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WEEKEND WARRIORS

Y

yonkstur

Guest
Most people who landed full time jobs in radio
started out on the weekends. The hope was to hone
one's skills to be invited to the promised land of
a daily air shift for the rewards of little pay,
abuse from management but the recognition that you
were "that guy/gal from the radio". Some people
who actually loved radio but had a modicum of
common sense kept their day jobs and just did
weekends to keep their hands in the business.
Here are a few:
Ron Reino, Rock 107, day job college instructor.
the late Jim Emmell for WGBI, WARM, WEJL, beloved
teacher at Valley View High School.
the late Norman David Cohen, WPTS, beauty supply
sales rep.
Frank LaBarr, WARM and WVIA FM, retired.
John Kelly, WVIA FM mid 70s, Globe Store manager.
Tim Earl, WILK early 70s. Sales rep, I think.
the late Jim Nicholas, did daily shift on Jim
Ward's WBAX from 8pm to 10pm. Valley West teacher.
Terry McNulty and Bob Oliver, WARM news, later
became jocks.
I'm sure there are/were others. Any thoughts?

Yonkstur
 
Jim Emmel taught at Mid Valley.


> Most people who landed full time jobs in radio
> started out on the weekends. The hope was to hone
> one's skills to be invited to the promised land of
> a daily air shift for the rewards of little pay,
> abuse from management but the recognition that you
> were "that guy/gal from the radio". Some people
> who actually loved radio but had a modicum of
> common sense kept their day jobs and just did
> weekends to keep their hands in the business.
> Here are a few:
> Ron Reino, Rock 107, day job college instructor.
> the late Jim Emmell for WGBI, WARM, WEJL, beloved
> teacher at Valley View High School.
> the late Norman David Cohen, WPTS, beauty supply
> sales rep.
> Frank LaBarr, WARM and WVIA FM, retired.
> John Kelly, WVIA FM mid 70s, Globe Store manager.
> Tim Earl, WILK early 70s. Sales rep, I think.
> the late Jim Nicholas, did daily shift on Jim
> Ward's WBAX from 8pm to 10pm. Valley West teacher.
> Terry McNulty and Bob Oliver, WARM news, later
> became jocks.
> I'm sure there are/were others. Any thoughts?
>
> Yonkstur
>
 
>>>Some people loved radio but kept their day jobs and just did weekends to keep their hands in the business.<<<

I worked with:

Pipe organ builder
Stockbroker
Rug merchant
Insurance salesman
Movie theater projectionist
High school teacher
Retired U. of Notre Dame employee
Moonlighters from other stations
Electronic equipment tech

...plus several drunks, an engineer who smoked dope, and a dj who liked girls who were not quite legal (no, not in this market).
<P ID="signature">______________
Use "Radio-Info" in e-mail subject line.</P>
 
> Jim Emmel taught at Mid Valley.
>
>
> That's right, I stand corrected. I mixed
up my Mid Valley and Valley View women when
accessing that info. I knew he taught one
of them in one of those schools.

Yonkstur
 
Another name popping to mind is that of Bob Crawford. Bob did late afternoon news on WARM on Sundays only, that was the only time he worked. Bob was also a teacher in the W-B Area SD. Unfortunately, he's also one of the many with "late" before their name. Up until roughly the mid-80s, WARM had a long history of manning all shifts with full-timers. I'd have to say I admire the many who only dabbled and never took the plunge.

However, you have to realize that a lot of "weekend warriors" were such because they never did get offered that coveted full-time position. And that's not to offer any opinion on their individual talents. A lot of guys I knew in the beginning made the conscious decision to bail, mostly because they knew raising a family, owning a home, etc., was nearly impossible on a jock's salary.

A few thoughts on Frank LaBar, who was a heck of a guy; Frank for many years was the voice of WYZZ-FM, which became WMGS, Magic 93, in the Spring of 1985. Frank did virtually EVERYTHING at the old WYZZ. He was also for a good long time the voice on WNEP's newscast opens. He had a big voice. In addition, he was an equity partner in a ad agency for a time, and on top of all that, he operated a janitorial service. And if you wanna really go back, Frank was Roscoe The Clown on WBRE-TV in the early '50s. The man was truly a pioneer broadcaster in this market.






> Most people who landed full time jobs in radio
> started out on the weekends. The hope was to hone
> one's skills to be invited to the promised land of
> a daily air shift for the rewards of little pay,
> abuse from management but the recognition that you
> were "that guy/gal from the radio". Some people
> who actually loved radio but had a modicum of
> common sense kept their day jobs and just did
> weekends to keep their hands in the business.
> Here are a few:
> Ron Reino, Rock 107, day job college instructor.
> the late Jim Emmell for WGBI, WARM, WEJL, beloved
> teacher at Valley View High School.
> the late Norman David Cohen, WPTS, beauty supply
> sales rep.
> Frank LaBarr, WARM and WVIA FM, retired.
> John Kelly, WVIA FM mid 70s, Globe Store manager.
> Tim Earl, WILK early 70s. Sales rep, I think.
> the late Jim Nicholas, did daily shift on Jim
> Ward's WBAX from 8pm to 10pm. Valley West teacher.
> Terry McNulty and Bob Oliver, WARM news, later
> became jocks.
> I'm sure there are/were others. Any thoughts?
>
> Yonkstur
>
 
> > Jim Emmel taught at Mid Valley.
> >
> >
> > That's right, I stand corrected. I mixed
> up my Mid Valley and Valley View women when
> accessing that info. I knew he taught one
> of them in one of those schools.
>
> Yonkstur
>
And the Lord took him far too quickly.
 
> > > Jim Emmel taught at Mid Valley.
> > >
> > >
> > > That's right, I stand corrected. I mixed
> > up my Mid Valley and Valley View women when
> > accessing that info. I knew he taught one
> > of them in one of those schools.
> >
> > Yonkstur
> >
> And the Lord took him far too quickly.
>
Totally agree. I went to the funeral with
a friend of mine, Jim Petrie who was the GM
at WEMR in Tunkhannock in the 90s, then later
a coworker at Rock 107. It was really, really
sad...........and moving. I regret not having
known him very well.

Yonkstur
 
> Another name popping to mind is that of Bob Crawford. Bob
> did late afternoon news on WARM on Sundays only, that was
> the only time he worked.

Bob was a great guy. Many of his students really
loved and admired him. He loved that job on WARM too.
I think later on he did some local public affairs
programming too. Maybe on WMJW FM. I remember him
interviewing me when I was involved in the social
service field at United Way. Taught at Myers Hig
>
> A few thoughts on Frank LaBar, who was a heck of a guy;
> Frank for many years was the voice of WYZZ-FM, which became
> WMGS, Magic 93, in the Spring of 1985. Frank did virtually
> EVERYTHING at the old WYZZ. He was also for a good long
> time the voice on WNEP's newscast opens. He had a big
> voice. In addition, he was an equity partner in a ad agency
> for a time, and on top of all that, he operated a janitorial
> service. And if you wanna really go back, Frank was Roscoe
> The Clown on WBRE-TV in the early '50s. The man was truly a
> pioneer broadcaster in this market.

Frank was also trying to get a Cooking Show gig on WVIA TV
when he was doing part time weekends on WVIA FM after the
WARM deal ended. That would've been classic TV!

Yonkstur
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Most people who landed full time jobs in radio
> > started out on the weekends. The hope was to hone
> > one's skills to be invited to the promised land of
> > a daily air shift for the rewards of little pay,
> > abuse from management but the recognition that you
> > were "that guy/gal from the radio". Some people
> > who actually loved radio but had a modicum of
> > common sense kept their day jobs and just did
> > weekends to keep their hands in the business.
> > Here are a few:
> > Ron Reino, Rock 107, day job college instructor.
> > the late Jim Emmell for WGBI, WARM, WEJL, beloved
> > teacher at Valley View High School.
> > the late Norman David Cohen, WPTS, beauty supply
> > sales rep.
> > Frank LaBarr, WARM and WVIA FM, retired.
> > John Kelly, WVIA FM mid 70s, Globe Store manager.
> > Tim Earl, WILK early 70s. Sales rep, I think.
> > the late Jim Nicholas, did daily shift on Jim
> > Ward's WBAX from 8pm to 10pm. Valley West teacher.
> > Terry McNulty and Bob Oliver, WARM news, later
> > became jocks.
> > I'm sure there are/were others. Any thoughts?
> >
> > Yonkstur
> >
>
 
> Jim Petrie who was the GM
> at WEMR in Tunkhannock in the 90s, then later
> a coworker at Rock 107.

Totally unrelated, but I was thinking about Petrie the other day---
What's he up to these days??
 
I had the priveledge and honor of working with Jim.

We worked together at WARM from '95 to '96... what a great man.

Great sense of humor and the one of the smartest people I've known.
 
Jim Emmel was a consumate pro.Great on the air, probably nothing he loved to do more. Always consistent, no matter what was going on either at the station or in his personal life. Always ready to extend a kind word to a newcomer or intern. Truly a one-of-a kind Gentleman Broadcaster.
 
Re: WEEKEND WARRIORS-Bob C.

> Another name popping to mind is that of Bob Crawford. Bob
> did late afternoon news on WARM on Sundays only, that was
> the only time he worked. Bob was also a teacher in the W-B
> Area SD. Unfortunately, he's also one of the many with
> "late" before their name. Up until roughly the mid-80s,
> WARM had a long history of manning all shifts with
> full-timers. I'd have to say I admire the many who only
> dabbled and never took the plunge.
>

I could never say enough good things about Mr. Crawford. His positive attitude, his sense of humor, his booming laughter and my Gawd those pipes! I invited him to my graduation party and he actually showed up and became the life of the party. His words of encouragement gave me strength few other teachers ever did. May he rest in peace. He truely is missed.

P.S. His name was also on the C.P. for 97.1.
 
> > Jim Petrie who was the GM
> > at WEMR in Tunkhannock in the 90s, then later
> > a coworker at Rock 107.
>
> Totally unrelated, but I was thinking about Petrie the other
> day---
> What's he up to these days??
>
Retired and living in a cabin on a lake Northeast
of here on the Penna-New York border...efforting to
get him involved in "A RADIO STORY" script writing
production for either a made for TV movie or play.
So far he hasn't budged from that cabin.

Yonkstur
 
> Retired and living in a cabin on a lake Northeast
> of here on the Penna-New York border...efforting to
> get him involved in "A RADIO STORY" script writing
> production for either a made for TV movie or play.
> So far he hasn't budged from that cabin.
>

Sounds like a dream come true, exactly how I would have liked to have spent most of my 40s, and looked forward to my 50s, after a "career" in broadcasting. But as most of us know, you can't have both. This business is so transient, respectable pensions are nearly non-existent. In fact, with many stations/groups, pension plans of any kind aren't even a consideration. I don't know this gentleman, but I sure do envy him...
 
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