Usually, these people are harmless local citizens seeking to promote a charity event or other function. But, I just know one of these days, a terrorist is going to compromise the integrity of a radio station’s security holding a box of Krispy Kreme glazed donuts.
It’s not that I spend lot of time worrying about this. Okay, I spend more time than I should. But, that’s because I'm a thinker - not because I'm paranoid. Okay?
I’ve worked at a myriad of radio stations from small markets to major ones and although some stations were quite secure, I’ll chance to say that more were not.
Levels of Security
When radio stations employed live personalities 24-hours-a-day, usually the first line of defense was the guy on-the-air. You rang the bell, a light lit up in the control room and he opened the door. You just had to hope he wasn’t in the bathroom – or having sex with some DJ groupie in the lounge.
I worked in some big cities where the buildings had rent-a-cop guards 24-hours-a-day. If you didn’t have a photo I.D., you couldn’t get past the lobby. This can be taken to extremes.
For instance: the station in Cleveland, Ohio. This Gestapo Fraulein watched me walk in the building every weekday morning for two years and not once waved me on. Every single time, she insisted I show her I.D. Now, please: I know I have a face for radio but why would anyone want to abuse themselves by looking at MY photo I.D. 700 times?
I could have been bleeding to death with my right leg practically severed and hanging by a vein and this lady would have insisted on my I.D. before letting me get to the elevator to hunt for a tourniquet. Seriously: at 4:00 a.m. in the morning it’s not like she could have been confused or burdened by a steady stream of similar faces.
Where I work now, we have a magnetic card system. Touch the card to the wall-thingy and the door unlocks for 5 seconds. No really – 5 seconds. If you make one false move and hesitate by adjusting your carry bag or wallet, the door locks again and you have to wrangle your wallet back out of your pocket and start over.
