J
JM_pstar
Guest
Re: Here's why it didn't work
Thank you, Kent! I found your information to be very helpful. I'll be sure to keep your message on hand for future reference.
I certainly hope that I'm on the right track so far. I currently go to high school and am on good terms with the daughter of the owner of DMC Broadcasting (which currently owns and operates four of the radio stations here, two of which have on-air personalities). I also pester their programming guy sometimes in hopes that they'll add Coast to Coast AM to the talk station's schedule (I know I'm weird. Oh well.
). I've also pestered KTAO's owner about the same thing...but that was before the talk station came on the air last October (by the way, KTAO still has PLENTY of on-air personalities).
I've also gone as far as constantly bothering and asking Citadel (including Citadel-Albuquerque's General Manager) and Clear Channel in Albuquerque about their HD Radio plans. I think it's safe to say that several broadcasting companies already know that I exist...I hope that's a good thing.
While it's clear that I still have plenty to do, at least I'm getting my contact base established. Now I just need to learn more about some of the tricks of the trade...
Again, thanks, Kent!
> > Hi, sir.
>
> Hi! By the way, my friend, no need to call me sir. You're
> welcome to just call me Kent (yes, it's my real name)!
>
> > Just curious, which station do you work at now?
>
> I presently work at KLOZ 92.7 in Eldon, MO. Like I said,
> it's an unrated market, but I'm very much proud of it. I
> work with a great staff, and I always have a great time.
>
> > How
> > did you happen to come by that job?
>
> I landed the job by who I was and who I knew. Yes, it took
> both. I was a jock and talk host in Columbia and Jefferson
> City, MO only to be pushed out in budget cuts after my
> company sold. I got the government job right about the same
> time and started doing radio part-time. I was fired from
> that part-time job in another round of budget cuts. All
> weekenders got the axe there. So, I called a friend of mine
> at KLOZ, and we started talking. All of the fired
> weekenders were called back, but I was already working at
> KLOZ and actually making more money with a more flexible
> schedule. So, I stayed. KLOZ called me back because I was
> a highly rated jock, and I was good friends with another
> weekender at the station. I got started in radio almost 15
> years ago by getting an internship, which I actually got
> because I knew someone inside the station. I constantly
> bothered Bob Cooper when he was mornings at KWEN in Tulsa,
> and the fact that I lived in his neighborhood and went to
> high school with his daughters really helped. A lot of the
> time, it's who you know as much as what you know.
>
> > It's never too early for
> > me to begin thinking about career opportunities and how to
>
> > snatch them...especially when I can have the advice of
> > somebody who has already done the things that I am
> > interested in doing.
>
> I agree that it's never too early to begin thinking about
> careers. Radio is a lot of fun, and it can be very
> rewarding. There's nothing like covering severe weather and
> realizing you're really making a difference as you are your
> listeners' eyes and ears. If you want to get into radio,
> let me give you this advice: take courses in college, if
> you can go to college, that teach you how to think and get
> that job in commercial radio while in college, or even high
> school, as quickly as possible, even if you're just an
> intern or a board-op. My degrees are in communication
> science and computer science. The reason I say you need to
> learn to think if you're in radio is that you have to have
> so many abilities to do the job well. I've also had several
> corporate jobs between radio jobs, and you'll likely be
> between radio jobs several times in your career. The money
> at those corporate jobs was great, but I missed radio too
> much and got tired of all the overtime I was working. So,
> maybe I'm not as smart as my double major! Here are just
> some of the skills you need in radio:
>
> (1) Customer service - How many times do radio people have
> to defuse angry callers? You haven't played my song! Why
> do you keep playing Eminem? Don't you know my kids are
> listening?!?!
>
> (2) Communication skills - This one is a given. You have
> to communicate with your audience, which consists of many
> different people, all of whom listen to you for a different
> reason.
>
> (3) Adaptability - How many different formats do you have
> to do? How many in a single day? Also, how many times have
> you had to scramble at the last minute to make things
> happen, like a last minute remote?
>
> (4) Quick thinking - Along the lines of adaptability, how
> many times has news or weather broken out that you've had to
> cover? Also, how many times have you been told by your PD
> to talk about something at the last minute and make it
> interesting?
>
> (5) People skills - How many different people have you had
> to work with, all with big egos, while balancing your own
> interests?
>
> (6) Computer skills - Who taught you AudioVault, Scott
> Studios, Maestro, Prophet, News Boss, Cartready, DCS, Pro
> Tools, Adobe Audition, SAW and Cool Edit? If you're like
> most people in radio, you probably taught yourself!
>
> > I am also in an unrated market
> > (although it does seem to be growing; two stations
> recently
> > launched in Taos this past October, with another AM
> station
> > coming this summer, from what I hear),
>
> Remember, working in an unrated market is nothing to be
> ashamed of. There are so many people who unconstructively
> criticize people left and right but couldn't get a job
> anywhere in radio, including in unrated markets, or refuse
> to do what's necessary to get a job in radio.
>
> > but I am interested
> > in getting a job in radio, even if only as a part-time
> job.
>
> Check into it. Get to know the local personalities and make
> sure they know you're interested. If they're doing remotes,
> stop by and visit. Of course, buy some items where they
> are, but talk to them a bit. Bug them about it but don't go
> crazy with it. Also, remember, that you're going to have to
> go to them most of the time. They're not going to come to
> you with a job offer. I know KTAO has, or had, a local
> staff. That might be somewhere to check out. A small
> market is a great place to start, especially if you're not
> heavily dependent on your own money! Part-time radio is
> good! It's how almost all of us got started.
>
> > Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but I saw this as a perfect
> > opportunity to seek advice from somebody who seems to be
> > experienced in the radio field.
>
> You're not hijacking the thread at all. This is a board for
> people who want to learn about radio and discuss it, and
> it's a public forum. Anyone who can add something is free
> and welcome to do so.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
16-year-old radio geek.</P>
Thank you, Kent! I found your information to be very helpful. I'll be sure to keep your message on hand for future reference.
I certainly hope that I'm on the right track so far. I currently go to high school and am on good terms with the daughter of the owner of DMC Broadcasting (which currently owns and operates four of the radio stations here, two of which have on-air personalities). I also pester their programming guy sometimes in hopes that they'll add Coast to Coast AM to the talk station's schedule (I know I'm weird. Oh well.
). I've also pestered KTAO's owner about the same thing...but that was before the talk station came on the air last October (by the way, KTAO still has PLENTY of on-air personalities). I've also gone as far as constantly bothering and asking Citadel (including Citadel-Albuquerque's General Manager) and Clear Channel in Albuquerque about their HD Radio plans. I think it's safe to say that several broadcasting companies already know that I exist...I hope that's a good thing.
While it's clear that I still have plenty to do, at least I'm getting my contact base established. Now I just need to learn more about some of the tricks of the trade...
Again, thanks, Kent!
> > Hi, sir.
>
> Hi! By the way, my friend, no need to call me sir. You're
> welcome to just call me Kent (yes, it's my real name)!
>
> > Just curious, which station do you work at now?
>
> I presently work at KLOZ 92.7 in Eldon, MO. Like I said,
> it's an unrated market, but I'm very much proud of it. I
> work with a great staff, and I always have a great time.
>
> > How
> > did you happen to come by that job?
>
> I landed the job by who I was and who I knew. Yes, it took
> both. I was a jock and talk host in Columbia and Jefferson
> City, MO only to be pushed out in budget cuts after my
> company sold. I got the government job right about the same
> time and started doing radio part-time. I was fired from
> that part-time job in another round of budget cuts. All
> weekenders got the axe there. So, I called a friend of mine
> at KLOZ, and we started talking. All of the fired
> weekenders were called back, but I was already working at
> KLOZ and actually making more money with a more flexible
> schedule. So, I stayed. KLOZ called me back because I was
> a highly rated jock, and I was good friends with another
> weekender at the station. I got started in radio almost 15
> years ago by getting an internship, which I actually got
> because I knew someone inside the station. I constantly
> bothered Bob Cooper when he was mornings at KWEN in Tulsa,
> and the fact that I lived in his neighborhood and went to
> high school with his daughters really helped. A lot of the
> time, it's who you know as much as what you know.
>
> > It's never too early for
> > me to begin thinking about career opportunities and how to
>
> > snatch them...especially when I can have the advice of
> > somebody who has already done the things that I am
> > interested in doing.
>
> I agree that it's never too early to begin thinking about
> careers. Radio is a lot of fun, and it can be very
> rewarding. There's nothing like covering severe weather and
> realizing you're really making a difference as you are your
> listeners' eyes and ears. If you want to get into radio,
> let me give you this advice: take courses in college, if
> you can go to college, that teach you how to think and get
> that job in commercial radio while in college, or even high
> school, as quickly as possible, even if you're just an
> intern or a board-op. My degrees are in communication
> science and computer science. The reason I say you need to
> learn to think if you're in radio is that you have to have
> so many abilities to do the job well. I've also had several
> corporate jobs between radio jobs, and you'll likely be
> between radio jobs several times in your career. The money
> at those corporate jobs was great, but I missed radio too
> much and got tired of all the overtime I was working. So,
> maybe I'm not as smart as my double major! Here are just
> some of the skills you need in radio:
>
> (1) Customer service - How many times do radio people have
> to defuse angry callers? You haven't played my song! Why
> do you keep playing Eminem? Don't you know my kids are
> listening?!?!
>
> (2) Communication skills - This one is a given. You have
> to communicate with your audience, which consists of many
> different people, all of whom listen to you for a different
> reason.
>
> (3) Adaptability - How many different formats do you have
> to do? How many in a single day? Also, how many times have
> you had to scramble at the last minute to make things
> happen, like a last minute remote?
>
> (4) Quick thinking - Along the lines of adaptability, how
> many times has news or weather broken out that you've had to
> cover? Also, how many times have you been told by your PD
> to talk about something at the last minute and make it
> interesting?
>
> (5) People skills - How many different people have you had
> to work with, all with big egos, while balancing your own
> interests?
>
> (6) Computer skills - Who taught you AudioVault, Scott
> Studios, Maestro, Prophet, News Boss, Cartready, DCS, Pro
> Tools, Adobe Audition, SAW and Cool Edit? If you're like
> most people in radio, you probably taught yourself!
>
> > I am also in an unrated market
> > (although it does seem to be growing; two stations
> recently
> > launched in Taos this past October, with another AM
> station
> > coming this summer, from what I hear),
>
> Remember, working in an unrated market is nothing to be
> ashamed of. There are so many people who unconstructively
> criticize people left and right but couldn't get a job
> anywhere in radio, including in unrated markets, or refuse
> to do what's necessary to get a job in radio.
>
> > but I am interested
> > in getting a job in radio, even if only as a part-time
> job.
>
> Check into it. Get to know the local personalities and make
> sure they know you're interested. If they're doing remotes,
> stop by and visit. Of course, buy some items where they
> are, but talk to them a bit. Bug them about it but don't go
> crazy with it. Also, remember, that you're going to have to
> go to them most of the time. They're not going to come to
> you with a job offer. I know KTAO has, or had, a local
> staff. That might be somewhere to check out. A small
> market is a great place to start, especially if you're not
> heavily dependent on your own money! Part-time radio is
> good! It's how almost all of us got started.
>
> > Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but I saw this as a perfect
> > opportunity to seek advice from somebody who seems to be
> > experienced in the radio field.
>
> You're not hijacking the thread at all. This is a board for
> people who want to learn about radio and discuss it, and
> it's a public forum. Anyone who can add something is free
> and welcome to do so.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
16-year-old radio geek.</P>