Behind the Tiny Desk and other listener questions
1Digest
The podcast begins with listener questions about the economic landscape, specifically focusing on the decline of brick-and-mortar retail in downtown Seattle and the lack of rent reductions to attract businesses. The hosts discuss the impact of online shopping, the pandemic, and crime on retail trends, highlighting the challenges faced by landlords in adjusting to these changes. The conversation then shifts to the economics of NPR's Tiny Desk concert series, exploring its popularity and the factors that contribute to its success. The hosts explain that the series doesn't generate revenue from YouTube views due to music rights held by publishers and labels. They emphasize the organic growth of the series, starting with smaller acts and eventually attracting big-name artists. Finally, the podcast addresses a listener question about employee turnover and retention, discussing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The hosts explain that while the Bureau tracks turnover and retention at the industry level, specific company data is not publicly available. They highlight the importance of retention as a sign of employee satisfaction and institutional knowledge.
Outlines
Retail Trends and Empty Storefronts
The podcast explores the decline of brick-and-mortar retail in downtown Seattle, discussing the impact of online shopping, the pandemic, and crime on retail trends. The hosts also discuss the challenges faced by landlords in adjusting to these changes.
The Economics of NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts
The podcast explores the economics of NPR's popular Tiny Desk concert series, discussing its popularity and the factors that contribute to its success. The hosts explain that the series doesn't generate revenue from YouTube views due to music rights held by publishers and labels. They emphasize the organic growth of the series, starting with smaller acts and eventually attracting big-name artists.
Employee Turnover and Retention
The podcast discusses employee turnover and retention, exploring data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The hosts explain that while the Bureau tracks turnover and retention at the industry level, specific company data is not publicly available. They highlight the importance of retention as a sign of employee satisfaction and institutional knowledge.
Keywords
Brick-and-mortar retail
Physical stores that sell goods to customers in person, as opposed to online retailers. The decline of brick-and-mortar retail is a significant trend in the modern economy, driven by factors such as the rise of e-commerce, changing consumer preferences, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tiny Desk Concert
A popular concert series hosted by NPR, featuring artists performing in a small, intimate setting at NPR headquarters. The series has gained widespread recognition for its unique format and for showcasing a diverse range of musical talent.
Employee Turnover
The rate at which employees leave a company, either voluntarily or involuntarily. High turnover can be costly for businesses, as it disrupts operations, reduces productivity, and requires time and resources to recruit and train new employees.
Retention
The ability of a company to keep its employees for extended periods. High retention is generally considered a positive sign, as it indicates that employees are satisfied with their jobs and the company culture.
Online Shopping
The purchase of goods and services over the internet, which has significantly impacted traditional retail businesses.
Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the economy, including the retail sector, leading to store closures, supply chain disruptions, and changes in consumer behavior.
Crime
Criminal activity, which can negatively impact businesses in urban areas, leading to decreased foot traffic and increased security costs.
Retail Sales
The total value of goods sold by retailers, which can be used to measure the health of the retail sector.
Q&A
Why are so many storefronts in downtown Seattle empty, and why aren't landlords lowering rent to attract businesses?
The decline of brick-and-mortar retail, the impact of the pandemic, online shopping, crime, and lagging retail sales are all contributing factors. Landlords are hesitant to lower rent because it could negatively impact existing tenants.
How does NPR's Tiny Desk concert series make money, and how do they get such famous artists to participate?
The series doesn't actually make money from YouTube views, as the music rights belong to publishers and labels. The series gained popularity organically, starting with smaller acts and eventually attracting big-name artists.
Are there publicly available records of employee turnover and retention at large companies, and is there a consensus about what an ideal amount of turnover is?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks turnover and retention data at the industry level, but not for individual companies. Retention is generally considered a good thing, as it indicates employee satisfaction and institutional knowledge.
Show Notes
Tiny Desk Donation Page
Related episodes:
Anatomy of a Layoff (Apple / Spotify)
Pay Cuts Vs. Layoffs
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