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Open the door! Another foot wants in.

H

HHerman

Hello, folks. I'm a 34 year old husband and father of three, and I have dreamt about working in radio since I was about 10. I've always been fascinated by the industry and the behind-the-scenes aspect of radio. I understand that what the public hears is only a fragment of what it takes to make it happen, and I would love the chance to experience what it feels like to be a part of that.

In almost 10 years of working in a call center environment, I've had hundreds of customers compliment not only my professionalism and friendliness, but even more so, my voice. When it's mentioned, I usually respond by telling them I've always wanted to work in radio, to which every single person says I should absolutely go for it. One gentleman I spoke with recently refused to hang up unless I promised I'd try to pursue a career in radio. Not only do these compliments do wonders for my ego, but they've also re-ignited the passion I've had for all this and have pushed me to follow my dream before it's too late.

All modesty aside, I'm exceptionally good at what I do. However, I know that I'm capable of so much more and I want to discover if this is where I'm supposed to be.

I realize most people want or think they can hop right in and go on the air. While this would eventually be my ultimate goal, I'm perfectly aware that it's not only an impractical expectation, but also impossible to start there without some form of experience.

I've had the opportunity to intern at various stations over the years, including WMMR in Philadelphia, WMZQ in Washington, DC and WINA in Charlottesville, VA so I'm not completely new to the environment. I've had experience with reel-to-reel, cart machines, editing, recording commercials, and some board op work. I had the time of my life working with these stations and desperately want to feel that excitement again.

Can anyone guide me with some tips, or are there any openings at local stations, AM or FM, that may be willing to allow a fool like me to join the proverbial bandwagon?
 
I can relate to your lifelong interest in the medium.

I got in at age 40 (!) without particularly good pipes, but that was back in the early eighties. The business is a lot different now.

The key for me was the old adage "find a need and fill it". I found a small station outside of Orlando that happened to be desperate. I was able to hone my skills there and then move to part-time at a larger station.

I wish you the best of luck.
 
Allaccess.com (free registration) has a good job postings section. Also, check the careers section of broadcast companies' web sites.

It's a fun job and everything, but if I could go back and start the career selection process over again, I think I'd chose something different for a variety of reasons. Declining amount of positions available, an increase in people looking for those jobs, low pay and instability would be my main reasons. But hey, if it's a passion of yours and something to explore, go for it. You might be wonderfully successful and I might be asking you for a job some day.
 
Hello there...

In your internships, have you had the chance to record any commercials?

If so, have you saved those commercials to eventually put together a demo?

If not, try talking to some of the local AM and FM stations (AM is a lot easier to work with), and ask them if they need someone to do voiceovers, and that the only thing you ask in return is to get copies of those commercials to store in your portfolio. Once you get in the studio to record, the production person will usually tell you what your strengths and weaknesses are, so that way you can work on them.

Once you can develop a good relationship with a station, then ask the production director if he or she can do a demo for you. From there you shop the demo around and see if anyone bites. Since Radio is extremely volatile and unstable, I wouldn't give up your day job, but if you want to fulfill your dream, go part time once you get a station that likes your demo and wants to give you a chance on their airwaves.

Most PD's or GM's nowadays look for someone who is dependable rather than SUPER talented to fill the odd timeslots, such as overnights and weekend slots. You may have to start out as a board-op with limited time on-air giving short news and weather updates, but hey it's a start.

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

Orlando GM
 
HH, the biggest obstacle you're facing is that the craft you've fallen in love with has been rapidly shrinking for the past 10 to 15 years. On-air positions have been cut by around 40 percent (eliminating evenings & overnights) at most U.S. radio stations and consolidation has created thousands of stations running with no airstaff, at all. Those tend to be the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th stations in any cluster. As a result there are thousands of experienced, talented air-talents now working in some other field who pounce on any advertised radio opening and who are often willing to work for very little money for the chance to quit their call-center gig and return to the airwaves. It's the old supply & demand thing.

But, yes, there ARE still part-time shifts that are hard to fill. Many/most people will not give up their weekends, for instance--or know that they'll be risking divorce if they dedicate their free time to another job instead of their spouse and/or kids. If that's not a problem for you--and you're willing to work any day & any shift--start shopping yourself around. You might be surprised at what you stumble into.
 
HHerman, sorry if this all sounds really discouraging. I read the same kind of sentiments in my first couple years in radio, and I thought it was all coming from disgruntled, out-of-work radio people that just didn't want any more labor competition. Unfortunately, while that might have described a lot of the sources of the discouragement, it's all true true true. I'd definitely recommend keeping your job now and simply trying out radio part-time to begin with.
 
Sir,

You were in Philly and DC and you work in a call center? Certainly you are yankin' a chain? if not, you know as well as all of us do that ya better off where you are unless you can call up ya buddies in Philly and get a full-time gig right away. If that IS the case, could ya put in a good word for me?

:eek:
 
Ignore HHerman folks, he's already posted the exact same message about three months ago in the "Tampa" folder and whined because his station manager wouldn't fire the afternoon guy and give him the slot even though he was nothing but an intern.
 
HHerman said:
I've had experience with reel-to-reel, cart machines, editing, recording commercials, and some board op work.
Click to expand...

On a less nasty note:

Tip #1: Head on over to Full Sail in Orlando or the Connecticut School of Broadcasting branch in Tampa and sign up for their "Pro Tools for Beginners" course. Reel-to-reel and cart machines are practically dead. See if you can find a cracked copy of Cool Edit for use on your home computer as well.

Clear Channel uses Pro Tools for FM stations, and their "Prophet" digital jukebox system is based off of a simplified Pro Tools design as well.
 
As you know Bob, Columbia School of Broadcasting used to big the "Big Dog" in the day..I don't know if they even exsist anymore. Carolina School of Broadcasting also used to be big.. I graduated from the University of Floridas Broadcast Journalism School in 1970 and their program was so outdated then it was pitiful.. Oint of this post is "Back in the Day" when I was a PD or hiring authority, if I saw any of those broadcast schools on a resume, It was a definate NO!..Maybe things have changed? Have They? BIG APE!
 
All right, Big Ape! A fellow Gator from the College of Journalism! As a more recent diploma recipient (2003), I can say that the college is pretty damn good at this point, albeit much more focused on TV and print journalism. I worked at WRUF-FM too, which is a consistent top 5 12+ station that relies solely on ad revenue, so it's a much better "real-world" education than most college stations.

From what I've heard about CSB and Full Sail, they've got top-notch equipment, but that doesn't necessarily say anything about the quality of the education itself.
 
;D ;D Alright. Thanks for the holler! Don't reckon you were SAE also? I worked at the TV station and the radio station..Back then there were only 2 of us that had FCC First Phones and ya had to babysit the xmitters..I hated it..Quit and went to WDVH.. with Jim Brand.. Understand he is still there after 36 years? GO TEBOW AND THE FLA GATORS
 
;) ;D Count me in as another graduate of THE University of Florida. APE, I'm not as old as you but I share similar memories. I was the 2nd class of students (3rd semester) that got WRUF-FM (ROCK 104) on the air. Harrry Guscott was and still runs the ship over there. Great guy, I remember the station early on struggled to play Led Zeppelin but had no problems playing Billy Joel and The Thompson Twins, ugh...... Years later, they got it right, ROCK 104 is a great sounding station that should be very proud of all the people that walked those halls and used that dial board and those Technics turntables. Yeah, we had to have our FCC licenses back then placed in the manual in the control studio. Remember Bob Leach and Otis Boggs (voice of the Gators)? Rock on fellow UF Journalism grads. How many radio and TV stations can you fit into Weimer Hall these days?
 
ALright "Darth" I worked for Bob Estes at WUFT and also upstairs in the old stadium Bldge..Did you happen to have Hank Conner or Art Jacobs in any classes..Who was that horrible JM 502 Law Professor.."Cunningham"? Nah.. I remember now..Hugh was OK It was a female.. Sin City Ruled on South 441.. WGGG and Don Reid.. Man This takes ya back..Ray Graves was the best coach ever had..And then along came Doug Dickey from Tennessee..What a waste!.. I graduated with Carlos Alverrez and John Reeves.. Spurrier was a few years earlier..
 
Yep, I cut my teeth under Harry Guscott. We still keep in touch. A lot of former Rock104 kids are around in the radio world now. In fact, Rich Fields, the "new" (several years at it now) voice of "The Price Is Right" after Rod Roddie died, is a Rock104 alumnus. The station actually just got a brand-new soundboard in the spring. I'll see if I can find some pictures.
 
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