Thursday, July 22, 2004
I WENT DOWN TO THE CROSSROADS
I have come to the fork in the road, and I think I'm going to take Yogi Berra's advice...
I am having discussions with a prospective employer for a management position within their company. I know it's in the initial stages, but it does give me some confidence...and something to do between pricing items for a garage sale and writing cryptic notes for all to see. The position is NOT on-air...ouch. I love being on the air, but I also love being around radio and seeing my efforts OFF the air succeed as well. In my last position, I was torn between those two responsibilities...and it was a tough job. Today, the radio industry is consolidating and multi-tasking skill sets to downsize operations and make more money. That's fine, I don't have a problem with that, but sometimes it can be done with a little too much zeal. I see that my former employer is going back to "the way it used to be" with a separate programmer and from what I can tell, they've hired a good guy. I never felt like I could focus on one job or the other...on-air, and programming.
I found out something strange happened while I was being interviewed for the job I'm considering...I haven't made the choice completely which I want to do more: on air...or off. So, it took a call to my mother to make things a little more clear. Yes, even people my age see the wisdom in age and experience...
She hit me with a plan. Why not take a break from being on the air (minus the occasional fill-in and commercial production) and develop a better handle on the programming side. I realized that I had never done that before. She said that might translate into a better overall value to my employers in the future...and if I see an opportunity I just can't resist, I'll have more going for me in my rise to the top.
I airchecked the stations I would be put in charge of...one a sports talker, the other a news talk. Both need a lot of help, but they have a lot of potential. Heritage stations in a very nice community (in the SOUTH, no less). I was brutal in my assessment of the stations, and helpful in recommending what they need to do...hire me, of course...but I gave them a lot of ideas. The station is doing okay (a better overall share of the market than my previous station) and has a good history in the market. A current very popular national radio host began his career there. There are some very simple things that can be done that could make the station even more successful. And being the person to guide that would, of course, make me even more valuable.
But I might have to change the name of this blog...because I would no longer be a radio host.
Today, I have a lunch date with a former local radio show host to discuss the current status of local radio, and possibly develop a plan for a pre-emptive strike in the market. I'm interested, but I don't know how likely it would be to return to the air...now that I have the bug to be the best programmer I can be.
Who knows, maybe someone will come along and make me an offer I can't refuse...fortune, fame, stardom...in exchange for...what?
I have come to the fork in the road, and I think I'm going to take Yogi Berra's advice...
I am having discussions with a prospective employer for a management position within their company. I know it's in the initial stages, but it does give me some confidence...and something to do between pricing items for a garage sale and writing cryptic notes for all to see. The position is NOT on-air...ouch. I love being on the air, but I also love being around radio and seeing my efforts OFF the air succeed as well. In my last position, I was torn between those two responsibilities...and it was a tough job. Today, the radio industry is consolidating and multi-tasking skill sets to downsize operations and make more money. That's fine, I don't have a problem with that, but sometimes it can be done with a little too much zeal. I see that my former employer is going back to "the way it used to be" with a separate programmer and from what I can tell, they've hired a good guy. I never felt like I could focus on one job or the other...on-air, and programming.
I found out something strange happened while I was being interviewed for the job I'm considering...I haven't made the choice completely which I want to do more: on air...or off. So, it took a call to my mother to make things a little more clear. Yes, even people my age see the wisdom in age and experience...
She hit me with a plan. Why not take a break from being on the air (minus the occasional fill-in and commercial production) and develop a better handle on the programming side. I realized that I had never done that before. She said that might translate into a better overall value to my employers in the future...and if I see an opportunity I just can't resist, I'll have more going for me in my rise to the top.
I airchecked the stations I would be put in charge of...one a sports talker, the other a news talk. Both need a lot of help, but they have a lot of potential. Heritage stations in a very nice community (in the SOUTH, no less). I was brutal in my assessment of the stations, and helpful in recommending what they need to do...hire me, of course...but I gave them a lot of ideas. The station is doing okay (a better overall share of the market than my previous station) and has a good history in the market. A current very popular national radio host began his career there. There are some very simple things that can be done that could make the station even more successful. And being the person to guide that would, of course, make me even more valuable.
But I might have to change the name of this blog...because I would no longer be a radio host.
Today, I have a lunch date with a former local radio show host to discuss the current status of local radio, and possibly develop a plan for a pre-emptive strike in the market. I'm interested, but I don't know how likely it would be to return to the air...now that I have the bug to be the best programmer I can be.
Who knows, maybe someone will come along and make me an offer I can't refuse...fortune, fame, stardom...in exchange for...what?
Comments:
<< Home
"Who knows, maybe someone will come along and make me an offer I can't refuse...fortune, fame, stardom...in exchange for...what?"
I suppose you could sell your mortal soul to Satan...or Michael Moore-it's pretty much the same thing?
(See DIS, it's much easier to be funny when you have to decide WHICH opportunity to take...and it's also why I waited to credit your PayPal account!)
Post a Comment
I suppose you could sell your mortal soul to Satan...or Michael Moore-it's pretty much the same thing?
(See DIS, it's much easier to be funny when you have to decide WHICH opportunity to take...and it's also why I waited to credit your PayPal account!)
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
