Time poor content directors missing new talent

As the sun sets on Melbourne’s renowned Radio Training Institute, new talent have even fewer options for formal training in radio skills. Despite this and Southern Cross Austereo’s new Hubble Talent Development, which provides no clear details as to how new talent ought to pitch themselves, new talent is still making an enormous effort just to get themselves heard.

Whilst content directors, such as Adrian Brine from Fox FM Melbourne, share details of boxes being delivered to his desk with plastic feet inside, inscribed with the words “Now that I have my foot in the door”, it’s clear that across all Metropolitan markets, poor time content directors are missing new talent, as they just don’t have the time to listen to them.

Written applications and emails are in such abundance, they are rarely explored for the senders potential. Yet the talent pool, with training, is drying into a puddle, some networks are now exploring immigration as opposed to talent development, certainly a more expensive option, albeit quicker to market.

Whilst the standard air-check is around 90 seconds, new talent have an impossible task to try and showcase their history, background, skill set, creativity and talent into a minute and a half MP3, let alone actually getting it heard. The industry traditionally makes locating and contacting appropriate personnel within a station difficult, or in some cases, near impossible, again escalating the frustration new talent are faced with.

A creative approach to getting the attention of those in the industry could be the production of a resume and job application into an audio performance, throwing away the 90-second requirement, with a view to creating a piece of entertainment that becomes viral, although showcasing real content. Time poor CDs will need to listen or not be across what the competition is also hearing.

Most CDs are listening to something or someone, driving to and from work, albeit by car, bike or on foot. This is the uninterrupted time that Content Directors have an opportunity to discover the new talent that really is making an effort to be heard, or potentially the assistant wanting the kudos for finding the next voice to be syndicated, perhaps after a little polishing – but earning them the next step up in their career.

Almost every CD states their love of developing new talent, yet few have the time or will to actually do it.

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BILKO
18 May 2018 - 5:30 pm

OMG! just the belly laugh I needed on a Friday! well done Charlie !

BILKO
18 May 2018 - 5:41 pm

this is the best job application I have ever heard!!!!! THANK YOU

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