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Great Radio Wisdom

L

LNO Rigby

There's a BUNCH of words flying around in our unique industry, but every know and then, some of 'em contain such Truths as will stop you in your tracks. Here are a few that have guided me along the way.

From The Great And Terrible Pat Walsh:

"There ain't but one set of ratings that matters worth a d***, and that's How much money did you make?"
"If you're gonna believe the good numbers, you have to believe the bad ones, too."
"People don't buy stuff, you sell it to 'em."
"Secrets? Hell, there ain't any secrets. All you have to do is play the hits and have fun!"

From The Incomparable Ray Lincoln:

"Hey, this is Radio. When we screw up, nobody dies."
"Never trust a man who's first name is an initial."
"The only thing research proves is that research works."

Perhaps you'd be willing to share some of the Wisdom that you've gleaned?
 
From Yogi Berra:

"In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice.  In practice, there is."

"Non-conformists are all alike."

Anyone who's been in radio for any length of time knows both of these statements are true. 

And anyone who's had do deal with prize pigs and the like knows that there are a lot of people in the world who are not happy unless they are not happy.
 
LNO Rigby said:
Perhaps you'd be willing to share some of the Wisdom that you've gleaned?
Click to expand...
Sure, here ya go:

From a PD of mine, a long time ago: The mediocre are always at their best.

From my grandfather: Good enough, never is.
 
Ray used to also say "It's radio... not rocket science...."

I was telling my wife earlier tonight how much I miss him just about every day. Doesn't seem like it's been a year and a half that he passed.
 
gjdodger2 said:
"Never say anything in the presence of a microphone that you wouldn't want your grandmother to hear."
Click to expand...

My first day as a PT'er, some 22 years ago, the guy training told me: "Never say, 'Oh s**t, the mic's on!'"
 
Radio is a vast, barren wasteland,
A long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs.
There is also a negative side.

Hunter S. Thompson
 
I still like David Treadways views on goof on the air: He will say, "Did anybody die?"  or "This isn't brain surgery."

He's one cool dude.
 
For me, the best tidbit of wisdom came during my news days. It allegedly came from the old A.P. stylebook:

A burro is an ass.
A burrow is a hole in the ground

As a responsible journalist, you're supposed to know the difference. ;D
 
Musicradio said:
I still like David Treadways views on goof on the air: He will say, "Did anybody die?" or "This isn't brain surgery."

He's one cool dude.
Click to expand...

In a time long ago...in a land far, far away...there was a much younger girl as green as you could be in radio who barely knew the difference between a speaker and a mic. She had caught some lucky breaks and the luckiest of all was to share an office with Mr. DBT.

I was that young girl who didn't know a thing about radio. He gave me the encouragement I needed to get over a bad case of mic fright and he convinced me to trust in myself. More than anything he was a true friend and bless his heart he put up with me. LOL!

Tread, I know someone's going to make you read this and you're going to turn a thousand shades of red but YOU are the reason I succeeded in this business. When anyone asks me who my "mentor" was in this business, I'm awfully proud to immediately say David B. Treadway.

I've said on here before there's no one that can segue between songs like David. In and out and leaves you rolling on the floor with something original and witty...all within a few seconds and rarely misses a beat.

These days most listeners listen for the music not because the music is all that grand but because there really very few radio personalities on the air anymore. David B. is one the best I've ever had the pleasure of knowing but more than that people listen to hear him NOT just for the music.

You guys at US Stations got a jewel...now, give him a raise!
 
inthebag said:
Radio is a vast, barren wasteland,
A long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs.
There is also a negative side.

Hunter S. Thompson
Click to expand...

LMAO...okay, hands down...that would be the best radio quote ever. But man, don't you just love it?
 
u-j,
I know this only because I am a big follower of WLS.

Lujack's actual commment was, "The eagle does not hunt flies".

He was referring to a question from a guy wondering if he was worried about competition from Bob Sirott, who had started doing mornings in Chicago at that same time.

Bob once worked at WLS.
 
In his book "SuperJock" Uncle Larr uses the "worm" reference, if memory serves. I didn't read it yesterday, but that's been my recollection for 30 years.
 
Great Radio Wisdom?

"It's only Radio."

"You're only as good as your last air shift."

"It's your show, it's your Arbitron book." ;D
 
GRW...grrrreat thread!
Some stuff I've heard:

"Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em it, tell 'em what you told 'em" (more of a news reporting tip)
Richard Hildreth (former Broadcaster/Professor SIU, Carbondale)

"Want to be happy and program a station the way you really want to program it? Buy it first!"
Dr. John Lynch (another late Broadcast Professional/professor SIU)
- he also fired Tom Snyder once!

"NEVER, EVER leave your production work up (especially if you used salty language getting the take just so)"
"me" after a class from a local middle school toured the station
and I inadvertently played the wrong cut.

"NEVER, EVER play a production cut left up on the monitor not created by you without first auditioning it first!"
"me"

Finally, since someone mentioned Larry Lujack, I recall a rumor of what reportedly another great Chicago personality said, which supposedly cost him his job. Does anybody remember an air comment allegedly made by I think Dick Biondi in the early 70's at Super 'CFL? It had something to do with the mini-skirt or hot pants making the fashion scene. It went something like...if fashions keep going along the present trend, ladies will be combing a bit more hair and powdering a few more cheeks. Great fodder for sure, but just wondering if anyone else recalls hearing that some 35 years or so ago.
 
"There's nothing constant but change"

John Long told me that over 30 years ago at WHBQ (I'm sure it wasn't original to him, but it was the first time I had ever heard it). It defined radio then, and hasn't stopped yet.
 
u-j,
I read it in a story in the Chicago Sun Times, dated August 27, 1987 -- the title, "Radio Stars Salute Lujack's Legacy".

Jonathon Brandmeier was telling the story aout having Sirott as his competition. Larry said, "The eagle does not hunt flies".

He may have said it differently in his book.
 
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