After a Facebook post from a 40-something considering a career in radio recently turned into something much bigger: an unfiltered look at how people inside and outside the industry actually feel about it, one comment stopped me in my tracks!
“This isn’t a perception problem. It is an actual problem.”
That line changes everything. Because in my last column, I suggested we have a belief problem. That people don’t see radio as a viable career anymore.
But, after reading through dozens of responses, I’m not sure that’s entirely true.
This isn’t just about perception… It’s about experience.
If you strip away the emotion, the frustration, and even some of the bitterness in these comments, what you’re left with are a few very clear themes.
Compensation.
At the top of the list! Multiple people pointed out what many of us already know—on-air talent is simply undervalued. One comment painted a picture that’s hard to ignore: sales teams driving new cars while talent struggles to make ends meet. That’s not perception. That’s reality. So, who’s willing to step up and set the pace?
Stability.
There’s a growing belief that, even if you succeed, you’re still not safe. Cuts that started years ago for efficiency have turned into cuts for survival (just look at the past few weeks). That creates an environment where long-term career planning feels impossible. I can speak from personal experience, for sure.
Content.
This may be the most important point of all. One comment said it plainly: music alone is not content. In a world where the creator economy continues to grow and digital platforms dominate attention, radio’s value proposition is being challenged in ways we can no longer ignore.
Structure.
Debt, consolidation, and shifting business models have fundamentally changed how radio operates. Some argue that these forces—not talent, not training—are at the core of the industry’s challenges.
Not every comment was negative, though.
Some talked about longevity. Some about passion and the love of the craft.
Others pointed to something I found particularly interesting— students are still intrigued by audio. Not necessarily “radio”, as we’ve always defined it, but audio in all its forms: podcasts, production, storytelling, and yes, even local radio.
There’s still interest.
There’s still curiosity.
There’s still an opportunity.
But it looks different.
Here’s where this gets uncomfortable.
In my previous column, I suggested solutions:
- Training programs
- College partnerships
- Building our own “farm” system (sidebar – did that open a proverbial can of worms!)
I still believe in all of that.
But here’s the absolute truth:
Training people to enter a system that isn’t working, doesn’t fix the system. If we want new talent, we must do more than attract it. We have to deserve it. If radio wants to be seen as a viable career again, the focus has to shift from messaging to substance.
That means:
- Competitive compensation – not just within radio—but against other industries. No corporate lip service. Value these people as they should be. Without them, there is no radio.
- Reasonable stability for programming staff, which includes on-air talent. Build a culture of trust and loyalty with total transparency. Equip them for longevity.
- Real investment in innovation and skill development. Create the room for the $$$. Honestly, reevaluate where the investment is going—and make sure it reaches the people creating the product every day and those who will be part of the station’s future. CEO’s get paid enough. Let’s build from the ground up rather than the other way around.
- A broader definition of what “radio talent” actually is in 2026 – not just in the studio but on socials, online, and in-person.
And yes, training programs should still be part of the equation.
But they can’t be the only answer.
The bottom line is, we don’t just have a talent pipeline problem.
We have a value proposition problem.
Before we ask why fewer people are choosing radio…
We need to make sure it’s a choice worth making. Owners and CEO’s, the ball is in your court!
