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I want to work in Radio.

I would caution those of you who are downplaying the need for higher education from making the assumption in this forum that "I don't have a college degree and I'm doing fine, so you don't need one either." For every one radio professional who is employed at a station, how many more are there who aren't employed in radio and can't find a job? The number is surely staggering, and I'd bet my savings that every one of you saying "I don't have a degree and I'm fine" knows at least one other talented person -- probably more -- who can't get a job in the industry. That reason is why I encourage young professionals to at least consider getting some education.

You absolutely should never, ever be a one-trick pony when it comes to job skills; that applies to radio, television, and any other career field you want to toss out, and one of the surest ways to keep that from happening to you is by getting some education. I can tell you from personal experience that a college degree saved my entire professional career when one of my old bosses decided to start paying me in peanuts. And Chris is correct that it's a good idea to learn more than just radio; again, that's why going to an accredited institution is an idea to consider and one of the big reasons why unemployment is low among the population that has bachelor's degrees.
 
I'm sure not discounting a college education but I will say this: passion and good work morals count for a lot.

I have seen entry level positions where the degreed person was specifically not hired. Why? The thinking, as trivial as it might be, was that the program director felt pulling somebody off the street and 'teaching them my way' beat any other candidate. If you'll bother to reflect on your first program director, many green jocks sang their praises as being exceptional because they had nothing else to compare the PD's way to doing things.

If you are simply wanting to be 'on air', get out there and network and make friends all across the dial. If you want this to be a career, then consider a degree. I didn't need one. My passion and love of radio was all I needed. I've been a GM of a top 10 market station since '93 but I've also managed stations, jocked, been a PD, done sales and been a Sales Manager. Being on air didn't get me to where I am. I was lucky enough to have people that took me under their wing.

There are lots of unemployed radio people because radio is changing. If I'm running a station and need to hire someone, I'll look to fill the position with the best person as quickly as possible based on their attitude, my belief they can handle the position and if I can trust them. When I'm hiring, I'm trying to fix a problem. I don't have the luxury of waiting and considering a good number of people but am looking to lessen the stress on my staff as quickly as I can. A college degree is not a consideration but their ability to perform the job and function positively within the organization is. And my pay scale is set by the owner. I can't pay you more because you have a degree because I have no wiggle room.

Even so, knowledge is what cuts it in radio. A degree gives you an edge on knowing what you need to know.
 
There are two distinct conversations taking place in this thread. There is the: "I want to work in radio... how do I do it?" thread. My contribution to that part of the conversation is: The changes that will take place in radio in the next ten years are likely to boggle-the-mind. It will be a place for survivors. For a young person to begin a college degree program today, and because he/she is also working in the industry at the same time probably means the degree is seven years out in the future. Who in the room is smart enough to tell me what radio will be like seven years from now, and what will be the guidelines for employment and promotion and career.

Here is the other conversation that is going on: Radio has ALWAYS been something that many people THINK they want to do, and they jump in and give it their best, and after 4, 7, 15 or 20 years they come to realize, they really need to be somewhere else doing something else. Radio as we know it is not something that tends to prepare people for a graceful event when they see the need to fly-the-coop. If you are young and entry-level radio today, and five years from now it becomes obvious to you for some reason that radio is never going to allow you to "grab the brass ring".... get some advice on how brutal the market-place is for people 25 to 35 years old who have NO CREDENTIALS for any other industry.

Yes, there are a bunch of us who are short of hair on the top of our heads who can tell you some colorful tales about our working years and how we got to where we are today..... but we did that in previous decades when EVERY INDUSTRY did things differently than today.

I hear that maybe the Budweiser distributor may be having a hard time finding truck drivers... but someone close to me just moved out of that line of work. "The young guys are going to have to do this. I'm just too old to keep doing the work-load". So if you reach age 45 and realize radio has no further place for you, or you find you can't man-handle all the beer on-to and off the truck... where do you go look for a new career at that age? There used to be commercials that said "This is NOT your father's Oldsmobile..." and THIS is NOT your father's job market. Get the bloomin' degree or a certificate from some kind of technology.

The way state legislatures and passing these laws now days... consider getting some medical technology training. Someone is going to have to do all those vaginal probe procedures! ;D
 
When TV became popular in the 50s, Radio had to adapt or die...and it did. When FM became dominant in the 70s, AM had to adapt, and did.
Radio is still adapting to the digital age, with the smartphone playing the role of the transistor radio.
It will survive in some form or another...and they'll be some underpaid idiot like me playing music, giving away prizes, and having way too much fun doing it to get a real job. The delivery method is going to change but the basic skillset is the same. Learn all you can...even those pesky FCC regs.
To the OP: Get that degree. You WILL need it. Maybe not right away but you will. I finished mine in 2004...21 years after high school.
Management. engineering, and sales pay better, and most stations will let you do an airshift to keep your hand in. If you want it badly enough, you can make it happen. Most of us veterans are always happy to answer questions or give advice, as we were in the same spot as you once. I'm not sure what Radio is going to look like in 20 years but I'm damn sure going to be part of it.
 
I've seen lots of folks that said they always wanted to be a jock in radio. They tried it and changed their mind, generally in about 6 months. It just wasn't what they thought it was. They had to jump into the deep end to figure it out. Maybe the best advice is to get on anywhere so you can see if it's right for you. If you start and love every minute of it, then you can choose to get a degree if you desire.

I actually had a friend that decided they wanted to teach school. He got his degree, got state certification, got his first job, hated it and tried for a second position in another area and still hated it. That happens sometimes.

To the original poster, you're in the business as a board op already. Start visiting some stations and expand your connections. Already being in the business is a real positive, especially if you're currently employed in the business.
 
disclaimer:

WXXR/AM - Cullman - no longer in existence - 94-96 - carts, football games, auburn football, mostly weekends, management knew me, i tried to help. fortunate to get a job. loved it.

WXXR/FM - Cullman - also no longer in existence - 96-97 - new FM that was eventually sold and moved out of market. All of a sudden we covered three counties. That was cool. Saturday morning oldies show, occasional remote broadcasts (i always engineered, i wasn't good "onsite"), sunday morning gospal show. I think I watched every ep of "in the heat of the night" over a year and a half on Sunday mornings. Not a gospal fan.

WAVH - oldies / WZEW - "AAA" - Mobile AL - 1999-2000. Gawd I loved it. Best moment was when my "ex" heard me on the air (she used to hang with me in Cullman at XXR) and had to call in to say hi. That was a nice moment. :) Learned from people who had been doing it for a while but frankly learned the guys in Cullman taught me just as well. Discovered "AAA" music, still love it, still listen to the Zew. (and bham mtn radio, and lightning 100 out of nashville), learned the less management knew about you, the more you could do and the less you were at "risk" of anything. Be dependable, answer the phone when your PD calls. I was a college student, working another job for my "savings" money (web services, univ. of south alabama), the radio gig was my "food" money - my "play" money. There were times when both WZEW and WAVH (in same building) scheduled me to work both days - - cause the stations didn't talk to one another and had different program directors. Fun times. And people were "scheduled", but they'd voice track and pay you to board op their shifts. Automation was beginning to take off but the didn't have everything on the computer yet. Thank about it - 99 and 2000, no stable OS yet really, windows 98 was less than stable and win2k was just coming out.

disclaimer - i am and always have been a computer buff. We had an automation computer based computer in Cullman in 1995 - running on DOS. I edited the autoexec.bat file to reboot the station automatically in the event of an OS crash - which would happen if someone did not schedule a commercial break in a mandatory slot. At times, the computer would be down all weekend and wouldn't play any spots - lots of $$$ lost. My little reboot program saved that money. ( I ran a BBS system at the time, i knew a lot about automation)

Fast forward to today - 2006 - I took a weekend gig (landed it on a myspace chatroom, literally) at WQLT in Florence. Worked there nearly a year - took 'em less than a month to move me from overnights to saturday afternoons and sunday evenings - two of the most popular weekend shifts. That station is unique - - staffed 24/7. Most aren't. I'd say 98% aren't.

I work in information technology now. A lot. In fact, I make good money. But I am also my own boss. My other skill sets certainly helped me get where I am today - both in radio and in my personal career.

Something I haven't seen mentioned here - much to my surprise - is "Oh, you're OVERQUALIFIED". happens more often than not. I hear it from my friends on facebook all the time.

Radio has the power to be COMMUNITY minded - heck, you could run a complete studio on a laptop now using a 4g connection (or even a 3g connection) on a cellphone and sound as good if not better than coming from the studio itself.

Curious to keep reading this thread....
 
This is a very interesting thread.

When I was at college (Florida State University) I had a part-time job that I hated (microfilming) so
I began applying at every radio station in town.

And was turned down by every last one of them.

Given that "no" was not an acceptable answer, I made friends with some local DJs. A couple were kind enough to let me come in and watch how they did their shows. One night I was board op for a sports event. Regular DJ walked me through it but said just keep it to yourself. I did friend the PD but he never hired me. Some of these folks did tell me about another station in town that hired overnight board ops pretty regularly.

The other station's manager was doing a remote one afternoon and I got Mom ( I am legally blind and don't drive) to stop. I was literally shaking, but I went up to him and introduced myself.

"I have several of your resumes that I found recently," he told me, "and I need a very part-time overnighter. How about every Friday night from midnight to six, starting in a couple of weeks?"

That is how I got my start, in October of 1979.

I retired from a different station in 2004 because a.) there was a family situation that I felt was more important and b.) My boss at that time was making decisions that I knew would sink the radio station in short order. (My intuition was correct.)

For the past few years I have been semi-retired. I have written for Radio World a few times and right now am planning to file for an LPFM. My family is intact and healthy, and although tne decision to leave nine years ago tore me up, I knew it was what I needed to do. Although, being on the beach right now is a little boring.

I also have learned a lot about baking. If I can't sell ads maybe I can sell cookies, right?

Best wishes to the original poster. I hope you find the right gig.
 
The college degree question is contentious amoung people who work in fields outside radio too. It appears to me that we went from an era where you didn't need a degree, to another era where you absolutely had to have one, and now back to "it's not a bad idea but not necessary for everyone".

I know people in a variety of fields making no money despite having graduated from accredited institutions. Just because you choose to major in say, graphic design, doesn't mean you have the aptitude for it. You might squeak by in class but in the real world, that portfolio is going to matter a lot more.

Some people making 6 figures writing computer code taught themselves at 15. Some went to college, some didn't. College can be good, or it can be a waster of time and money. There are a lot of variables.
 
May I pass on some advice given to me by my Boss (the FIRST one) in 1958.
After working weekends for about 6 months, we were having coffee one morning and he asked "whadda you think about this business" I told him I would like to own my own station someday. He said:
" Learn to do every job in the station to the best of your ability...that way you have more value to the company. Get to know the engineer and pick his brain...you may have the aptitude to pick up that knowledge,too. Be kind to everybody, but do not take any sh** from anybody!"
After 55 years in the business, and owning multiple stations, I recently retired. I owe it all to that early morning cup of coffee. the more you know...the further you go! JBI
 
Countrymusiclover90 said:
Hello, I want to ask a very serious question. How do I get started on the air at a radio station?
I have worked for a few years as a board opp at a local radio station, but I am ready to move on to an on-air spot. Several people (including radio professionals) have told me I sound great. I have applied at almost all of my local stations and no one is hiring, or I haven't heard back from them. I do not have a degree in broadcasting, but I was told that was not neccessary just as long as I have the talent. At the station that I board opp for, their is no opening at the moment for on air. So, any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hey Countrymusiclover90, I just sent you a private message. Check it out and get in touch with me if it helps. R2D2
 
jboyd, what a great experience. I only have 35 years in the business but I have been very fortunate as well. A jock that worked several stations in Dallas/Fort Worth saw himself in me and took me under his wing. I had a patient boss in my first job, a managing partner that thought I'd be good in sales and finally an owner that taught me the nuts and bolts of running a station. I want my next step to be ownership, if nothing else to live my lifetime dream. I still love radio every day and cannot imagine working in another industry. Luckily, I had folks that took me under their wings and taught me sales and management. I worked for some jerks along the way, but not for long and if nothing else they taught me what not to do. I'm sure you have wonderful memories and some great war stories. May your retirement be like being a kid: you do anything you want, when you want and get a check for doing so each month.
 
bturner: Thanks for your kind comments. I still maintain my engineering office, and maintain the equipment for the new owner. She is a single mom who has been my manager for the last six years
and I feel she will continue the successful pattern of the stations.
Not sure where you are, but if you are ever in North Mississippi, would like to meet you so we can share some war stories. My office is at 1040 hwy 6, west...Batesville, Ms.
Keep the dream alive! JBI
 
Hi jboyd. Thank you for the great comments. I'm in Northwest Houston (Cypress, Texas) at KYND 1520. Likewise, if you make down this way, would love to meet you and lunch is on me.
 
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