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Employee takeover of KFAX and KDOW last night?

JON BRUCE said:
In our 5 station cluster if there is dead air our C.E. is called on his cell. But if a wrong network show or two things play at once there is no way of knowing what is going on. We have some periods of time when no one is in the building. Even during the times when 1 jock is on the air live at one of the stations only a bank of on air lights is in front of him. If a light goes on he can go to the indicated studio to see if the audio has failed. If that is o.k. he can check the transmitter and attempt to turn it back on if needed. But if he goes on a rant and someone calls the front office to complain it will only be left on a voice mail to be heard the next morning at 9am.
 
JON BRUCE said:
In our 5 station cluster if there is dead air our C.E. is called on his cell. But if a wrong network show or two things play at once there is no way of knowing what is going on. We have some periods of time when no one is in the building.

This is such a shame. My opinion is that if station management chooses not to listen to their stations, why should they expect an audience to listen to them? In ye olden days, someone had to listen to air. What with digital delays and such, it's disconcerting to listen continuously in real time, but I still think that the FCC should require station operators to monitor air for each station at least a 2 or 3 times an hour for maybe half a minute or something. It's no great strain and would go far in eliminating a lot of the automation problems that exist today.
 
Sadly, don't think the FCC requires anyone to listen or monitor at all. Even more sad, nobody noticed. You'd think the C.E., P.D., G.M., or someone would have gotten up in the middle of the night to hit the can, and switched the station on for a few seconds to check if the programming was ok.
 
SFStatic said:
Sadly, don't think the FCC requires anyone to listen or monitor at all. Even more sad, nobody noticed. You'd think the C.E., P.D., G.M., or someone would have gotten up in the middle of the night to hit the can, and switched the station on for a few seconds to check if the programming was ok.

A link on the original Free Republic thread indicates that the offender was the PD....at least at one time.

---Michael Hagerty
 
THE Employee who tookover KFAX and KDOW that night

....let's start this out with a SPECIAL thanks to the Christian gentleman who felt it necessary to post the audio of my "meltdown", "crack-up", "drunken rage (?)" and everything else my "episode" has been called, right here on Radio-Info! You've definately got at least one vote for "Class Act".

So, I'm the guy behind the audio, the incident and all that came with it. What do I gain by exposing myself here? Nada. I can say that thanks to therapy (which is in its early stages, but going nicely, thanks) that my self esteem is actually more intact today than it has been in the past many years! Yup, the Christian radio queer is gonna do just fine, God willing.

Ladies and gents, haven't we ALL felt anger before? Hasn't the state of one of your stations along the way driven you to something near insanity? ...and if not, what station/company was that, we'd all like to know. My anger consumed me...NOT a good thing. Yes, I did feel a bit Howard Beale-ish from "Network". Yet, I'm thankful this ending has only cost me a job, a career and a whole lot of money. Hell, maybe this can be some sort of example and something good can come out of this! Be aware of yourself, your limits, your hopes and aspirations... ALWAYS be true to yourself. Oh, and maybe appreciate the differences we posses. Some would agree, it’s these differences that help keep this crazy world of ours spinning.

Well, best to YOU! Life truly is to short, for me at least, for hate.

...we now re-join our regular broadcast already in progress:
 
We're all glad you didn't hurt yourself. Ironically, the kind of self-expression you indulged in that night was once a staple of San Francisco radio at stations like KMPX, KSAN and KPFA, where you would have been encouraged to find some music that went along with what was on your mind.

Salem, of course, is not one of those types of companies.

---Michael Hagerty
 
This is such an interesting story... Most of us have wanted to do a "take over" at some point in our career. I'm curious if there is anything new? What has happened since then?
 
Re: THE Employee who tookover KFAX and KDOW that night

BnRinBayArea said:
....let's start this out with a SPECIAL thanks to the Christian gentleman who felt it necessary to post the audio of my "meltdown", "crack-up", "drunken rage (?)" and everything else my "episode" has been called, right here on Radio-Info!

Oh, come on; it was good radio. KFAX hasn't had good radio since the late 1960s when Allan Pierce produced "The Ever-Changing Transcendental Multilingual Two-Ton Mustard Seed" program on KFAX. If nothing else you got people to listen to KFAX who otherwise wouldn't be. (And believe me, it's torturous to listen to KFAX these days.)

So, I'm the guy behind the audio, the incident and all that came with it. What do I gain by exposing myself here? Nada.

No, you get fame here, and most people who work mic-side in radio want fame. You could have remained anonymous, but you didn't. There's ego involved. It takes a certain amount of ego to work in broadcasting at all.

I can say that thanks to therapy (which is in its early stages, but going nicely, thanks) that my self esteem is actually more intact today than it has been in the past many years! Yup, the Christian radio queer is gonna do just fine, God willing.

If you'll recall my early post on the matter, I predicted that if you got over the first day or so everything would get better.

Yet, I'm thankful this ending has only cost me a job, a career and a whole lot of money.

A whole lot of money? Salem doesn't pay crap. Or are you talking about restitution for vandalism?

Hell, maybe this can be some sort of example and something good can come out of this! Be aware of yourself, your limits, your hopes and aspirations... ALWAYS be true to yourself.

As a ***, you don't belong working for Salem. Those guys are cretins. If you're going to work for a station putting on "Christian" programming, go work for KDIA/KDYA, where the people there have a healthier attitude about things: They don't believe in the crap they put on the air; they work there because they love working in radio. Plus, KDYA's (1190)gospel music format is awesome.

Well, best to YOU! Life truly is to short, for me at least, for hate.

Well, nobody hates you here. At least I don't think so. I think the only hateful people are the management at Salem. After all, they could have kept you employed and helped you work through your problems. Instead, like many "Christians" they abandoned you in your hour of need. Think about it. Your "Christian" brethren couldn't even see fit to help you when you need it most.

You're good to be rid of them.

And remember, I'm a fellow gay broadcaster myself, so I know where you're coming from. I've also come out on the air, which in retrospect was a kind of dumb idea because nobody cares. People who listen to the radio don't care who's playing the music or sliding the pots. Heck, for the most part they don't even know their names. It took me a few years to learn that lesson. Today if I were to go back on-air somewhere, I wouldn't reveal anything about my sexuality, just as I don't reveal my home address, my phone number, or any other personal things. It doesn't matter to most listeners, and to the listeners to whom it does matter, you don't want those folks to know!

Just take a moment to wallow in your moment in the history of Bay Area broadcasting. But, really, you should have blown up during a shift when more people were listening, which for KFAX could be difficult to find...
 
That was very interesting to listen to. If christian radio was always that much fun, it would get way more numbers.

However, I do not agree with threatening to hurt yourself if they take you off the air. Doesn't actions like that deserve police actions, like getting charged with a 5150 (danger to yourself)?
 
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