D'Andrea and the Current Crop

[DXDXDX]

There has been some talk on this board about personalities with, let's say, more than a few years experience. No, I'm not DD's son! However, I do think he's one of the best to have turned on a mike in the market. But lets go one step further.
Where did DD develope his talent? Did he go to college? Does he have a "degree" in broadcasting? I suspect not. Why would he? What is the purpose of going to college to earn a "degree" in radio? When you take such a course of study, are your professors well known radio or television people? Do they have tons and tons of experience in major markets? Did they work at a CBS-FM, WIBG, KTLA, WCFL, WLS, KDKA, KQV??? Or, did they read radio in a book and perhaps spin a few records at the college "station"? Oh I see. After a few hours in the classroom they'll let you work at the college "station". "College station" Yes...do whatever you want radio!

Imagine taking a real broadcasting course with real radio people and the track record to prove it! Your Prof being a Cousin Brucie, Wolfman Jack, Larry Lujack, Dick Biondi etc! Imagine working at the college station which is REAL...with a strict format, format clock and PD calling you about the dead air!

I've seen many. They waltz into the station expecting you to bow down because they have a "degree" in radio. Let me tell you about the "college graduates" who didn't know how many innings there were in a baseball game, who didn't know how to pronounce the name of their senators, who can't pronounce the word "temperature" correctly. I remember one graduate of Penn State radio who called that city of the Pirates "Picks-burg" and the German car a "Volts-wagon".
There was another who refered to the Boston Celtics star as "Bob Cow-zee".

College radio degrees...forget it!

 

[BIGDICKD]

Don't know who you are DXDXDX, but you have the right idea. I got started by watching "board ops" at local stations and then said what the hell I felt when I got a chance from one great guy, Cary Simpson. He gave more people a chance than a priest. I like your way of thinking. I remember my dad and I talking about college. I told him what i wanted to do and he told me there's no better school than experiencing it from the bottom up. He was right and I was making a living at it before most my age hit Juniors in college. Of course that was then. Don't know what will happen in the future. Seems like there IS NO place for anyone to go to learn....and from who?

 

[Snafu]

Not many first line universities have "radio" degrees. Most never did. College radio stations were, and still largely are, student labratories. Just like any lab accidents happen, things get broken and people learn they can't really do it by failing over and over and over again. That's part of the college experience too. Student radio stations are not professional by any means, nor should they be. They are a learning tool.

I've met Lujack on about a dozen occasions and worked with at least one other person who belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. While I learned a number of useful life lessons from each of them I can tell you that neither would amount to much in the classroom. Would be like getting Mario Lemieux to deliver a lecture on how to skate without ever hitting the ice.

 

[AvgListener]

There has been some talk on this board about personalities with, let's say, more than a few years experience. No, I'm not DD's son! However, I do think he's one of the best to have turned on a mike in the market. But lets go one step further.
Where did DD develope his talent? Did he go to college? Does he have a "degree" in broadcasting? I suspect not. Why would he? What is the purpose of going to college to earn a "degree" in radio? When you take such a course of study, are your professors well known radio or television people? Do they have tons and tons of experience in major markets? Did they work at a CBS-FM, WIBG, KTLA, WCFL, WLS, KDKA, KQV??? Or, did they read radio in a book and perhaps spin a few records at the college "station"? Oh I see. After a few hours in the classroom they'll let you work at the college "station". "College station" Yes...do whatever you want radio!

Imagine taking a real broadcasting course with real radio people and the track record to prove it! Your Prof being a Cousin Brucie, Wolfman Jack, Larry Lujack, Dick Biondi etc! Imagine working at the college station which is REAL...with a strict format, format clock and PD calling you about the dead air!

I've seen many. They waltz into the station expecting you to bow down because they have a "degree" in radio. Let me tell you about the "college graduates" who didn't know how many innings there were in a baseball game, who didn't know how to pronounce the name of their senators, who can't pronounce the word "temperature" correctly. I remember one graduate of Penn State radio who called that city of the Pirates "Picks-burg" and the German car a "Volts-wagon".
There was another who refered to the Boston Celtics star as "Bob Cow-zee".

College radio degrees...forget it!

You hit the nail right onthe head with that one. Granted I went to Point Park University to study Journalism and Communications. They had many options to study in I chose radio annd let me tell you they demanded a lot. Everyone in that field had to intern at least 3 or more Station you had learn pronunceation classes Plus you had to know the in's and outs of radio. PPC had a student run station that anyone could have a shift but it was the guys like us who live and breathed it everyday that taught to the people who wanted a radio show. Also we learned from the people in the the Pittsburgh radio Biz. From the guys over at DVE to the pros over at KDKA Radio. I'm Glad I went to Point Park University they put us inthe real world of radio. So the people who go Penn state learn all theory and never get any hands on exp. that's why they think their ($#*%*) don't stink. they need to work the realworld

 

[Stranger]

Time was, you could learn this trade by doing. Not so true anymore. This shifts formal schooling into a much more important position than previously. Unfortunately, many schools aren't able to carry out that responsibility. Often, teachers are under-qualified, inexperienced and unaware of conditions in the so-called real world. Equally bad are those who are or were top professionals, who know their stuff cold but can't convey it effectively to the students.

With "clusters," syndicated programs and automated music rotations now the rule not the exception, it's hard to learn on the job. And current staffs are so stretched, they have little time to train. With the pay scale so low outside the top 20 or so markets, there's little incentive for a good beginner to stay in the business for long.

Journalism? There are many fine J-schools. Most of the better ones rightly focus on newspaper reporting and editing. The thinking -- also rightly -- is that there are relatively few radio news jobs and the number keeps shrinking. (Of course, newspapering is shrinking now, too.)

Television is a completely different animal. And many people who claim interest in TV news are really interested in TV stardom. This does not bode well for the future of American journalism. Or American radio and TV. Or American democracy.

It takes a high degree of self discipline, drive, talent, knowledge and patience to land in this business today. And the rewards are hardly worth the effort in many cases.

Kudos to those who try.

 

[fryman]

No need to "paint the Penn State people with a broad brush". Point Park or Park Point sounds more like a corner diner or perhaps a good urology school. Perhaps if you had "natural talent", you wouldn't be going to school to get a break in the business. Many of the radio greats broke in the hard way.

 

[Snafu]

I hear Point Park's student station on a regular basis and know several members of the faculty there. It isn't any better or any worse than 99% of other student radio stations across the country. The faculty do push the kids harder than Pitt or Duquesne, but not as hard as the kids at Penn State. I've been very happy with the interns I've had from Penn State since Doug Anderson took over the program and have been happy to see more than a few of them land in major markets.

 

[AvgListener]

I hear Point Park's student station on a regular basis and know several members of the faculty there. It isn't any better or any worse than 99% of other student radio stations across the country. The faculty do push the kids harder than Pitt or Duquesne, but not as hard as the kids at Penn State. I've been very happy with the interns I've had from Penn State since Doug Anderson took over the program and have been happy to see more than a few of them land in major markets.

That's Good hear Snafu. Name one Faculty member of the J&C department just so I know you not blowing smoke

 

[Snafu]

Not that I'd really care about the blowing smoke part but......

Hellen Fallon has her work cut out for her organizing the J Department into a full bown COM school. That takes a lot of money and more than a little good luck.

Also worked with Paige Beal about 30 billion years ago in a radio station far, far away.

 

[GoToGuy]

Cary Simpson would out ANYBODY on the air who didn't ask for more then minimum wage.
That is a fact.
God Bless Big Gene...that boy was a legend.
He would fall asleep on the air and you would just hear the pthhut puthhut puthhut of the end of the record going round and round.... and no... he wasn't fired.

 

[JB1011]

I went to Point Park as well and was very active with the student station. But, when I got there, I was going in with 5+ years of commercial experience already. I actually spent 6 months working in the same building as DD, and I loved every minute of it.

I didn't learn radio from Point Park, or WPPJ. I learned radio from radio people; by doing it. I started by board op'ing Penn State games for less than minimum wage. I cracked a mic at 16 on an old LPB Sig II and cracked open a cart machine case to fix it before I was 17 - and I'm not that old!

Point Park radio was a great experience, but overall PPC was a waste of a whole lot of money.

And AvgListener, my name drop is Dave Fabilli. I'm probably the last person he would have ever wanted to succeed. But I did. ;D

 

[BIGDICKD]

Aw, now you guys have the idea. Cary Simpson did more for future radio broadcasters than any college program ever did. Not blasting college but Cary was the best in the late 50's into the 60's. so you worked for $100 every 2 weeks. Hell when channel 10 hired me from there in January 1961, the offered me $97. I told myself I'd take a $3 cut in pay to get to the "big time". I singed my first contract thinking I was making a few less bucks, but what the hell. I found out my second week at WFBG-AM-FM-TV that was $97 PER WEEK. Man did I have it made. Went right out and bought an extra jar of pomade.

 

[mp3killedtheradiostar]

I agree... talent is born and found, not taught and forced... I, myself, am a college student AND work in local radio- real radio, that is, not college radio. I feel like.. what the hell? There are kids out there trying to get an INTERNSHIP with this company, and I freakin' work for them!?! This will hopefully pay off in the future. Best professional experience of my life thus far... and I'm sadly falling more in love with radio than I ever thought I would =) Shhh, dont tell my Mom... she thinks I'm studying for 5 hours a day instead of being on the air for that long hahaha =)

 

[AvgListener]

I went to Point Park as well and was very active with the student station. But, when I got there, I was going in with 5+ years of commercial experience already. I actually spent 6 months working in the same building as DD, and I loved every minute of it.

I didn't learn radio from Point Park, or WPPJ. I learned radio from radio people; by doing it. I started by board op'ing Penn State games for less than minimum wage. I cracked a mic at 16 on an old LPB Sig II and cracked open a cart machine case to fix it before I was 17 - and I'm not that old!

Point Park radio was a great experience, but overall PPC was a waste of a whole lot of money.

And AvgListener, my name drop is Dave Fabilli. I'm probably the last person he would have ever wanted to succeed. But I did. ;D

Ok When did you go to PPC. As for Dave Fabilli he is a great teacher of radio and producton. Did you work with Lumpy Ant Drew Greg. Reason I ask is we Wrote and produced must of the liners bumper comedy bits. I just wanted to know what you contributed other than just doing a shift there

 

[GMV]

All this talk about Cary Simpson, Dick D'Andrea, and the lot brings back such great memories. Cary gave me my first paid announcing job, and I worked with Dick D'Andrea in the late 60s @ WFBG (along with Wes Maley, Dick Richards, Big John Riley, Charlie Ritchey, among others.) Today's radio cannot be half the fun that it was "back in the day."
Don Fox

 

[BIGDICKD]

Glad to hear from you again "foxy" I remember you were the only person at the station who could get 2 people under the console and still do a show!!!! .

 

[GMV]

It's nice to be remembered, but I'm not so sure that's the legacy I want to be remembered for! Fortunately these days more people associate me with the Robin Williams movie "Good Morning, Vietnam." My tenure with the "WFBG Good Guys" was sandwiched between my gig with Armed Forces Radio in Saigon and my foray into news and management in various New York markets. Nevertheless, I look upon those years in Altoona as the Golden Age of local radio. To quote the Mary Hopkins' song: "Those were the days, my friend."
Don Fox