These days with radio budgets tighter than Joan Rivers' face, a common casualty has been the station consultant. The client rosters of many leading consultants have dwindled, leaving these advisers with idle hands. All The Excess! asked several of them just how they're passing the time as they ride out the recession.News/talk consultant Anne Drogynie: "I've been bidding on PPMs on eBay, plus I've been getting my hands dirty restoring a vintage Mack truck to its original mint condition."
Jake Fredericks, of Classic Rock firm Frederated Media: "Nobody's commissioning our research projects, but we're still doing them. Lately we've been studying the impact of social networking on agoraphobic people. And in our spare time, we try to pick up PPMs on eBay."
Sales consultant Eddie Gourmet had no clients going into the recession, so he's maintaining status quo, he says. "When I'm not bidding on PPMs on eBay, I'm sharing my skills with customers at Best Buy."
It's business as usual for CHR adviser Art Decko, who spends his time critically monitoring stations in the top 100 markets. Art hotlines jocks when he hears dead air or content that doesn't interest him, whether he's calling a client station or not. "I'm also bargain-hunting for the best price on PPMs on eBay, Craigslist, wherever," he confessed.
Smooth Jazz consultant Boney Orlando, faced with a shrinking number of stations in his format, says he's actually busier than ever. "Kenny G and I meet daily to go over each other's airchecks, and lord knows there's plenty to work on there. I'm also learning to be a barrista. Oh, and if I can just nail one more PPM on eBay I'll have a complete family four pack!"
