes for all commercial stations across the board. Have you listened to rock radio lately? WOW. Its horrible.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad day when the only cutting edge music on the radio is on either the CLASSIC rock or CLASSIC soul stations. KTRU, KTSU and KPFT all do their jobs, but I mean, wouldn't it be great to have a commercial, urban station actually programmed by folks who REALLY love and know the music and aren't afraid to take chances?
Cry me a river. I don't wanna see any of my people lose their jobs, but um, if they do, I blame the suits.
Also, FREE WILLIE D!
What up Isiah my bro!
matt sonzala
Also I did promotions in the "Box Posse" for the first 2 years the Box existed. Remember those days??? They came out REALLY repping for Houston hard.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I want to hear Hatta and Crazy C on Straight from the Streets again, anyone got any old tapes? NOW THOSE WERE THE DAYS!
Yeah, I'm old and angry, oh well, I got to keep it real.
Also, FREE WILLIE D!
Free Willie D
ReplyDelete