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What will it take for me to become a radio personality?

And if the station wont let you use the production studio to make your demos or the college has no student run station, then where do you go? To an internet station that streams 24/7 and has a live studio to use....its all about having proof you can do it, and do it right.


--------Record everything you do and listen to it. Practice, practice, practice. Be ready when you get that chance to fill in.
 
fordranger797 said:
Thanks for the advice. I am in kind of a tough position right now because I currently intern under a PD who has a very strict way of running his station.
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You can still learn in any situation. Observe the station you are at, and read all you can about the areas of broadcasting and radio that interest you. Do mental comparisons of what you see with stations elsewhere.

My first gig was at an AM & FM that was owned by arguably one of the worst owners of the time: United Broadcasting. They went on to lose radio licenses in DC, Miami and a TV license in suburban Boston. Nearly everything they did was something I vowed never to do myself. But I kept my mouth shut and did what they asked, saved my money and invested it and bought my own station some years later.

But I can't tell you how wretched an environment it was. Yet I learned the basics, was in contact with other radio geeks and beginners and got an idea of how it was done. Or not.

Read all the free stuff there is out there. Tom Taylor's report is great for breaking news and trends. AllAcces.com is a good source of news, format info and there are some valuable articles archived there from consultants, industry leaders and researchers. Even if you are not interested in sales or management, at least skim the articles about those areas so you know how the business works.

And keep always in mind that this is neither rocket science nor brain surgery. Making mistakes is part of the game. Nobody dies over them, and you learn a lot in the process. A major, major broadcast owner once said as he fired a good friend of mine from his Top 10 market PD position "Son, you never learn from your successes".
 
DavidEduardo said:


And keep always in mind that this is neither rocket science nor brain surgery. Making mistakes is part of the game. Nobody dies over them, and you learn a lot in the process. A major, major broadcast owner once said as he fired a good friend of mine from his Top 10 market PD position "Son, you never learn from your successes".
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Yes, I remember times and events like you describe. It was a different world then. A high percentage of the broadcast world seemed to know each other. The guy who would put you out on the street saying "Son, you never learn from your successes" might four months later recommend you to another broadcaster who was calling around trying to fill a vacancy.

When you found your next gig, you could load up your "stuff" and drive to the new market and in a day or two have a place rented where you could stay.... on a month-to-month basis in many places. No security deposits. No lengthy leases.

Sometimes we "elder statesmen" of the world want to say tish, tish, tish to the younger generation trying to make it. Our attitude is: Just jump in and do it. I did. Every move left you bare of health insurance for 90 days. That tended to be the waiting period for coverage in small markets back then.

And many of us were in markets where we had one of the better jobs in town. Home town folks who had struggled to work their way up in small towns just marveled that we broadcasting folks could achieve so much upward mobility so fast.

If a young person today asked me to be their mentor and guide them through the maze of broadcast employment.... I wouldn't have the least idea on building a workable plan in today's market. It seems to be a "fast moving target" as companies by and sell and merge and move on.

So, I envy our young friend who is the Original Poster. Stay tied to your academic pursuits and a modern day professional career with one hand while keeping the other hand stirring the pot in the broadcasting world.
 
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:


Yes, I remember times and events like you describe. It was a different world then. A high percentage of the broadcast world seemed to know each other.
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I remember after taking my first FT radio job thirty years ago feeling like I had entered something like a brotherhood or fraternity.

Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:

So, I envy our young friend who is the Original Poster. Stay tied to your academic pursuits and a modern day professional career with one hand while keeping the other hand stirring the pot in the broadcasting world.
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That's the best strategy I could recommend. I remember the anecdotes about Spike O'Dell, now retired after a long run at Chicago's WGN, and how he continued to work as a security guard at one of the big implement manufacturers in the Quad Cities even after landing a job doing mornings at one of that market's best rated radio stations. He didn't do that long term, but long enough that he felt comfortable about his position at the radio station.
 
FredLeonard said:
If your university has a student radio station, that's where you should be. Get as much time on the air as you can. Record everything you do and listen to it. Practice, practice, practice. Be ready when you get that chance to fill in.
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I would love to have the opportunity to work on a college radio station. Unfortunately, my current university lacks a radio station, which is why I intend to transfer in the future. In the meantime, I still want to fight tooth and nail to get a gig on a real station.
 
DavidEduardo said:



And keep always in mind that this is neither rocket science nor brain surgery. Making mistakes is part of the game. Nobody dies over them, and you learn a lot in the process. A major, major broadcast owner once said as he fired a good friend of mine from his Top 10 market PD position "Son, you never learn from your successes".
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That is fantastic advice, thank you. Some of the people I work with have more patience than others, but its like that in any business.
 
fordranger797 said:
I would love to have the opportunity to work on a college radio station. Unfortunately, my current university lacks a radio station, which is why I intend to transfer in the future. In the meantime, I still want to fight tooth and nail to get a gig on a real station.
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There is no substitute for actually doing it. Being an intern is not "experience" - unless you want to work at Starbucks or Kinko's. You are not actually doing radio. If you are lucky, you get to watch people do radio. Medical interns have graduated and actually treat patients under supervision. Radio appropriated the name but does not deliver the experience. Internship is a rip-off. You pay your school for the privilege of doing grunt work for free. I would not recommend internships to anyone.

I'm sure everyone here can remember their "first time" (and can cringe at the thought). If you've never done it, you are not ready for a gig on a real station. You really need to start getting in touch with reality. You don't get an on-air job and then, when you get around to, find a school with a student radio station.

The more you comment, the less inclined I'd be to hire you.
 
FredLeonard said:
Being an intern is not "experience" - unless you want to work at Starbucks or Kinko's. You are not actually doing radio. If you are lucky, you get to watch people do radio.
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That's not true. Programs today are laden with paperwork and red tape, but still give an exposure to the real world. The more informal programs of the past generated some of the best radio people I know.

I interned at a major market group many years ago. I gained enough knowledge and real hands on experience to build and put on the air the next year my own station in a market of a million people... and go immediately to #1 in that 42 station market.

Like doctors, broadcasters and cheese soufflés, some internships are better than others. But there have always been plenty of good ones.

I do think you garnered the July "Misanthrope Awared" with this negative, discouraging post. Particularly gratuitous was the nasty parting shot, since I doubt you are in a position to hire anyone. Do you even have a job in radio?
 
Internship doesn't necessarily "teach" you anything about radio. What it does is connect you with the people who will hire you when it's time to get a job. It's all about networking, and networking is one of the most important skills to have in this business.
 
FredLeonard said:
True. But you don't need an internship to "network."
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But for a newcomer to the business, it is a very effective way of building one's network.
 
Internships are basically what YOU make of them. You can be just a "coffee-fetcher," or you can insist on actually learning something that will help you in your later career. You have been given a "foot in the door," what you do with that opportunity is up to you.
 
FredLeonard said:
There is no substitute for actually doing it. Being an intern is not "experience" - unless you want to work at Starbucks or Kinko's. You are not actually doing radio. If you are lucky, you get to watch people do radio. Medical interns have graduated and actually treat patients under supervision. Radio appropriated the name but does not deliver the experience. Internship is a rip-off. You pay your school for the privilege of doing grunt work for free. I would not recommend internships to anyone.

I'm sure everyone here can remember their "first time" (and can cringe at the thought). If you've never done it, you are not ready for a gig on a real station. You really need to start getting in touch with reality. You don't get an on-air job and then, when you get around to, find a school with a student radio station.

The more you comment, the less inclined I'd be to hire you.
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You're mistaking the point. I am not checked out of reality; rather, I am checked INTO reality. I realize that my financial situation and timetable will not allow for wasting time in broadcast school learning about the history of radio. Granted, broadcasting school is a great thing for learning the business of radio, but nothing is free, and you need to have the time allotment in your schedule. The reality for me is realizing that an internship is really my only viable option at this current stage of my life. PERHAPS there will be an opportunity to work at a college radio station the future, but that is really nothing that one should bank on, especially when you consider that most of the colleges near me are running syndicated NPR programming with no opportunity for students to touch anything.

You are welcome to have the opinion that internships are a waste of time, but I would disagree. In the time that I have been working there, I already have had the opportunity to take notes and learn about how to run everything in the studio from the people who work there. Although I am 99% sure that I will never have the chance to sit in the booth and be on the radio, I am thankful for having the chance to observe a diverse group of professionals during their shows.

You say that if you have never done it, you are not ready for a gig at a real station, but what is the logic behind that? Its sort of like a job application asking for a wide array of references and prior work experience when you are trying to apply for your very first job- there is no way to make it with that logic. My logic is simple: learn everything possible from what you have to work with, even if it wont be enough in the end to land a real gig. Other people have commented about their experience working their way into the biz, and their stories do not end with giving up and being 'out of touch with reality' when they were doing grunt jobs.

I'm not trying to be rude, but a reality check for me does not consist of sitting in a class that discusses the history of KDKA while the student station runs syndicated NPR 24/7. That is what I call a bad use of limited finances.
 
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Now do you see why i push internet radio....At least you would have something of value to show for your money, and its up to you to progress and to critique your shows, get feedback, We are a talk station not really interested in music since i 've been a wedding party dj for 20 year and i know all types of music formats.....if you wanted music experience in a live setting then call your local DJ companies and ask if they will train you. Sure some of its grunt work driving in traffic to a gig setting up and breaking down. But you will learn how to entertain people play the right music...and most likely get fed and get a few bucks too..........Ive never known a dj who made trainees work for free.

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I'm not trying to be rude, but a reality check for me does not consist of sitting in a class that discusses the history of KDKA while the student station runs syndicated NPR 24/7. That is what I call a bad use of limited finances.
 
Richard Stefan said:
Now do you see why i push internet radio....At least you would have something of value to show for your money, and its up to you to progress and to critique your shows, get feedback, We are a talk station not really interested in music since i 've been a wedding party dj for 20 year and i know all types of music formats.....if you wanted music experience in a live setting then call your local DJ companies and ask if they will train you. Sure some of its grunt work driving in traffic to a gig setting up and breaking down. But you will learn how to entertain people play the right music...and most likely get fed and get a few bucks too..........Ive never known a dj who made trainees work for free.

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I'm not trying to be rude, but a reality check for me does not consist of sitting in a class that discusses the history of KDKA while the student station runs syndicated NPR 24/7. That is what I call a bad use of limited finances.
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I am slightly confused. Is there really a connection between working as a music DJ for a party and working as an air personality on the radio? Sure, you will learn a lot about how to make music fun and entertaining for the audience, but the business of radio really does not hinge on your ability to choose music, as the program directors have already set the course of the station. Music and format may be the lifeblood of a radio station, but in this day and age, expertise in a certain genre is not a requirement. Freeform radio is really only a concept that can be observed on college radio stations (which only garner listeners from fellow students who want to hear their friend playing some sort of animea or didgeridoo music). During my internship, I have probably spent 5~10% of my time learning about the music, 60% observing and learning from air staff, and 30% reading the instructional manuals for all of the equipment inside of the studio.
 
Maybe i missed my point...its live you need to get comfortable with it...Imagine going into a room of say 200 people and the only 2 you know is the bride and groom.. Or the host at a High school reunion......maybe its just a way to develop people skills and being able to talk to strangers.....
 
Richard Stefan said:
Maybe i missed my point...its live you need to get comfortable with it...Imagine going into a room of say 200 people and the only 2 you know is the bride and groom.. Or the host at a High school reunion......maybe its just a way to develop people skills and being able to talk to strangers.....
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You make a good point in that case. Plus, being on the radio means that you are potentially reaching tens of thousands of people at a time (certainly not a job for the shy). I am a part time stand up comic (a mediocre one at that), but I feel that I have the social skills to pull off a great show (even if it involves little conversation).
 
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