I contacted someone about this who's the same age as I am and he said that a driver's license is imperative to the job. Does that mean it's required? I never knew that before. Are there any PD's here that don't have driver's licenses? This is what I want to be but have no license currently which stinks. I'm working on it though. No one is going to tell me I cannot be a program director just cuz I don't have a drivers license. I have potential. I would like to know for sure though. After all, programming is not promotions.
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Driver's license required to be a Program Director?
- Thread starter icycool7227
- Start date
I'm assuming you have a good reason why you don't have a license.
It's the basic to just about any job.
To an employer, this sends up numerous red flags.
In their minds, any responsible adult over the age of 18 has a valid drivers license.
You will need to give them reasons why not?
a. never bothered?
b. physical?
c. under suspension?
d. still haven't passed the test?
Without your license this limits your employment to "in studio."
Lots of what if's?
What if there is an emergency and they need you to drive somewhere?
What if public transportation is not available where you work?
What if you're needed at a remote?
Unless there is a physical reason, if you never bothered, still haven't passed the test OR
under suspension, you will be looked at as a irresponsible adult. Sorry!
It's the basic to just about any job.
To an employer, this sends up numerous red flags.
In their minds, any responsible adult over the age of 18 has a valid drivers license.
You will need to give them reasons why not?
a. never bothered?
b. physical?
c. under suspension?
d. still haven't passed the test?
Without your license this limits your employment to "in studio."
Lots of what if's?
What if there is an emergency and they need you to drive somewhere?
What if public transportation is not available where you work?
What if you're needed at a remote?
Unless there is a physical reason, if you never bothered, still haven't passed the test OR
under suspension, you will be looked at as a irresponsible adult. Sorry!
It's usually a requirement imposed on the business by their insurance carrier. Even if your job description does not require you drive a vehicle, it's still mandatory. ALSO, many, if not all, employers will run criminal background checks on all prospective employees by their DL number. Just like when you test drive a car, the dealership wants you DL to run your credit while you're on your test drive.icycool7227 said:
icycool7227 said:
You've not been doing this long, have you? Programming is very much promotions, especially in smaller markets (and increasingly in bigger ones too). If you really think that it isn't then you won't go very far as a programmer.
Well, either you've not been doing this long or you're 14.
icycool7227 said:
Think of it this way, would the company risk having a PD that needs to rely on people for rides to and from work every day? I would not, and it has nothing to do with you being a good or bad person. And as 12 In a Row mentioned, what if there's an emergency-- how fast can you get down to the station when you have to find a ride first?
icycool7227 said:
Many people have "potential", and I can see you have a real desire which is great, but you first need experience. My impression from your post is that you're looking into becoming one NOW, rather than starting from the bottom and working your way up. I've heard RARE cases of that happening, and they all occurred back in the 50s, 60s, or 70s. You would probably have better luck winning the lottery, than that happening in today's business of radio.
In my case, I'm trying to get hired and start at the bottom: working my way up from promotions assistant, to someday weekend/swing on-air personality. I'd be happy as that, on a station that I love, but with more time and experience, I'd bet someday I could get a chance in the running of becoming their next PD! Someday many, many, years from now...
I have tremendous respect for Program Directors, especially with the economy as it is today hurting companies and stations. Kris Abrams at KOOL in Phoenix is a good example I could tell you about. Despite all the horrible things that have happened this year, ratings have increased and he's made changes that brought the station back up again (though without the same caliber of talent). But I can go on and on... Good luck in the future!
Lauren
J
JustPastBuffalo
Guest
Bit of a tangent here. The Chief Engineer of Regent Communications' Buffalo cluster does not have a driver's license. He's never seen a transmitter, could never see the tower lights flash. Yet, he's one of the best radio engineers and I-T professionals in America. His name's Bill Stachowiak and he's blind. Known as "Bilnd Bill," he's an inspiration to anyone who's ever wanted to be in radio and engineering in particular. I've seen him repair equipment and trouble-shoot problems as well as or better than any sighted engineer might perform. To hear him say to an assistant while working on a circuit, "You're looking for an electrolytic cap, it has a yellow insulator" is as poignant as it is funny.
Not so long ago, I knew of a PD who suffered from epileptic seizures. His condition, at the time, prohibited him from driving or holding a license without medical clearance from a doctor and admittedly there were occasions when management was very concerned about his capabilities and providing medical treatment if he endured a seizure while working. He provided a "cheat sheet" so fellow employees could assist him if a seizure occured at work. When the proper medication was developed specific to his condition, he was permitted to drive (with certain restrictions.) During the years that he was not able to drive, he never missed a staff meeting, airshift or promotion and he was one of the best on-air PDs you'd ever want to hear. His employer realized this and treated him very well. I suspect his Social Security number and Voter Registration card sufficed when corporate policy required identification.
And as a light-hearted rejoinder to the statement "program is promotions," I'd only say "damn, I was always told it was about sales!"
-JPB
Not so long ago, I knew of a PD who suffered from epileptic seizures. His condition, at the time, prohibited him from driving or holding a license without medical clearance from a doctor and admittedly there were occasions when management was very concerned about his capabilities and providing medical treatment if he endured a seizure while working. He provided a "cheat sheet" so fellow employees could assist him if a seizure occured at work. When the proper medication was developed specific to his condition, he was permitted to drive (with certain restrictions.) During the years that he was not able to drive, he never missed a staff meeting, airshift or promotion and he was one of the best on-air PDs you'd ever want to hear. His employer realized this and treated him very well. I suspect his Social Security number and Voter Registration card sufficed when corporate policy required identification.
And as a light-hearted rejoinder to the statement "program is promotions," I'd only say "damn, I was always told it was about sales!"
-JPB
icycool7227 said:
When you start working somewhere, the employer must complete a Federal I-9 form and attach two it two pieces of ID that would indicate you have legal status to work in this country. Anybody that does not produce a Drivers License and a Security Card "rocks the boat". This means somebody has to call somebody to make sure some other proof of ID is acceptable, and that person may have to call somebody else. By now everybody is saying: "What's up with this? Who is this strange person?"
We have a naughty little story in our family where someone got caught with their hand in the drivers license cookie jar. Oldest child went to New York City for 6 years following college. Didn't need a DL. So she thought. Let it expire. Then the truth set in. You need a DL for ID even if you never drive. She came back to her home state on a holiday and went to renew her license and was told: You don't exist. You have never had a license in this state! Dad went to the State Capitol and got to the bottom of the story. We couldn't tell the state why we knew they were wrong. We would have had to explain that under-age Little Sis had indeed gone in, claimed to be Big Sis, reported a lost license, and got a new one with the picture of Little Sis on it.
Lot's of luck on getting to be PD without one.
JustPassBuffalo,
Wow! I'm glad I caught your post and I just had to mention what a truly inspiring story that was about Bill Stachowiak! That's really amazing.
As for the PD, I will assume he's not 20-something and totally new. Companies would probably be less worried about somebody who's known to do their job, be on time everytime, and providing those medical emergency "cheat sheets" really show going above-and-beyond. Drivers' License or not.
Thanks for the refutation and great stories. At least these people have reasons for not having a Drivers' License, but if somebody's totally capable yet doesn't have one, I think a number of things could be assumed about that person.
Wow! I'm glad I caught your post and I just had to mention what a truly inspiring story that was about Bill Stachowiak! That's really amazing.
As for the PD, I will assume he's not 20-something and totally new. Companies would probably be less worried about somebody who's known to do their job, be on time everytime, and providing those medical emergency "cheat sheets" really show going above-and-beyond. Drivers' License or not.
Thanks for the refutation and great stories. At least these people have reasons for not having a Drivers' License, but if somebody's totally capable yet doesn't have one, I think a number of things could be assumed about that person.
KOOL Listener Lauren said:
Pleased that you found the story inspiring. A picture of Bill can be found on the Buffalo Broadcast Pioneers website. Just scroll down.
Although assuming (we all know the adage) and generalizing can sometimes be completely wrong, I concur with your opinion. There may be some people who live in intensely populated urban areas such as NYC of Chicago who have no need for a driver's license because of extensive mass transit facilities, but this being 2008 (nearly '09) having a driver's license is a rite of passage that almost every person goes through. Like me, the people I mentioned in my initial post have been doing this "for some time
"
Douglas B. said:
Credit checks are performed with your SSN, not your DL. Some states use your SSN for their DL numbers but most now give you a choice to use it, or optionally, a randomly assigned number.
DL's are used to verify your driving record (should you be applying for a job which requires driving) and can be used in addition to your name, address and birth date for a criminal background check.
Most states' motor vehicle departments can now issue an official picture ID which is useful for ID purposes but does not allow driving.
Dealerships usually ask for your DL to provide a means of ID in case you attempt to make off with their vehicle. Believe it or not, there are cases where some idiot gave the dealer their DL, had it copied, then stole the test ride.
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