ADVICE FROM THOSE WHO HAVE MADE IT IN RADIO
     
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FROM THE EXPERTS

Contributions from those who have made it to the top of the radio profession will be included on this page. If you would like to contribute, E Mail Us. Contributions should be no more than 250 words.

...Roy Harris was a newsman in Boston, Philadelphia and New York. He also worked for the U.S. Information Services. Now retired, he authored three books on Media News.

Early in my career someone said to me - if Walter Cronkite won't say it, you don't say it. That is rule number 1.

Radio news is just what it says. It is NEWS. People do not want to hear that airplanes landed safely at Logan Airport in Boston. That is not news. On the other hand, there are some stories that have to be told, and very truthfully, they might seem boring. The trick is to turn the boring into something exciting.

The way to build an audience in Radio News is to get the newsmakers on the air. You cannot write all your stories from the comfort of your desk. You have to be on the street; that microphone has to in someone's face, and you simply cannot do it by telephone. The excitement just isn't there.

Being blessed with a good voice is something top news people have to have. You are the VOICE of authority. People believe what you say. The simple truth is, if you do not have that voice, it will be very difficult to find success in radio news.

Radio news people must tell an interesting story, and must tell it in a way that conveys to the listener the thought that the news person absolutely knows what he or she is talking about. 4/15/03

Jack Ellery, former PD at WWDB, Philadelphia; WCTC, NJ; The Sun Radio Network, Tampa
"The biggest problem with our industry is that people at or near the bottom of the economic scale are really in dire straits. They toil on for minimum wage. For some, their future is nil, but they THINK they'll catch a break. There are others who might have a future, but they get mired in a small stations and stay there far too long.

Many radio people do make a decent living, but they'll never even have a shot at the BIG CITY. There are very few major market jobs open. You have to be a 'super' to work in Philly or New York or L.A.

Questions to ask yourself

  • "Am I in this just for the glory, while actually having no shot at all of ever making a decent living?" Radio is fun, but there comes a time when some people need a reality check. Don't ask your friends. They won't tell you the truth. The catch 22 is, you absolutely have to get someone to tell you if you are spinning your wheels.

  • "Do I have the education I need?" Does education really matter? The answer is "Absolutely". Knowing everything there is to know about music isn't enough to get you anywhere. It's a big help, but it's far less important than education.

  • "Am I willing to move ... and move .... and move?" Radio requires that you go where the jobs are. You have to be willing to go anywhere, maybe even Guam or Alaska.

  • "Can I handle getting fired?" Most radio people are fired at least 6-10 times in their career. Why? Sometimes the talent just can't cut it in a particular market. Sometimes people's acts get stale. Sometimes when the ratings get lousy the PD deflects the blame. He screwed up, but the talent gets canned." 4/28/2003