• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

live overnight people

Nova931 said:
Another station where I suspect this is happening is WBLM in Portland. Ron Brown "The Red-Eyed" rocker has been on overnights for probably 15+ years now, (Live, I'm pretty sure) and is the greatest DJ in all of Portland, IMHO. Although, I've heard he actually prefers overnights so I can speak for certain in his case. But if you ever want to hear overnight radio the way it once was, tune him in some night. The "3' O clock break" is always great and perfectly executed.

I've known a few people who prefer overnights, too. Personally, I prefer overnights to morning drive, pay difference aside. I hate, and I mean HATE, getting up early! Maybe that's because I very rarely ever get to sleep before 11:30 PM regardless of when I wake up or when I go to bed.
 
Kent said:
Nova931 said:
Another station where I suspect this is happening is WBLM in Portland. Ron Brown "The Red-Eyed" rocker has been on overnights for probably 15+ years now, (Live, I'm pretty sure) and is the greatest DJ in all of Portland, IMHO. Although, I've heard he actually prefers overnights so I can speak for certain in his case. But if you ever want to hear overnight radio the way it once was, tune him in some night. The "3' O clock break" is always great and perfectly executed.

I've known a few people who prefer overnights, too. Personally, I prefer overnights to morning drive, pay difference aside. I hate, and I mean HATE, getting up early! Maybe that's because I very rarely ever get to sleep before 11:30 PM regardless of when I wake up or when I go to bed.

Me too.. I hate goin to bed early
 
Then there are the lonely insomniacs or the other people working boring overnight jobs who needed that more personal radio touch. A truly great overnight show like on WNEW AM ( really going back), Night Flight on WBZ, various people on KDKA, and one of the best, Johnny Williams on KHJ. ( even under Drake rules, he was great). There were also overnight shows that were truly creative like John R on WLAC. I really miss it-----guess I'm just getting senile.
 
WTCB in Columbia, SC (a soft rock station) is almost completely live 24-7 every day, as Tim Daly is their overnight person there. Until recently, they had a overnight person even on early Sunday mornings, when only a few hundred people are listening (they still have one early Sat. mornings).

None of the stations have one in Charleston, as I believe the Bridge at 105.5 was the last one to have one. WYBB (98-X) also had one a couple of years ago.
 
WTCB is live because it's either the LP-1 or the LP-2 for the Columbia area. I remember talking to Tim a few years ago when listening to their stream, and he said they have one person in the building, him during the weeknights, who monitors all of the stations in the building.

As I mentioned before, most local primaries (LP's) are staffed 24/7, though there are some exceptions. The last one where I worked was staffed around-the-clock. Since there was always someone there, they didn't even bother putting the EAS machine into the audio chain; it was sourced through the board instead. There was actually a dual purpose for sourcing through the board. The first was that, since the station was never unattended, the programming could always be interrupted during an emergency. The other was that we had to be certified with our state EAS coordinator. I don't know if that's unique to Missouri, or if it applies everywhere. For us, getting certified required demonstrating how to use the EAS equipment. Instead of having to take a test or write the procedure down, we were able to demonstrate our knowledge of sending an EAS alert by using the actual unit. We just ran it with the source off and potted down in front of our chief engineer, who also happened to be the regional coordinator!
 
I sort of disagree...sort of. Overnights DO lead to full time... just not at that station. Its how I got my start, BUT the catch is, after putting in that year, ya GOTTA get out of the station and go elsewhere. Here's the KEY- do overnights FOR YOURSELF- use the station to grow your on-air personality, NOT to ingratiate yourself to the station. Won't work, BUT it is a great way to practice and get a paycheck at the same time.
 
It is possible to be full-time overnights. In a year I went from intern to part-time to full-time overnights, all at the same station. I loved doing overnights, trying to improve myself every night. I'd gladly take the low pay and long hours if it meant getting off the beach after two years.
 
Back in the day, you could go from overnights to better spots.

My first job was 1380 WRAQ in Asheville, working p-t while in high school, signing off at midnight. Then I went to WMIT 106.9, working every shift possible. I remember 12 hour shifts, including 8 hours straight spinning records one after the other with no break (not even for news!) Weird radio. In those days the station programmed "funeral music" - organ, big choirs, strings, etc. I remember falling asleep while playing an instrumental album. It tracked from something like lush strings to rocking guitar! I thought I was going to be fired!

I went on to working every possible shift there, finally settling into morning drive for 11 years. Also became the PD and helped put an end to wacky shifts!

That station now is mostly automated. Not sure if the long time overnight guy is really there most of the time or is tracked.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom