Well, gosh darn it, it's that time again- SC ETV Radio's marathon of rattling a stick in a bucket for money.
They started last evening, canning their usual schedule for a Gerber's baby food selection of music you've heard ten thousand times, if you've heard it once. But not even all of a piece- just a random movement, the easier to cut off, say, the Beethoven violin concerto in mid-bowstroke last night and start pitching how much you can show your love for the network by sending them money.
Host Grant Jackson, a heavy breather at the mike, highlighted ETV Radio's endless problem: it's a law somewhere that if you're peddling culture to people in the form of classical music, you ought to know what you are talking about.
I wasn't reassured when Mr Jackson told me, several times in an hour, that for $75 I could have the CD, Romantic Piano. It features, among other chestnuts, works by the French composer "Sah-tee-ay."
That's spelt "Satie."
It's like having Wimbledon announcers who don't know how to pronounce Eastern European players' names.
I checked ETV Radio's website to see what else I can get for my money. I can show my love for Victor Borge, who died twelve years ago, for as little as $65 and as much as $275. If I had ADD and was Loving It, I could get various books and CDs for $80 to $200.
If I was a fan of the group Celtic Woman, which is coming to Greenville February 14; prices $41-$65 at Ticketmaster), I'd be perplexed by this choice (abbreviated in the original):
John Denver's been dead fifteen years but still commands premiums at ETV Radio.
Although ETV Radio moved into new studios last November, there's something disquieting about the management of an agency that shows no shame talking of how it managed its previous facilities (hello, donors)-
“Originally over at radio, we had seven rooms operating,” said Skip Beach, who planned and supervised the construction and equipment installation. “But over time, equipment started failing and we just closed doors and locked them. And we ended up with only two usable production studios over there.
“And that’s been terrible.”
- and is so cheap it made its employees act as a construction crew:
Not only did ETV not use tax dollars to build, it relied on staffers to do the technical and crucial wiring work.
“All the wiring, all the backend stuff is done by our staff,” O’Bryon said. “It’s truly remarkable.”
“It’s been done so meticulously,” Shari Hutchinson, the general manager of ETV Radio and director of national radio projects, added. “Instead of having an outside contractor come in here, and then have somebody have to figure out what the scheme is, they’re doing it and doing it with such great care.”
They started last evening, canning their usual schedule for a Gerber's baby food selection of music you've heard ten thousand times, if you've heard it once. But not even all of a piece- just a random movement, the easier to cut off, say, the Beethoven violin concerto in mid-bowstroke last night and start pitching how much you can show your love for the network by sending them money.
Host Grant Jackson, a heavy breather at the mike, highlighted ETV Radio's endless problem: it's a law somewhere that if you're peddling culture to people in the form of classical music, you ought to know what you are talking about.
I wasn't reassured when Mr Jackson told me, several times in an hour, that for $75 I could have the CD, Romantic Piano. It features, among other chestnuts, works by the French composer "Sah-tee-ay."
That's spelt "Satie."
It's like having Wimbledon announcers who don't know how to pronounce Eastern European players' names.
I checked ETV Radio's website to see what else I can get for my money. I can show my love for Victor Borge, who died twelve years ago, for as little as $65 and as much as $275. If I had ADD and was Loving It, I could get various books and CDs for $80 to $200.
If I was a fan of the group Celtic Woman, which is coming to Greenville February 14; prices $41-$65 at Ticketmaster), I'd be perplexed by this choice (abbreviated in the original):
- $100.00 Celtic Woman Believe: Live DVD
with vocalist stars, Chloe Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Lisa Lambe and Celtic violinist Mairead Nesbitt, performing classic Irish songs and inspirational songs, Celtic Woman continues their signature sound; 22 performances, 1:35 running time including extra materia - $150.00 Celtic Woman Believe DVD & CD
with vocalist stars, Chloe Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Lisa Lambe and Celtic violinist Mairead Nesbitt, performing classic Irish songs and inspirational songs, Celtic Woman continues their signature sound; 22 performances, 1:35 running time including extra materia
Although ETV Radio moved into new studios last November, there's something disquieting about the management of an agency that shows no shame talking of how it managed its previous facilities (hello, donors)-
“Originally over at radio, we had seven rooms operating,” said Skip Beach, who planned and supervised the construction and equipment installation. “But over time, equipment started failing and we just closed doors and locked them. And we ended up with only two usable production studios over there.
“And that’s been terrible.”
- and is so cheap it made its employees act as a construction crew:
Not only did ETV not use tax dollars to build, it relied on staffers to do the technical and crucial wiring work.
“All the wiring, all the backend stuff is done by our staff,” O’Bryon said. “It’s truly remarkable.”
“It’s been done so meticulously,” Shari Hutchinson, the general manager of ETV Radio and director of national radio projects, added. “Instead of having an outside contractor come in here, and then have somebody have to figure out what the scheme is, they’re doing it and doing it with such great care.”
I'll take on most any handyman project, but I stay away from the stuff that involves wiring. Too much at stake in terms of potential for electrocution, fire, damage to expensive equipment, etc.
ReplyDeleteAs to Shari Hutchinson's comment that the work is being done "with such great care," when you're working with electricity, it damn well better be done with "great care," or someone, somewhere is going to end up dead or badly hurt.
Let's just hope they're better at doing their own wiring than they are at running a television station.