I was 15-years old and, through a high school teacher who worked in radio part time, landed a gig at a Beautiful Music station on the Jersey Shore. 1973. It was an automated station, employing Schafer mechanical automation with huge, 12-inch reel-to-reel tapes. Each tape was filled with music from a different category: uptempo, medium tempo, down tempo and vocals. We could alter the programming based on the time of day. We could also add or remove commercial breaks depending on what was needed. But the top- and bottom-of-the-hour breaks were all live. Like you, the basics of broadcasting that would serve me for the remainder of my career were learned at that station. But, man, was I nervous through those early months!
I canāt remember my first jobā¦ Though Iām sure I was in high school. I had all jobs and volunteering in junior high, but I think the only actual responsible pay job that would count as my first was working at my dadās optical. He was an ophthalmologist and he ran an optical. I loved giving people my opinion on what looked good on them. I was a kid! 16 telling people how to walk around in the world and what face to put on. Eventually got odd jobs at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, doing research at some kind of business. I donāt even remember what it wasā¦ And then my very first broadcasting job, was literally going to the newspaper and writing news āblurbsā and printing them for the honor anchor. It was an FM station. I also then got an unpaid internship at WF LA in Tampa and thatās when the News bug hit me. I eventually got hired as an assignment desk assistant at the abc affiliate , which was nothing more than answering phones, but it was exciting. To be in that environment.
Nice post, and it illustrates how much the news business has deteriorated. My first job after graduating from the University of Washington was as the one-person news department and sometimes DJ at a 1,000 watt daytime station in Yakima, Washington. Itās shocking to reflect at how little I knew about radio and reporting. I later went on to work at KIRO in Seattle (part time weekend announcer, reporter, anchor and, after being re-hired three times over the years, news director the last time the station won the ābest large market stationā award from RTNDA in 2000. I left to join CBS News/Radio, covered the second Iraq war (two trips to Kuwait and Baghdad), spent some time at the Wall Street Journal network, AP, WCBS, New York Times Radio and, finally, Fox Radio. After I retired, (I had done everything I wanted at 23) I studied artisan bread baking and worked ten years as a baker in NYC and here in Seattle. Life is short. Donāt be afraid to follow your heart. Glad to be gone, of course, but itās shocking to see the industry changes, and I worry about how theyāre affecting governance and the lives of those tossed out by mergers, declining revenues, changed in news consumption and corporate ignorance (CBS). I donāt think Edward R. Murrow would have been a Tik-Tok ācreator.ā
First, I always loved your work on KFI. And I used to belong to the gym (At One) at which Ronnie worked.
I started in radio a week after graduating from high school in 1979. I was dating a girl whose father owned an AM/FM in Tucson. My first job was weekend overnights. And I loved it.
I eventually wound up doing afternoon drive, moved over to TV, then got a job at Broadcast Services at Disneyland. I ended up as head of Media Relations there, then left to go out on my own doing freelance Voiceover. That was in 1994.
It seems to be working out.
I have a podcast (www.ShallowEndPodcast.com) with my pal from our radio days in Arizona. And I'm still doing VO.
I still have nightmares about working a radio shift, and I'm unable to find any carts (!) with music or spots.
I subscribed to "Archer's Line" a month or so ago, and love it!
I was 15-years old and, through a high school teacher who worked in radio part time, landed a gig at a Beautiful Music station on the Jersey Shore. 1973. It was an automated station, employing Schafer mechanical automation with huge, 12-inch reel-to-reel tapes. Each tape was filled with music from a different category: uptempo, medium tempo, down tempo and vocals. We could alter the programming based on the time of day. We could also add or remove commercial breaks depending on what was needed. But the top- and bottom-of-the-hour breaks were all live. Like you, the basics of broadcasting that would serve me for the remainder of my career were learned at that station. But, man, was I nervous through those early months!
I canāt remember my first jobā¦ Though Iām sure I was in high school. I had all jobs and volunteering in junior high, but I think the only actual responsible pay job that would count as my first was working at my dadās optical. He was an ophthalmologist and he ran an optical. I loved giving people my opinion on what looked good on them. I was a kid! 16 telling people how to walk around in the world and what face to put on. Eventually got odd jobs at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, doing research at some kind of business. I donāt even remember what it wasā¦ And then my very first broadcasting job, was literally going to the newspaper and writing news āblurbsā and printing them for the honor anchor. It was an FM station. I also then got an unpaid internship at WF LA in Tampa and thatās when the News bug hit me. I eventually got hired as an assignment desk assistant at the abc affiliate , which was nothing more than answering phones, but it was exciting. To be in that environment.
Nice post, and it illustrates how much the news business has deteriorated. My first job after graduating from the University of Washington was as the one-person news department and sometimes DJ at a 1,000 watt daytime station in Yakima, Washington. Itās shocking to reflect at how little I knew about radio and reporting. I later went on to work at KIRO in Seattle (part time weekend announcer, reporter, anchor and, after being re-hired three times over the years, news director the last time the station won the ābest large market stationā award from RTNDA in 2000. I left to join CBS News/Radio, covered the second Iraq war (two trips to Kuwait and Baghdad), spent some time at the Wall Street Journal network, AP, WCBS, New York Times Radio and, finally, Fox Radio. After I retired, (I had done everything I wanted at 23) I studied artisan bread baking and worked ten years as a baker in NYC and here in Seattle. Life is short. Donāt be afraid to follow your heart. Glad to be gone, of course, but itās shocking to see the industry changes, and I worry about how theyāre affecting governance and the lives of those tossed out by mergers, declining revenues, changed in news consumption and corporate ignorance (CBS). I donāt think Edward R. Murrow would have been a Tik-Tok ācreator.ā
Steve Knight
Seattle
Rob!
First, I always loved your work on KFI. And I used to belong to the gym (At One) at which Ronnie worked.
I started in radio a week after graduating from high school in 1979. I was dating a girl whose father owned an AM/FM in Tucson. My first job was weekend overnights. And I loved it.
I eventually wound up doing afternoon drive, moved over to TV, then got a job at Broadcast Services at Disneyland. I ended up as head of Media Relations there, then left to go out on my own doing freelance Voiceover. That was in 1994.
It seems to be working out.
I have a podcast (www.ShallowEndPodcast.com) with my pal from our radio days in Arizona. And I'm still doing VO.
I still have nightmares about working a radio shift, and I'm unable to find any carts (!) with music or spots.
I subscribed to "Archer's Line" a month or so ago, and love it!
My best to you and Ronnie!
Lindsay Schnebly
Glendale
We are so fortunate that you became that "radio guy". As Mr. Kaye put it, "THAT is what you were born to do"! Keep on informing and analyzing!
My journey, a little different, but not *that* different.
https://www.meyersonstrategy.com/2022/10/from-dorm-broadcasting-to-digital.html