I (over)heard from a reliable source that she quit, and I still say that's a shame... I hope she shows back up somewhere else. I'm finding myself punching away from Chris, even though I like Elvis and Lori. I hope that the "big announcement" brings in somebody new in the lead.
I can't speak for everybody, but for me, do I stay in because I love the drama? I really don't think so.
...OK, why DO I stay in?
There are lots of reasons, I guess: since I was a little kid, people have told me I have a good voice and ought to get into radio. I've always been interested in radio, the hosting, the music, and the engineering. I seem to be good at it, and that's always a plus. I've tried other jobs, and my mind was always in a radio station and I dreaded going to work each day (even when I worked for great companies). There's an ego component, I'm sure, of people saying they heard you on the radio, and it's fun to hear your voice on the air on a commercial or voicetracked.
The main reason, though, as cheezy as it may sound, is that connection with the listener. (Which is why in recent years I tried to get out several times; no connection!)
Whether it's providing needed weather safety information, getting a list of ticket locations for an upcoming concert, or just helping figure out what that song stuck in a listener's head is, I love the feeling of helping, of being needed, and of making that personal connection. When a listener calls and says, "you guys keep me company all day" or "I would have been stuck in that traffic jam if you hadn't mentioned it"... man, that makes my day.
It's, in a small way, my version of "passing it on;" growing up, radio was my constant companion and carried me through all kinds of up and downs. It was the soundtrack to my life. Now, hopefully, I'm providing companionship for someone else, and providing a soundtrack to someone else's life, creating memories for a lifetime or just getting them through the day.
Not too long ago I got away from a LOT of drama, and have never been happier in this biz... for me at least, this business works better WITHOUT drama. Or at the least, the drama should be on the radio, not in the office!
Unfortunately radio feels to me as if it is moving away from the listener connection, working to become an even more passive, background media. I think not engaging people the way video games, DVDs and the internet do is a horrible mistake... however, with Wall Street breathing down our collective necks, the question is how to cut costs, not how to increase income, to improve profitability.
Happily, there are exceptions to this general rule, and I'm lucky enough to have employment at such a set of stations... I count my lucky stars every day!
