Any Radio/Former Radio People on the Forum?

by Robdar 24 Replies latest jw friends

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  Robdar

  I did radio broadcast for about 20 years. Whereas I am thinking of doing it again, I hope that it doesn't come down to it. Unless I can do morning drive again. That was a good time and I enjoyed having a partner.

  Rayzorblade used to be in radio too. We were talking a couple of weeks ago about how so much has changed in the radio field. I blame consultants for the bad changes. It seems that after they got a hold of radio, nothing has been the same. Also, de-regulation by the FCC has caused all manners of turmoil in the industry.

  I am such an old timer that I remember having to make my own sound effects for the spots that I recorded. That has certainly changed. Now you can get all the sound effects that you want on CD. And I miss splicing. Now, you just use the computer software and hit a couple of buttons and, walah, you have a perfectly edited ad.

  The last radio station I worked at had gone completely computer. All the songs and all the breaks were right there in the drive and on the screen. No more seg-ways, no more mixing. This got on my nerves because I felt that I had lost control over the flow of my show. It also irked me that I seemed to be becoming a liner reader. No fun was allowed. You can bet that if I had fun on the air, I would get a phone call from the program director telling me that I sounded great, I was funny too, but to stick closer just reading the liners. GOD, THAT SUCKED!!!

  I want to know if there are any radio people on this forum. I know that Francois told me that he used to be in radio. I am hoping that he will join this conversation.

  If you were in radio, what were some of your funniest experiences? What about your bad experiences? Were you ever stalked by a listener? This happened to me twice. Once was so bad we had to bring the FBI into it. This was before the anti-stalking laws.

  Would you get back into radio? Do you miss it? What was radio like when you were a young DJ?

  I am off to work at the art gallery. I will check back later to see how the thread is going.

  Robyn
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  RAYZORBLADE

  Raises hand!! Over here...over here!

  Hey Robdar, that's great you started this post.

  It was so neat to find out after speaking with you a little while back, that you too, did radio. Mind you, your voice could melt car speakers and stereo systems: you have an awesome radio voice (REALLY!).

  I believe Francois has done similarly.

  Myself, I worked with community radio. Much smaller scale. I was an on-air host at a local Toronto community radio station: C K L N - F M 88.1 ( 7 Years )

  Great experience. The thing I liked was that I had 100% input into my programming and the music I played, but I remained actively involved in the music community and assisted bands with getting airplay and promotion. It was fun, but being that I was in a real true ultra left-wing environment, the coups were always happening: happened on the other 2 community FM stations as well. People with some very wacked out and personal agendas. In one instance, the plan backfired, and the wacked out crew quit and one was fired.

  I miss my radio show, but I don't miss the station. It was run badly and unfortunately, it appears to be in great disarray.

  But I loved my on-air moments, interviews, music arrangements, and my occasional wit and humour that I pulled out my head at a moments notice.

  I still have 1000's of tapes of my on-air moments. It's interesting to go back and hear them.

  Anyone else?

  Thanks Robdar, great thread. Oh, I could go on and on, on my passion for radio.
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  Francois

  Yep, I was in radio beginning in October 1963. We had a remote transmitter so everyone who worked on the air had to go get a Radio/Telephone 3rd Class License. We had two Spotmasters, which are sort of like 8-track tapes on hormones (only one track), two turntables, and a very small Gates control board. Believe me, the smaller boards with fewer switches and gain controls are harder to work since each thing on it does multiple duty depending on where something else is set. The best thing about radio is the radio disk jockey groupies - god love em.

  Before it was all over ten years later, I had worked at two or three more radio stations, two television stations and a newspaper. I loved all of it and changed my major from organic chemistry to journalism.

  From what I hear now, radio is no fun. Stick to the format and push buttons. Screw that.
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  talesin

  i volunteer at a local university station - the only rules are NO top 40 stuff allowed. anyone can have their own show. it can be music or talk, from 1/2 hr up to 3 hrs (mostly overnites). right now, i'm just doing office stuff, but when i make up my mind on a topic, i think i'll give it a try.
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  arrowstar

  Robyn -

  Oh my...I haven't thought of those days in ages. I was never the "on-air personality". I was one of the voices in the commercials. It started in college. We were all in theatre together. Phil was working at the local radio station in Nacogdoches as the late night jock. One night he called my place asking where everyone was and did I know where to find them. Now you have to realize this was before cell phones and pagers. You had to actually dial a phone. I told him "Well, they all here. We're watching the Tony Awards." So, after the awards, we all caravaned up to the station. Seems that there was a new account and there needed to be some commercials made to air during the lunchtime news on the AM side. Yes indeed...Monday through Friday during the lunch hour I could be heard promoting Adam & Steve's House of Carpet in Nacogdoches, Texas. You should have been there. We came up with the scripts. We made the sound effects. It was a riot. Heck, I still remember some of my lines.

  Thanks for bringing back a sweet little memory of a great time.

  Arrowstar
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  BONEZZ

  Wow..you guys are dregging up lotsa memories. Got into radio in '75..yep expecting to be the first to report on Big "A" ..as I was a back-slidin' JW associate (born into it but not baptised). Started with a provisional license and finally got my 3rd phone. Very exciting...actually got into it to meet chicks and I was painfully shy so I figured if I could do that I could pull myself outa my shell. To this day I have no problem in from of a crowd if I have a microphone..and a program or support crew...but stick me in front of crowd, as in public speaking, and I freeze....go figure. Worked at lotsa stations, mostly afternoon drive (country and rock), one morning gig...lotsa production. Changed over to TV producing in the 90's, but still do lotsa voice-overs in my neck of the woods...in fact I do so many for different agencies, and I'm pretty cheap, I'm known as the V-O Hoe. Just recently put together a short form show that a syndication company is working on getting out there to a whole buncha stations I hope. Gotta go to eat right now but I gotta come back to this thread and maybe email some of you other fellow radio freaks...remember Bob & Ray...Stan Freeberg...gimmee a few minutes.

  BONEZZ
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  berylblue

  Did a few radio spots for former "Boss Jock" Long John Wade's broadcasting school, does that count?
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  ApostasyDuJour

  http://www.meria.net/

  Meria is known as "the mouth that roars". She is the #1 internet-only talk radio show host...... and she's an ex-JW!
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  ninecharger

  Any type of recording/ radio work has become less fun. I remember the days of dying (or groaning) to hear the last take if this was the one to use? Now it's just push the eliminate button on mistooks and it goes out... But in your heart you know people are not listening to your best work.

  The upside is we don't have to always work until 5 in the morning any more.
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  talesin

  hey, if you folk really miss broadcasting, why not get involved with a community based station like the one i work at? there's no controlling, you can build your show however you want. i live in a v small city - i wud be surprised if that option is not available to you.

  ... just a thought