Hello Mr. Deitz:
I read your excellent column about breaking into radio for beginners and I thought to share and pass along the following to those contemplating such a career:
1. Besides a tiny paycheck, you may not even get one regularly. Many small mom and pop stations are struggling financially just to stay on the air and cannot always make payroll when payday is "scheduled." Therefore, have a second job with regular income and consider the radio station air time and experience.
2. While politics and junior high mentalities exist in every field, they are more prevalent in radio and especially in small stations. Management could determine your fate very early on and that decision could have nothing to do with your performance and no matter how hard you work, you will never move up. You will be passed over by people less experienced and less "seniority" (no such thing. Find it in the government or the police/fire department) than you. Therefore, be prepared to move on if you don't see any advancement from your current shift or assignment.
3. Be prepared to work with crappy equipment that is malfunction prone and management screaming at you for technical glitches beyond your control.
4. The opposite of the above is also true, if you find such a station, kudos. Work hard, create the best sound you can, aircheck yourself regularly, learn as much as you can about the operation as a whole (management, sales, production, news,etc.), but be ready for that sale to a mega corporation and your pink slip.
5. A former Program Director once told me that if one takes the college route, don't major in broadcasting. Have something else to fall back on should the business not work out. Business, marketing, engineering or computers are the way to go and if you truly want to be on the air, join the campus station if it is open to non-broadcast majors or find a college that has such a station (most do). The business/marketing will help if you want to eventually get into management.
6. As for internships, it's a toss up. I totally agree with your posts that they can be helpful. However, a marketing director for a major chain once told me many years ago that if you want to get on the air, find an on-air gig and be willing to move anywhere in the country to get it. Working behind the scenes will help you make contacts but there is no guarantee that they will hire you for the next slot just because you are nice, hard working, dedicated and already in the door. Air positions are just too darn competitive and they will consider outsiders with more experience over you.
7. Finally, a professor gave the three ways you enter and survive in radio:
- 1. Who you know.
2. See No. 1.
3. See 1 & 2.
In sum, one should have BOTH the air experience AND connections.
- Slye
