[BC] My SBE Suggestions

[Jerry Mathis]

>From: Mario Hieb <reader at oldradio.com>
>Reply-To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>To: broadcast at radiolists.net
>Subject: [BC] My SBE Suggestions
>Date: Thu, 19 May 2005 14:25:12 -0700
>
>At 06:29 PM 5/18/2005, you wrote:
>>I look forward to hearing more about these techniques in the form of 
>>positive, beneficial suggestions.
>
>
>Chris,
>
>You say you are interested, so here are my suggestions for SBE:
>
>1. REALLY embrace the concept of appropriate pay for engineers.

Surely the experience of labor unions shows this does not work. When the 
price of Engineers gets raised artificially, they'll either 1) hire 
Engineers who aren't SBE members; 2) Reduce the number of Engineers on staff 
even further; or 3) Rely on factory tech support and purchase equipment less 
likely to need Engineers.

NOT that I consider Engineers to be overpaid! But you can't artificially 
raise the worth of Engineering in each and every situation.

>Communicate this with the membership.
>2. Negotiate with the NFL to get the GDC's paid appropriately.
>3. Set a minimum educational standard for membership.
>4. Include a Canon of Ethics quiz on certification exams.
>5. Form a Professionalism Committee.
>6. Have an Ethics Consultant on retainer.
>7. Study other professional organizations. Learn what makes them strong.
>8. Form a Life and Safety Committee. It could be similar, or part of the 
>EAS committee. Focus on Life and Safety issues that affect the public, i.e. 
>RFR, lock-out/tag-out, lightning, structures, etc.
>9. Explore state licensure for broadcast engineers.

Puh-LEASE! Spare us all the requirement of proving to each and every state 
that we know how to do our jobs. Usually involves a "license" and a 
"Professional Services" fee. We need this like we need jumpered interlocks.

I'm not an SBE member (yes, I should be) but this is one thing that would 
affect me even so.





Jerry Mathis
Clear Channel Radio, Tupelo & Meridian MS