And so it begins.......

For those of you that have been in radio either prior to or currently as this forum gets started, list the station or stations where you have been employed and in which division/department.

To begin with, I'll give you a short history of my radio career:

1979 - 1980: Wilkes Community College/WSIF-FM 90.1
A Ten watt FM student run radio station that was part of the curriculum.

1980 - 1982: WKTE-AM 1090 (afternoon drive personality and account exec)
Small 1000 watt daytimer with a format of country/bluegrass & gospel

1980 - 1982: WKZL-FM 107.5
This was my BIG break in radio - 100kw FM, 2nd in the ratings for a long time in the market, Album/Adult Rock format, I did overnights for a year and then moved into the Programming and Research offices as Assistant Program Director.

1982 - late 1983: WKBC AM & FM
100kw FM, Adult contemporary format - 8pm-2am weeknights
1000 watt daytime AM station, country/bluegrass/gospel format
I bounced between both stations as afternoon drive person and night person for the last year I was there. Also did the majority of voice-overs and commercial voice the entire time I was there.

1983 - 1984: WSEZ -FM 93.1
100kw FM, Adult Top 40 format, overnights

1984 - late 1985: WMAG FM 99.5
100kw FM, Adult contemporary format, weekends and overnight fill-in person

I did a very short stint as afternoon drive person and account exec again at WKTE just for extra money in 1991.

I got into television production and engineering in November 1984 and haven't looked back since.

OK - next...............

In 1975 on KTOB 1490 AM Petaluma, Ca.... 1 night as a guest DJ,,, my only radio experience, but I do have part of the show on tape...man,, what a dweeb!!

I was asked by the Top 40 jock to come in because I was DJing schools in the area and he thought it would be fun... and it was... we got more calls into the station that night with kids who knew who I was and wanted to talk to me....

I was never invited back,,, I heard thru the grapevine that he was mad that I got so many calls!!! LOL

Other than college radio, my radio experience is limited to this:

I was doing a TWO WEEK internship at 94.1 WYSP, in Philly back in the 80's. I was supposed to be helping the overnight DJ. Well, I was there, and his appendix burst. It was about 2 AM... I DJ'd the rest of his shift. :sqerr:

15+ years in TV, 14 of them for FOX in Philly.

Other than working for KBTV 4 here a Local Television station, that is as far as my broadcasting experience goes.

Although, I was a webcaster for NBOX networks, at the time we beat radio storm and my station at one point at over 100,000 listeners concurrently! Was a very awesome experience.

...on KLKS 104.3FM in Breezy Point MN. I worked all shifts as fill in when the regular was off. I had my own Monday night show for about a year.

When I first started, we had to keypad everything, including all of the spots and music from a phone pad style of keypad. You could only work three spots ahead, so if it was busy, with lots of short commercials, you were hustling. Most of the spots had 8 or nine numbers and / or digits that you had to cue up to run, and you had to be on your toes so you played the right spot in the right position.

Just before I left, they installed automated assist, so all you had to do was push one button to start and stop the "cart" (as long as everything was in order). Every now and then, something would be out of order and you'd look like a big dope when you hit the play button... oh well.

I also did the news, sports and weather throughout the hour and had to time everything exactly right on, so it lined up with CNN segments throughout the hour. That was the toughest thing... calculating how much time you had left till the network came on.

Our data bank listed songs by time as well as artist and title, so I had to work the time back to the top of the hour to fit a song in exactly. I can't tell you how many times I was exactly one minute off in each direction. When I was short, I had to grab a news story from AP that would fill up the right amount of time.

It was fun... but when I asked for a raise, and they said "no", I ended my broadcasting career.

I got my start in 1976 at a small-market 1000 watt AM radio station in Louisiana, doing the 3-7 PM airshift a few days a week (Hey, I was a Junior in High School, alright?) and production VO work for both the AM side (KSLO) and the 3000 watt automated FM side (KOGM). The AM station was multi-format, with Country, Zydeco, Pop/Rock (afternoons), and R&B/Funk (weekend afternoons). I would also fill in whenever I could. Hey, it was a great way to get out of school!!

I had a 1-year provisional license because you could either have that, or take the 3rd Class License test, to be on the air. I got really good doing VO and production, so after my "learner's permit" ran out, I switched to solid production work.

I had that job for two years and then had a falling out with one of the sales weasels, so I quit.

Then I went back to the station in 1980, pretty much doing only air work, since the FCC decided to give practically ANYONE a license.

I got lucky and landed the Friday and Saturday graveyard shifts on the air at a 50 KW FM AOR station (KSMB - "K94...Where Louisiana ROCKS.") in 1981 and had that for only 6 months before I got tired of the hot shots and inflated egos at that station, so I went back to my original station.

I left radio for good in 1984, having gotten my Computer Science degree and embarking on an IT career.

Wow... let's see where do I begin....

1975-1979 First gig part time then full time WMTE-AM/WRRK-FM Manistee Michigan: board op for sports, automation, weekends air, full time air nights, production, engineering, traffic, HS sports play by play, news reporting.

1979-1982 WCVL-AM Crawfordsville, IN Air Mid-Days, Music Director, Asst Engineer, Producer of Christmas Kaleidoscope Holiday special. Girls HS basketball play by play.

1982-1984 No radio gig, some free lance production,some demographic market research for a small group looking to buy their first station .

1984-1992 WWET-FM(CHR), WLZR-FM(CHR/AOR hybrid), WKJM-FM(AC then CHR), WEZV-FM(Jazz/NAC/New Age hybrid) 95.3 Monticello - West Lafayette, IN.
Under many formats: on air, production, engineering, traffic, copy writing, operations.

1992-2000 Hoosier Radio & TV (Crazy Bill Shirk Radio) Indianapolis,IN
Traffic, Continuity, production. On air Friday & Sat Night via voice tracking on WBKS-FM 106.7 Kiss 106.

2000- Present Radio One who bought out Hoosier Radio & TV in June 2000
Traffic for 100.9 Smooth Jazz WYJZ-FM now 100.9 Radio Now WNOU-FM.

1980-82 WAAF-WFTQ, Worcester Mass. Overnights, middays.

1982-1983 WGBF-FM Evansville, IN Middays and Program Director

1983-1986 WSYR-AM Syracuse, NY. Program Director/ Executive Director Syracuse University Sports Network for Football and Basketball

1986-1987 WCAU-AM Philadephia. Program Director and Executive Director Philadelphia Phillies Radio Network and Big 5 broadcasts.

1987-1994 WPOP AM Hartford Ct, Program Director and Morning Drive host/Mix 93.7 Morning Drive News Man

1994-1995 KESZ-FM Phoenix Program Director and Executive Director for Arizona Cardinals Broadcast Network

1996-1996 WCCN-AM Atlanta GA. Program Director

1997-Current Portland Maine

1997-2000 WGAN-AM Program Director and Morning Drive Anchor

2000-present WTHT-FM Program Director and Morning Drive Music Show.

I'm not moving ANYMORE!

Dave

Glad to see another who was a Gypsy DJ like me. I finally set my hat in British Columbia. Though only one radio gig . 1973 for 8 months AM/FM station evening shows . It was enough for me to realize the booth was not producing the energy I required to enjoy the gig. From that point on I did clubs allover the far East and then Southern California. I possibly would consider a show or two on the Internet these days from the comfort of my own home. That way I can wear my Sponge Bob slippers without any complaints.

A radio thread....I like it.

Started in 1986 in very small town Texas outside of Dallas. 45's, a Harris console (Rotary, of course) and two RS Reel to Reels. I showed up my first day an hour and a half early, walked in and the guy on the air said the following. "Are you Frank, Great, my wife just went into labor. Here's the set up. The board is labeled, the back table has a short so don't play anything slow on it. Your Football game feed starts at six and don't forget to take readings."

He then took off out the door...........boy did I stink back then............bounced all over Texas and finally ended up in Tucson, AZ at KIIM-FM and the rest of the cluster.
Started out as a family owned group eventually bought out by Citadel. Stayed there until 2003 when I moved to MA to meet my 11yr old daughter.

I love my kid, but actually miss radio, even with all the corp. crap that happens now.

I did Master Control at a few TV stations along the way as well. What can I say, I was always working.

Next......................

1987- Children's Satelite Network Radio Aahs
1989- simultaenously with cap/kids, 10p-2a at WERQ/Baltimore and holding down the 9th grade
1992- WRKE/101.7 Kiss FM Ocean View
1993 WKHI- FT Nights, Saturday 10am-2pm BOSS 97, Sunday overnight WIOQ/Q102
1994 WKHI- Nights/WOSC Nights (same station format flip/call letter change now Modern AC
1995 WWVZ
1996 WKSI (98-7 The Point, Nights Production Director)
1997 WJMX, WWXM
1998 WROX
1999 WNVZ
2000 WKHZ
2001 Clear Channel DC

ok sometime around that time i realized that making 30k at 17 barely out of high school was great making the same 30k 14 years later was not...



Kyle

1996 - WNRQ ---Intern turned overnight Fri, Sat on-air
1997 - KBUX - Ohio State - Afternoon's


That is my radio career.

I wanted to be in radio out of high school....Enrolled in a two year Elecronics Technology course ...from that I planned to go to either Fanshawe in London, ON or Ryerson in Toronto.

I then found out what rdaio payed back then (in Canada)...

Got into radio part time in 87........did 5 years at CHTN 790 AM in Charlottetown PEI (Classic Hits). Did mostly weekend swing...also did some overnights and actually did 1 morning show.

Back then we were using carts; just as I left we got into cd carts; programming was done manually (picking the carts in order). Just before I left the station started using satellite feeds overnight......from there just a steady decline....

1994 KBSB 89.7

Had a 6am Saturday show called the "Rude Awakening". LOL

Back as a "celebrity" host during the Water Carnival 4th of July in 2002. I think they were short-staffed and this was their way of suckering me in to coming and covering a shift for free. LOL

Ben

I have listened to radio stations all across the dial!

Seriously, I tried to get into it, but had a young family early, so the sacrifice was too unreal for me. I have limited my vocal exposure to voice overs for promo videos, radio commercials (one), and a training video. I do have the honor of helping my very amazing videographer out periodically when the DJ at his wedding is awful. I voice over the introductions, etc.

Oh, and I just landed the job as the game announcer for my high school football games.

I did Radio and before remotes got popular. Had I been there with that option I likely would have stayed and built my mobile business before Mobile was cool. in 1976. (Radio in 1974 and 75) I always wanted to announce dirt track car races and football games.

1994 KBSB 89.7

Had a 6am Saturday show called the "Rude Awakening". LOL

Back as a "celebrity" host during the Water Carnival 4th of July in 2002. I think they were short-staffed and this was their way of suckering me in to coming and covering a shift for free. LOL

Ben

So Ben, I have a wedding coming up in April, would you like to come be "Celebrity" DJ for the reception?????:sqwink::sqwink::sqbiggrin:

Just thought I would ask.

Frank

1990-1992 - AM 1310 KXAM - Scottsdale AZ
This was my first gig out of broadcast school doing overnights on the weekends...I learned my Nostalgia tunes...Sinatra, Como etc....

1992 - 97.1 KBCQ/AM 1580 KCKN - Roswell, NM (or Ros-hell)
You do what you gotta do for experience! I worked 6 nights a week on KBCQ as a rock jock and Sundays on the Country Giant KCKN.

1994-1995 - 92.3 KAFF- Flagstaff, AZ
The legendary country station up north with #1 ratings across the board for over 30 years at the time I was there. I started as the 6p to midnight jockn then quickly moved to the afternoon position plus taking on production and music director duties.

1995 -2000 - 102.5 KNIX - Tempe, AZ
Yep..this was a dream come true! The famous country station owned by Buck Owens..even had a chance to meet him before he passed on. I did many shifts through the years...overnights, night jock and even morning show producer!

2001-present -102.5 KNIX/95.5 KYOT/99.9 KESZ - Phoenix, AZ
I was laid off as a jock and brought back as a traffic reporter. I'm back on KNIX for morning and afternoon rush hours along with the Jazz station KYOT and the Hot A/C station KEZ.

I wonder if any of us have ever worked at the same stations - maybe even during different years. Post your info. and let's compare for fun! Here's mine:

WMRQ-FM 95.3 (Country), Northampton, MA 2004
 Air Talent Mid-days, 10am – 2pm
 Remote Live Broadcast Appearances
 Wrote and voiced commercials

WPWT-FM 91.7 (CHR), Philadelphia, PA 1983-1985
 Program Director
 Air Talent Afternoon Drive, 2pm – 6pm
 Remote Live Broadcast Appearances
 Conducted interviews with notable guests
 Wrote and voiced PSA’s

WTTM-AM 920 (AC/Country), Trenton, NJ 1981-1982
 Air Talent Mid-days, 10am – 2pm
 Wrote and voiced commercials
 Fill-in Newscaster
 Remote Live Broadcast Appearances

WMTS-FM 88.3 (Rock), Murfreesboro, TN 1979
 Air Talent Weekends, 10am – 2pm
 Assistant Promotions Director
 Wrote and voiced commercials
 Remote Live Broadcast Appearances

WGNS-AM (Top 40), Murfreesboro, TN 1978-1979
 Fill-in Newscaster
 Wrote and voiced commercials

WMOT-FM (MOR), Murfreesboro, TN 1978
 Air Talent Mid-days, 10am – 2pm
 Fill-in Newscaster
 Remote Live Broadcast Appearances
 Wrote and voiced PSA’s

WDRC-AM (Top 40), Hartford, CT 1976-1978
 Star Trek correspondent to the Brad Davis morning show

WDRC-AM (Top 40), Hartford, CT 1976-1978
 Star Trek correspondent to the Brad Davis morning show

Star Trek -- you just got my vote :sqbiggrin:


The only radio stuff I ever did, was for my colleges (OCCC and Marist). I'm fairly good at ad-libbing, but have a muffled/mangled voice, that gets muddy. I usually try to just stick to the music programming part...

Wow... let's see where do I begin....

1975-1979 First gig part time then full time WMTE-AM/WRRK-FM Manistee Michigan: board op for sports, automation, weekends air, full time air nights, production, engineering, traffic, HS sports play by play, news reporting.

1979-1982 WCVL-AM Crawfordsville, IN Air Mid-Days, Music Director, Asst Engineer, Producer of Christmas Kaleidoscope Holiday special. Girls HS basketball play by play.

1982-1984 No radio gig, some free lance production,some demographic market research for a small group looking to buy their first station .

1984-1992 WWET-FM(CHR), WLZR-FM(CHR/AOR hybrid), WKJM-FM(AC then CHR), WEZV-FM(Jazz/NAC/New Age hybrid) 95.3 Monticello - West Lafayette, IN.
Under many formats: on air, production, engineering, traffic, copy writing, operations.

1992-2000 Hoosier Radio & TV (Crazy Bill Shirk Radio) Indianapolis,IN
Traffic, Continuity, production. On air Friday & Sat Night via voice tracking on WBKS-FM 106.7 Kiss 106.

2000- Present Radio One who bought out Hoosier Radio & TV in June 2000
Traffic for 100.9 Smooth Jazz WYJZ-FM now 100.9 Radio Now WNOU-FM CHR.

Radio Aahs (88 or so)
WBSB baltimore (P/t and phone jammer) 90
WERQ (92Q) Baltimore lates and then nights 92
WRKE ocean city nights apd 93
WKHI ocean city overnights 93-94
WRXS ocean City
WWVZ/WWZZ washington dx lates 95-96
WKSI greensboro prod director nights 96-97
WJMX-WWXM florence/myrtle beach 98-99 dual market PD/MD
WROX 96.1 norfolk mornings
WKHZ ocean city pd


And then I realized that the money just wasn't as good as mobiles. I'm 32 now

Kyle

KAHS- 1972-1973
retired from radio due to lack of energy.
Now if they had only started live remotes
back then or I had smoked more Pot to
give me the idea for live braodcasts in the
public I'd likely still be doing Radio on occasion.

Here we go....

1990-1992 KXAM-AM- Scottsdale, AZ -"Nostalgia"
- PT weekends/weekday fill in

1992 - KCKN-AM - Roswell, NM - Country
- PT weekends
1992 - KBCQ-FM - Roswell, NM - Hot AC
- FT Night Jock

1994-1995 - KAFF-FM - Flagstaff, AZ - Country
- FT Afternoon Drive Jock
- Live Remotes
- Production Director
- AMD

1995-2000 - KNIX-FM - Phoenix,AZ - Country
-Overnight Jock (twice)
- Night Jock
- Morning Show Producer/Talent - Steve & Carrie Show
-Live Remotes

2000-present - KNIX-FM, KESZ-FM, KYOT-FM, KOY-AM - Phoenix, AZ
- Traffic Reporter/Producer
- Asst. Producer (For KNIX)
-Live remotes (KNIX)

1983 - 1988 WUML (formerly WJUL) - Sunday Latin radio show on college radio station.

I wonder if any of us have ever worked at the same stations - maybe even during different years. Post your info. and let's compare for fun! Here's mine:

[We interrupt this thread to bring you this special thread hijack announcement. Do not attempt to adjust your DJ. You will be returned to the regularly scheduled thread after this hijacking.]

Hey Stacy! Welcome aboard. I read your book, man...er...lady! Before I got into the biz last year yours was the first book I read and re-, re-, re-read it. Thanks for your efforts. I even quote you on my website. (Will PM you.) "The Mobile DJ Handbook," 2nd ed. Focal, Burlington, MA.) Amazon.com: The Mobile DJ Handbook: How to Start & Run a Profitable Mobile Disc Jockey Service, Second Edition: Stacy Zemon: Books

[This concludes this specail thread hijack announcement. You will now be returned to your regularly scheduled thread.]

--Will

1988-1989 KGU Honolulu, Hawaii Started as a weekend Board op. Then permoted to 12:00am-6AM overnight Board OP including a 3.5 minute live news cast. Finaly Morning News producer 6AM - 1PM.

1990-1991 ROCK 1040 (dont remember the call numbers) Vancouver, Canada. 2AM - 6AM on air overnight jock.

When I discovered Mobile DJing... I never looked back! :sqbiggrin:

I remember working F.T. in radio making $160 bucks a week. :sqembarrassed:

The first "club" job I ever had was at a Holiday Inn in Murfreesboro, TN. I started doing clubs to supplement my pitiful radio income. Then in 1980, I moved to Philly and started doing my first mobile DJ work. I loved the people and the $$$ from the start!

Although I continued radio and mobile DJing for many years, it was clear that unless I was a morning show host or went into sales, I would never make any decent money on-air as talent is considered to be such a commodity.

It's been four years now since I've had a regular radio show and sometimes I miss it but truthfully, someone would have to make me a pretty spectacular offer to get into it again.

1989-1996 WSPK Poughkeepsie, NY ON Air Talent (I did many different shifts from Nights to swing...

1996-1999 WSUL Monticello, NY Music Director, PM Drive Host

I remember working F.T. in radio making $160 bucks a week. :sqembarrassed:

The first "club" job I ever had was at a Holiday Inn in Murfreesboro, TN. I started doing clubs to supplement my pitiful radio income. Then in 1980, I moved to Philly and started doing my first mobile DJ work. I loved the people and the $$$ from the start!

Although I continued radio and mobile DJing for many years, it was clear that unless I was a morning show host or went into sales, I would never make any decent money on-air as talent is considered to be such a commodity.

It's been four years now since I've had a regular radio show and sometimes I miss it but truthfully, someone would have to make me a pretty spectacular offer to get into it again.

Stacy the problem with that is that all the clients thought you were making the big bucks. I did nights 6-10pm in Baltimore I was #1 12+, 18-34, 25-54 and cleared maybe 32k that year with remotes and bonuses in the mix. Granted I was still a junior in hs but we're talking arbitron market number 19 at the time (22now)

My only radio experience was back in the mid-80s I filled in for about 2 months at the University of Memphis' radio station. It has a jazz format except for a Saturday night oldies show. I covered for a girl that had to take some time off. I could bring my own vinyl and play what I wanted for 2 hours. it was a pretty ancient setup. I remember the giant pie graph under the big clock that showed the jocks at what time segment to play what format: current, re-current, oldies, etc. I only did that for a couple of months and it didn't interfere with the late night club gig. I thought that I would like radio, but being a club jock I realized that their was(is) a big difference. In radio, I was all alone in the booth with 4 walls. I was a performance dj and loved the crowd control and craved the attention. I had interest after that.
I also have never professionally "trained" my voice for that type of format. Mine is too high-pitched(imo). I have never really liked to hear the"AM" radio voice people. Even today it grates on my nerves! NO THS IS NOT A DISS SESSION...:sqwink: :rofl: :sqcool:
I run into the radio jocks around town here and I must say that most of them walk about 3 feet off the ground. It probably comes with being in a small town market...thx

[We interrupt this thread to bring you this special thread hijack announcement. Do not attempt to adjust your DJ. You will be returned to the regularly scheduled thread after this hijacking.]

Hey Stacy! Welcome aboard. I read your book, man...er...lady! Before I got into the biz last year yours was the first book I read and re-, re-, re-read it. Thanks for your efforts. I even quote you on my website. (Will PM you.) "The Mobile DJ Handbook," 2nd ed. Focal, Burlington, MA.) Amazon.com: The Mobile DJ Handbook: How to Start & Run a Profitable Mobile Disc Jockey Service, Second Edition: Stacy Zemon: Books (http://www.amazon.com/Mobile-DJ-Handbook-Profitable-Service/dp/0240804899/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212378268&sr=8-1)

[This concludes this specail thread hijack announcement. You will now be returned to your regularly scheduled thread.]

--Will

You are one funny RaskilyKitty and I thank you very much for hijacking us. Where's the beach? :sqcool:

I guess I was one of the few lucky ones here, I never hung my hat in a radio station, which is probably a good thing since most of what i am known for is extremely blue!

Guess I'm going to have the shortest post here

WZZO-FM
On Air jock and Production Manager since 1981

that's it.

27 years at the same station...
I must be some kind of freak!!