More of this Feature • Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 • Chapter 11 • Chapter 12 • Chapter 13 • Chapter 14

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When I talk about comedy services, I have some background to draw from. I successfully wrote and edited two joke/prep services. Beginning in May, 1982 until May, 1985, I co-wrote and co-published “Dial-log” with my partner at the time, Mike Morin. Then in 1989 until 1992 I wrote and published “Comfax” by myself. “Dial-log” was in the form of a newsletter that was mailed and “Comfax” was a daily sheet that was faxed out to subscribers.

In between all that I also marketed some pre-recorded comedy features. I eventually discontinued all of them because the needs and changes in my Radio career required more attention.

When I began in Radio, I thought comedy services were the greatest tool available to a Radio personality. Who could resist buying some joke services and canned bits? How much easier could the job get? When I worked in Columbus, Ohio at WRFD-AM in 1978, a recorded comedy service I used even brought me statewide publicity. I can't remember the name of the service, but it provided “characters” which you played on your show. There was only room enough for you to say things like “uh huh” and “oh!”. Even so, it was fun.

Anyway, I purchased a series of bits by one character named “Eric Stepinside”. The premise of the bit series was that Toledo, Ohio was missing. This seemed perfect for my show. After airing the character and his “reports” for several weeks, I wound up receiving statewide press coverage for it.

But, comedy services, especially recorded ones, didn't really evolve until about 1983-4 when the “American Comedy Network” burst on the scene and created a weekly, topical and consistently professional service. ACN forever raised the bar on what Radio personalities should expect from a comedy service.

Today there are many to choose from and each one generally focuses in on a specific audience. With the splintering of Radio demographics and formats, so have the comedy services followed. Even though the comedy services from 20 years ago were certainly not as sophisticated as the ones offered today, they still had one thing in common with today's offerings: they could easily act as a crutch.

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