Where the rubber meets the road

This is the quandary that I have been in these last few months:  Time, as they say, is money.  The end product might not seem like it, however, this blog takes up a goodly amount of time.  There is the writing, research, taking pictures, editing, and whatnot.  Then there is back-end stuff, updating software, plugins, etc.

Then there is actual money expended: domain registration and website hosting.

In short, it is not free, at least not for me anyway.

I did place a few Google Ads in line with some of the content to offset the money part, which they have met that goal, but not much else.

While it is nice to have a hobby, and fun to tell stories about radio engineering, in the end, it really does not help me earn more money, support my family, advance my carrier, or my standing in the community.  The children are young, but that will not stay that way for long.  Before I know it there will be braces to pay for, a car or two, a college education, and whatever comes after that.  Not to mention my own superannuation to look forward to, with such considerations as adding to the retirement account.

There is another shift in my status coming up, with my wife off to work again as a school teacher.  I find there are not enough hours in the day to work the part-time radio engineering gig and meet the school bus to offload the children.  Therefore, something has to give, that being the part-time radio engineering gig.

I am, therefore, looking for ways to make money at home.  Developing this blog or turning it into a full-fledged radio engineering news website might be fun, but it would be much more work, and there is the rub.  I can’t do more work on this site without seeing some return.  I don’t mind working, in fact, I enjoy working, but I can’t do it for free.

So, I am open to ideas on how to monetize this blog or develop it into something else that will make some money.  The third option is to let it go…  I’d rather not do that.

Radio World Redux

I was reading the July 14th radio world, online because I still haven’t subscribed, and found this blog quoted by the editor.  More specifically, on page 4, the editor writes about this post where I debate keeping my radio world subscription.  Without actually naming the blog, asks how well he (the editor) is doing his job.

One of my aims in writing this thing is to provoke thought.  The fact that the editor of Radio World is asking his readers about the direction the publication is heading is a sign that, at least in one case, I have been successful.

My other aims are:

  • pass along useful information
  • tell my story
  • write stuff (I am compelled to write things)

Regarding Radio World itself, I still read the digital version of the magazine found on the Radio World website.  The importance of impartial reporting of radio broadcasting’s technical issues cannot be overstated.  These days there are many pressures being applied to Radio in general from things like the FCC, Big Group Radio, MMTC, Ibiquity, NPR, the recording industry, and others.  Some of these groups do not have the radio industry’s best interests in mind, but rather are looking to improve their take.  Indeed, some of the schemes proposed are technically flawed or downright destructive.  Biased reporting degrades the integrity of any publication and diminishes its value and when it comes to the most-read technical trade magazine, that is alarming.

I applaud Radio World for its recent publication of articles that bring to light HD-Radio’s technical issues.  That is a welcome development and such things should continue.   Technical writers need to be technically minded people, not someone that retypes press releases.  When it comes to new technology, the hard question need to be asked and answered, that is a reporter’s job after all.

A quick one (while he’s away)

Radio is not what it used to be.  Sure, the roaring nineties and zero zeros (or whatever you call this decade) were great for the owners.  They sold, bought, consolidated, laid off, installed automation, made redundant, and so on.  Those that got out before the summer of 2008 made a lot of cash.

They also left the industry hurting.  Our competition is keen on eroding whatever revenue is still left in radio, and that competition is large and multiple.  New technologies like ipods, iphones, PCS phones, and whatever other wireless mobile device they thought up to 5 minutes ago, is trying to gain our listeners.  Satellite radio, which is more like meh, who cares, is making small inroads.  But worse than all of that, we have ourselves.

The rot is increasing and it is from the inside out.  Everyone is looking to cut expenses.  The easiest way to do that is automation.  Those stations that have not already automated are likely to, which will further exacerbate the radio losing listeners problem.  I mean really, how many more crappy bland “mix” formats, or satellite-syndicated talk radio formats do we need.  We are already swimming in a sea of mediocrity.  And who gets to take care of all these high-tech gizmos that keep the stations on the air?  Usually the Engineering Department.  So, we get more work, for the same, or less (by the time inflation is calculated in) money.

That trend has to stop.

It is not irreversible (yet).  The station that stands out, can win, and win big.  That is all for now, I look forward to writing about radio engineering.

We came in?