Radio and Alcoholism,Opinions please

[Encyclopedia]

This could happen anyplace,but in a state like Tennessee,which prides itself on it's whiskey,do any of you reading this think that there might be more alcoholics in radio (not just in Tennessee,but all over the industry) than other fields? I know that Alan Freed drank a lot more after his downfall in New York in the fifties and died of a uremic poisoning in 1965.Radio is actually a very high stress field.Probably more now than it used to be.And I don't think a lot of talent realizes that when they enter the field because from the outside it looks like so much "fun".I've seen a lot of alcoholics in my 30 years in radio (I probably was one myself for a few years in the eighties,I just didn't like hangovers).I just remember SO MANY radio people who couldn't keep thier head out of the bottle,my first PD,a morning man I had idolized,a production director,I even had a STATION OWNER who would sometimes have a few and call the night and weekend jocks on the air and ramble.(I also had a GM who used to come in the station on Sunday night and do coke in his office.I could hear the sniffing sounds thru his closed door and I would see a few grains of powder on his desk after he left,but that's another story).Please opinionate,I'm intrested in some feedback here.

 

[RadioFreeNville]

This is a no brainer. YES, Screaming YES. Generally speaking people in radio cuss more, drink more, use drugs more, and sleep around more than most business settings. People in radio are also more apt to stab co-workers in the back. This is basically because radio is such an ego driven industry. It is competitive its not a business that allows for career minded employees to have a family life. You have to be willing to work for coins while chasing the lure of the big time fame. Its the same thing on the sales side. Radio is controlled by the sales end of the business these days. That has influenced the ethical side of radio. Sales personnel are more tempted to do anything for the sale and that has carried over into programming because sales has become more influential in the direction of the programming due to the high price stations have been sold for.

You asked for an opinion. There it is.



> This could happen anyplace,but in a state like
> Tennessee,which prides itself on it's whiskey,do any of you
> reading this think that there might be more alcoholics in
> radio (not just in Tennessee,but all over the industry) than
> other fields? I know that Alan Freed drank a lot more after
> his downfall in New York in the fifties and died of a uremic
> poisoning in 1965.Radio is actually a very high stress
> field.Probably more now than it used to be.And I don't think
> a lot of talent realizes that when they enter the field
> because from the outside it looks like so much "fun".I've
> seen a lot of alcoholics in my 30 years in radio (I probably
> was one myself for a few years in the eighties,I just didn't
> like hangovers).I just remember SO MANY radio people who
> couldn't keep thier head out of the bottle,my first PD,a
> morning man I had idolized,a production director,I even had
> a STATION OWNER who would sometimes have a few and call the
> night and weekend jocks on the air and ramble.(I also had a
> GM who used to come in the station on Sunday night and do
> coke in his office.I could hear the sniffing sounds thru his
> closed door and I would see a few grains of powder on his
> desk after he left,but that's another story).Please
> opinionate,I'm intrested in some feedback here.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
I'm RadioFree</P>

 

[9-9]

> To say that alcoholism and drug abuse is higher in the radio business than other fields is just not true. It affects every facet of life. Go to an AA meeting sometime and you'll see people from all walks of life,not just the "entertainment" industry. Stress? Try being a grocery checker,car salesperson,nurse or any other high stress job. It's part of our culture.
The children of the sixties have grown up now (or have we) and along with that we have drug and alcohol/drug abuse,high divorce rates and kids being raised by "enlightened" parents who allow their kids to have zero consequences.
The radio business is a fun medium that pays very little and has high workloads.
But then so does every other job in the country but with better pay!


This could happen anyplace,but in a state like
> Tennessee,which prides itself on it's whiskey,do any of you
> reading this think that there might be more alcoholics in
> radio (not just in Tennessee,but all over the industry) than
> other fields? I know that Alan Freed drank a lot more after
> his downfall in New York in the fifties and died of a uremic
> poisoning in 1965.Radio is actually a very high stress
> field.Probably more now than it used to be.And I don't think
> a lot of talent realizes that when they enter the field
> because from the outside it looks like so much "fun".I've
> seen a lot of alcoholics in my 30 years in radio (I probably
> was one myself for a few years in the eighties,I just didn't
> like hangovers).I just remember SO MANY radio people who
> couldn't keep thier head out of the bottle,my first PD,a
> morning man I had idolized,a production director,I even had
> a STATION OWNER who would sometimes have a few and call the
> night and weekend jocks on the air and ramble.(I also had a
> GM who used to come in the station on Sunday night and do
> coke in his office.I could hear the sniffing sounds thru his
> closed door and I would see a few grains of powder on his
> desk after he left,but that's another story).Please
> opinionate,I'm intrested in some feedback here.
>

 

[SaltyDog]

I wish I had an answer for you but how can I know? I've always been in radio so I don't know what it's like in other fields.

But I have asked myself and others a similar question: Are people in radio worse (crazier, more neurotic) than those in other fields?

Normally, people who have a bigger perspective (have worked in other fields) say no; the general downhill direction reflects the whole country, not just radio.

As I said, I can't say. I've always been in radio.<P ID="signature">______________
<a href="http://saltydog.5gigs.com">
The Salty Dog</a>
</P>

 

[Encyclopedia]

> This is a no brainer. YES, Screaming YES. Generally speaking
> people in radio cuss more, drink more, use drugs more, and
> sleep around more than most business settings. People in
> radio are also more apt to stab co-workers in the back. This
> is basically because radio is such an ego driven industry.
> It is competitive its not a business that allows for career
> minded employees to have a family life. You have to be
> willing to work for coins while chasing the lure of the big
> time fame. Its the same thing on the sales side. Radio is
> controlled by the sales end of the business these days. That
> has influenced the ethical side of radio. Sales personnel
> are more tempted to do anything for the sale and that has
> carried over into programming because sales has become more
> influential in the direction of the programming due to the
> high price stations have been sold for.
>
> You asked for an opinion. There it is.
>
>
>
>Absolutely.I don't disagree with ANYTHING you say as far as the generalities of the proffession go.I've always looked at ANY radio job as "temporary duty".But getting back to the subject at hand,the thing that bothers me is that there are a lot of good people both in and out of radio that alcohol has ruined.From my own experience,I've had more problems with alcoholics than drug addicts.Now SOME people can handle it.The production director I spoke of,he'd get up and have a "beer for breackfast" and get himself buzzed up just enough to put up with all the B-S we had going on at the station (and that station was a pretty f***ked up operation).It didn't really affect the quality of his work,although most of us could smell the liquor on his breath,he wasn't bothering us and the owner simply chose to look the other way.He'd go home,have a glass of wine with his dinner and pass out in front of the TV set with a six-pack,and he'd stay pretty well crocked off duty,especially on the weekend and other days off.Now,HE knew how to "keep his hand on the switch" where his boozing is concerned.It's the ones that have a problem and simply will NOT believe it exists.And these are not always "Otis The Drunk" or the stereotypical "Foster Brooks" type.Some of these people can appear perfectly normal,but you notice things,like swift mood changes,making up stories,statemsnts and actions that appear "out of character",cutting themselves off from thier friends and the outside world,sleeping way way too much.It's all of those "mitigating" things that rile me.Too many times I've been faced with the question "should I tell the people close to this person that there is a problem or should I stay quiet?".Because,if you work with someone,sooner or later that person's problems are GOING to affect your abilty to do your job,or,if it's a close friend,you may have to question if you want to continue to BE friends with that person,and if you should or should not risk the friendship by confronting them with the problem.It's all that mitigatinmg stuff that riles me.I can actually handle an "Otis the drunk" type,it's the ones who are alcoholics but don't want to believe they are that rile & perplex me.

 

[middlega]

> do any of you reading this think that there might be more alcoholics in
> radio than other fields?

Anecdotally? I don't think it, I know it. Well over 1/3rd of the people I worked with in 13 years in radio were either active alcoholics & recovering alcoholics.

Scientifically? I clearly remember a study from roughly the early-to-mid 80's that showed alcoholism, divorce, and suicide rates broken down by profession. The top of each list was the same each time (although in varying order): Health care workers, public safety workers, air traffic controllers, broadcasters (the study had combined radio & TV into one category), and IIRC, lawyers. I've now spent a good 10 minutes Googling trying to find what I remember from back then but have come up empty so far.

 

[marianne]

Sadly, drugs and alcohol ruin a lot of lives and careers. Radio/Broadcasting just happens to be one of those slippery career paths where there is little security. It's a transient life for most people in the business on the programming side. (ala WKRP) Up and down the dial, town to town, chasing the "ONE" gig that will enable them to actually stay in one place for a while. I would say the drug/alcohol problem stems more from lonliness and a lack of being "grounded" than those involved being crazy. Plus the record companies love to get you hammered during those lavish dinners at the Palm or Mortons.

Since getting in this business, I've lived in 12 cities and gone through a few marriages. My family calls me "nomadic".

What have I always wanted? To stay in one place. Anybody out there concur?