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Breaking into Dallas radio

D

dallas2006

Guest
Over the years, I've had a few near misses trying to break into the Dallas market.

I interviewed for creative services director at Hot 100 with Carmy Ferreri the week he was blown out. I didn't get the job - which may have been a blessing in disguise!

More recently, I had a phone interview for the MD job at another station in the market. Obviously, I didn't land that one either.

So far, those are the only jobs I've applied for in Dallas. I'm not sure how I should feel about it. On one hand, they both had enough interest in me and my materials to at least do a phone interview - on the other, I didn't land either job.

I've been in the business for a little over 10 years, and have had a lot of success in small and medium markets - a few in the top 50. I speak Selector fluently, I'm great in the production room - imaging and commercial, and I have a consistently strong ratings history behind me. I've been a PD, APD, MD, production director, creative services director and air talent.

I'm not very picky about format or shift. I even wouldn't mind doing overnights - I'm a bit of a night owl by nature.

I'm looking for advice from some people working in the market - people who've been in my shoes.
 
people who've been in my shoes.
>
Bless your heart... Good luck breaking in. Best advice is networking. You have to be known by the people who are in a position to hire you. Trade associations, mutual friends, job interviews, whatever else you can do to make a favorable impression...but why do you want to come to Dallas? The pay isn't much better, and the cost of living is higher. You're much better off putting down roots in a community you love. You could find yourself moving here at your own expense, only to find yourself without a job and without the personal support you may enjoy in your home town. Best advice I have is branch out, do voice and production work where you are, while you get to know your local radio community. With the extra channels coming through digital IBOC, stations will find a need for new content. The competition is pretty tough up here. Guys who have great track records and loads of talent are doing traffic reports now, waiting for their next on-air break. But if you love Dallas, and want to enjoy the big city bright lights, come on! Just take a listen to the Jimmy Dale Gilmore song, "...Dallas is a woman who'll walk on you when you're down"
 
> Bless your heart... Good luck breaking in. Best advice is
> networking. You have to be known by the people who are in a
> position to hire you. Trade associations, mutual friends,
> job interviews, whatever else you can do to make a favorable
> impression...but why do you want to come to Dallas? The pay
> isn't much better, and the cost of living is higher. You're
> much better off putting down roots in a community you love.
> You could find yourself moving here at your own expense,
> only to find yourself without a job and without the personal
> support you may enjoy in your home town. Best advice I have
> is branch out, do voice and production work where you are,
> while you get to know your local radio community. With the
> extra channels coming through digital IBOC, stations will
> find a need for new content. The competition is pretty tough
> up here. Guys who have great track records and loads of
> talent are doing traffic reports now, waiting for their next
> on-air break. But if you love Dallas, and want to enjoy the
> big city bright lights, come on! Just take a listen to the
> Jimmy Dale Gilmore song, "...Dallas is a woman who'll walk
> on you when you're down"
>

Thanks for the speedy reply Grant!

For me, it's really a few different things.

I've done small market radio (barely in the top 200) and medium market radio (top 50) with a few stops between. The work atmosphere is night and day different - even if the pay isn't. Personally, I liked it better in the larger markets.

I also have quite a few good friends living in the area - but they're not in the business. For me anyway, the support you speak of would be there - not in my hometown - or where I'm living now.
 
I did weekends in Dallas back in the mid 80s.
My way in was through a friend who had a friend
working in Dallas who passed my aircheck to her boss.

I appreciate all my friends in this business -- thanks
for the help over the years.
 
I feel your pain. One suggestion. You should have your email listed in your profile. I was going to send you a lead but had no way to contact.

Best of luck!
 
> > Bless your heart... Good luck breaking in. Best advice is
> > networking. You have to be known by the people who are in
> a
> > position to hire you. Trade associations, mutual friends,
> > job interviews, whatever else you can do to make a
> favorable
> > impression...but why do you want to come to Dallas? The
> pay
> > isn't much better, and the cost of living is higher.
> You're
> > much better off putting down roots in a community you
> love.
> > You could find yourself moving here at your own expense,
> > only to find yourself without a job and without the
> personal
> > support you may enjoy in your home town. Best advice I
> have
> > is branch out, do voice and production work where you are,
>
> > while you get to know your local radio community. With the
>
> > extra channels coming through digital IBOC, stations will
> > find a need for new content. The competition is pretty
> tough
> > up here. Guys who have great track records and loads of
> > talent are doing traffic reports now, waiting for their
> next
> > on-air break. But if you love Dallas, and want to enjoy
> the
> > big city bright lights, come on! Just take a listen to the
>
> > Jimmy Dale Gilmore song, "...Dallas is a woman who'll walk
>
> > on you when you're down"
> >
>
> Thanks for the speedy reply Grant!
>
> For me, it's really a few different things.
>
> I've done small market radio (barely in the top 200) and
> medium market radio (top 50) with a few stops between. The
> work atmosphere is night and day different - even if the pay
> isn't. Personally, I liked it better in the larger markets.
>
>
> I also have quite a few good friends living in the area -
> but they're not in the business. For me anyway, the support
> you speak of would be there - not in my hometown - or where
> I'm living now.
>
Grant is right on the money with his advice. My advice is try the Tyler-Longview Market before coming to Dallas. Waco would also be a good step. If your intent is still Dallas,be prepared to do Part Time and have a second job. Doing traffic is not bad,BUT it is so locked up with a buddy system,plus relatives of management.Work on your skills in writing,production and do your research. Be prepared to board op work,news reporting besides announcing. Be open minded on formats,whether its news-talk,country,chr,classical,gospel,adult standards. Accept professional criticism in a professional manner.Finally keep your ego in check,and your overall skills sharp. Be upbeat,positive and do what you may be hired to do with hopes of advancement,but don't advance by undermining others. Good Luck. Keep looking at the TAB.ORG site and post an ad,plus All Access Music Group.
 
> Doing traffic is not bad,BUT it is so locked up with a buddy
> system,plus relatives of management.

You can say that again.

Nepotism knows no bounds at Traffic.Com.
Especially the mother producer who smokes
like a fiend taking a break every 15 minutes
for a cancer stick, and her daughter doing
nothing but instant messaging and playing on
the Hanson website. It's amazing anything gets
done there.

The son of the ops guy works there, and the regional
guy once had his stepdaughter working in the office.
It's downright comical. And if you decide to work there,
TRUST NO ONE.
 
I always thought Market 5 was the place to be... Now that I've had a taste for something smaller, I wonder why I didn't leave sooner.

Dallas isn't all it's cracked up to be. The idea of it sounds really cool, but there's so many guys wanting that same job you're applying for. Many have been around long enough to get to enjoy the good times of radio; others are on the cusp as the era of what they know as radio comes to an end. Others seek shelter at a news desk, or do traffic reports just to stay in the game. It's a matter of prospective. Your friends are your best connections in to the market and the most likely to get you fired. If you really want Dallas, I left a seat cold 3 months ago, it's yours! Out here in the smaller market, for some reason they pay more than Dallas, and I can actually survive on my income!

I guess if you want in the Dallas market bad enough, board-oping and promotions are the best pathways to a PD's Office!

Good luck to you where ever you decide to go. It's all a matter of perspective.

-Doc


> people who've been in my shoes.
> >
> Bless your heart... Good luck breaking in. Best advice is
> networking. You have to be known by the people who are in a
> position to hire you. Trade associations, mutual friends,
> job interviews, whatever else you can do to make a favorable
> impression...but why do you want to come to Dallas? The pay
> isn't much better, and the cost of living is higher. You're
> much better off putting down roots in a community you love.
> You could find yourself moving here at your own expense,
> only to find yourself without a job and without the personal
> support you may enjoy in your home town. Best advice I have
> is branch out, do voice and production work where you are,
> while you get to know your local radio community. With the
> extra channels coming through digital IBOC, stations will
> find a need for new content. The competition is pretty tough
> up here. Guys who have great track records and loads of
> talent are doing traffic reports now, waiting for their next
> on-air break. But if you love Dallas, and want to enjoy the
> big city bright lights, come on! Just take a listen to the
> Jimmy Dale Gilmore song, "...Dallas is a woman who'll walk
> on you when you're down"
> <P ID="signature">______________
Doc Bryce Everybody!</P>
 
I worked there and trusted everyone like I would at any other radio facility.

Ok, so it's bogged down with some politics, and some family members looking for a something to do. What radio station doesn't? Over all it beats working for Metro, the technology is much better, and they hired me even though Clear Channel said I didn't have enough experience to monitor a walkie talkie.

Hell, I could play traffic reporter in my room with a fisher price tape deck and still sound like the pros at Clear Channel. Was that going over the edge?

Look, McCarty didn't know me from anyone and I had to vouch for myself. He needed a warm body to place in front of a mic, and I need a port in the storm even though the KFCD ship was sinking right there in the port. He asked for a tape, I worked some magic, and he hired me. I was and still am a nobody in Dallas, and I got hired over there anyways...

So there you have it! I'm coming back to town to start a seminar and teach everyone of you how to get in to Traffic Pulse with my 3 day workshop that will have you getting that job as if you too where related to a current employee or a lifetime memeber of the "Cowboy Network" all for just $350 (per person)


-Doc

Oh, and don't forget about the guy they hired from Jason's Deli, cause he had no previous radio experience, yet he got hired in while delivering sandwiches. That guy's got a better story to tell than me!



> > Doing traffic is not bad,BUT it is so locked up with a
> buddy
> > system,plus relatives of management.
>
> You can say that again.
>
> Nepotism knows no bounds at Traffic.Com.
> Especially the mother producer who smokes
> like a fiend taking a break every 15 minutes
> for a cancer stick, and her daughter doing
> nothing but instant messaging and playing on
> the Hanson website. It's amazing anything gets
> done there.
>
> The son of the ops guy works there, and the regional
> guy once had his stepdaughter working in the office.
> It's downright comical. And if you decide to work there,
> TRUST NO ONE.
> <P ID="signature">______________
Doc Bryce Everybody!</P>
 
Short and sweet: Office politics rule in this market. If you don't know how and who to butter-up, take some time to master that. And, if you get to be good at what you do, prepare yourself for people to come out of the woodwork to blast you for any number of things. If I had to do it all over again, I would have majored in business. People in this market are unlike any others you've ever met. Make sure you get on their good side.
 
Have to agree with the comments about willing to work at night and / or part-time. I did part-time for KEOM for 10 years (1990 – 2000) before I got promoted to full-time. Had to make plenty of sacrifices along the way like working weekends and holidays and forsaking myself to bachelorhood because I couldn’t afford marriage and raising a family at $6.50 / hour. But I think it was worth it and wouldn’t change a thing even if I could. Thankfully my career plans worked out, now it’s time to find a mate. ;)

I’m not sure I’d recommend a career in radio for someone who already has a family though, unless your spouse is really supportive.

R

> Over the years, I've had a few near misses trying to break
> into the Dallas market.
>
> I interviewed for creative services director at Hot 100 with
> Carmy Ferreri the week he was blown out. I didn't get the
> job - which may have been a blessing in disguise!
>
> More recently, I had a phone interview for the MD job at
> another station in the market. Obviously, I didn't land
> that one either.
>
> So far, those are the only jobs I've applied for in Dallas.
> I'm not sure how I should feel about it. On one hand, they
> both had enough interest in me and my materials to at least
> do a phone interview - on the other, I didn't land either
> job.
>
> I've been in the business for a little over 10 years, and
> have had a lot of success in small and medium markets - a
> few in the top 50. I speak Selector fluently, I'm great in
> the production room - imaging and commercial, and I have a
> consistently strong ratings history behind me. I've been a
> PD, APD, MD, production director, creative services director
> and air talent.
>
> I'm not very picky about format or shift. I even wouldn't
> mind doing overnights - I'm a bit of a night owl by nature.
>
> I'm looking for advice from some people working in the
> market - people who've been in my shoes.
>
 
> Have to agree with the comments about willing to work at
> night and / or part-time. I did part-time for KEOM for 10
> years (1990 – 2000) before I got promoted to full-time. Had
> to make plenty of sacrifices along the way like working
> weekends and holidays and forsaking myself to bachelorhood
> because I couldn’t afford marriage and raising a family at
> $6.50 / hour. But I think it was worth it and wouldn’t
> change a thing even if I could. Thankfully my career plans
> worked out, now it’s time to find a mate. ;)
>
> I’m not sure I’d recommend a career in radio for someone who
> already has a family though, unless your spouse is really
> supportive.

Spiritually as well as financially.
>
> R
>
> > Over the years, I've had a few near misses trying to break
>
> > into the Dallas market.
> >
> > I interviewed for creative services director at Hot 100
> with
> > Carmy Ferreri the week he was blown out. I didn't get the
>
> > job - which may have been a blessing in disguise!
> >
> > More recently, I had a phone interview for the MD job at
> > another station in the market. Obviously, I didn't land
> > that one either.
> >
> > So far, those are the only jobs I've applied for in
> Dallas.
> > I'm not sure how I should feel about it. On one hand,
> they
> > both had enough interest in me and my materials to at
> least
> > do a phone interview - on the other, I didn't land either
> > job.
> >
> > I've been in the business for a little over 10 years, and
> > have had a lot of success in small and medium markets - a
> > few in the top 50. I speak Selector fluently, I'm great
> in
> > the production room - imaging and commercial, and I have a
>
> > consistently strong ratings history behind me. I've been
> a
> > PD, APD, MD, production director, creative services
> director
> > and air talent.
> >
> > I'm not very picky about format or shift. I even wouldn't
>
> > mind doing overnights - I'm a bit of a night owl by
> nature.
> >
> > I'm looking for advice from some people working in the
> > market - people who've been in my shoes.
> >
>
 
>or a lifetime memeber of the "Cowboy Network"...n)

Oh don't kid yourself...THOSE gigs have already started to dry up as well. Ron is not around to protect everyone anymore. Watch what happens the day after the last game.
 
I think Joey Reynolds said it best: to get into major market radio, you need two things: talent, and a friend in the right place...

(He went on to say that the "talent" part is optional...)
 
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