Share Your Story! How Did You Get In The Industry?

[James]

Here is where you can copy and paste.. oh.. err.. write out ;) how you got into the radio industry. We have alot of interesting stories worth listening to!

 

Post away!

[jkemr]

Well I use to be a mobile DJ but had to stop coz I got married and had kids and so on. So i sold up and after about 6 months i started missing it. So i got the idea to start internet radio can still play and have fun but dont have to travel so EMR was born

[MADcHATTER]

1978 While in college I got a job as a DJ at a rollerskating rink. Shortly after that I worked at WVUM (The Voice) at the University of Miami. My major wasnt broadcasting. I was a prisoner of the UofM's little vaunted Mathmatics Dept. I was studying Nuclear Physics. lol! I was also stupid enough to pledge a Fraternity.

 

After college I got involved with computers and networks and worked in that field for 30 years. I also did a short stint at WAXY doing a latenight talkshow. For many years I was a musician in traveling bands from a Jazz/Blues Combo to a Thrash Metal group. Playing bars at night, working on computers during the day. I also worked as a session musician for Criteria Studios. I got into Internet Broadcasting back in 2003 and ran WAKD for about 2 years before joining with several other webcasters to form iWebRadio.com. We've been on the air ever since. I had done some VoiceOvers using WAXY's recording studio for some of the shows but didnt decide to try my hand (or rather my mouth) at it professionally till just a couple years ago.

 

 

Well thats the short version.

 

MADcHATTER

[buzz95]

I'm the former CEO Of Electrogroove Records.I did some webcasting few years back for fun.While with the label I formed a solid relationship with my distributor, who quickly became the largest distributor for techno,trance and house.They wanted a station for their 200+ labels plus to gain exposure, so they offered me the position to manage their entire radio division.So here iam

[James]

Brilliant storys! Your really inspiring me guys!

[aaronsnet]

I have always had an interest in internet radio since I was 12 (when I would record a demo synthesizer track onto a cassette tape). When I got my first computer in 2000, I began looking into internet radio...setting up first shoutcast server. A few years later, I began to take notice of terrestrial radio. I was amazed at how limited the musical spectrum was. Corporate radio has become nothing more than a few specific genres playing a few specific songs. There is so much more to music than just that. So many undiscovered artists that have yet to be played. So many well known artists with so many songs that get no airplay. It was time to change 'the industry around...so I decided to create a freeform station with no musical boundaries or program director.

 

Although the station has always been a hobby of mine, it really took off once I got out of college. I had enough time to really invest the time into seeing it grow. I was lucky enough to team up with the owner of a local pub which believed in the mission that I had..and provided us with space for a public studio. We then invited anyone from the local community that wanted to do a show to come and do one. The response has been amazing...with us now having 13 original hosts now on our schedule. Each host is able to say and play whatever they desire, bringing a unique flavor to the station through each show. It's been nice not knowing what is to be played yet. I have always thought that humans were smart enough to be able to handle more than the top 40 ;-)

[WayneOwens]

Well here's my little piece of heaven on how I got in:

 

It all started on day back in 2004 when I was just 16 years young. I was told to find a field to shadow in that I found interesting and of course it was Radio I was interested in, and while at the station the whole day, which taught me a lot and I even got my hand at being on the air that day as well with a little stint called the Bag-O-Mail for a home ad call in show in the mornings. I was offered a position as a board op on the weekends for the AM station in the cluster, and it eventually turned into an on air position with weather forecasts and the what not during that board op shift. Eventually I was let go cause of cutbacks by Clear Channel (I still hate those bastards to this day). And then I started my Internet Radio career with ECT Radio, which no longer exists cause I hand in taking it down big time lol. I was then with RequestRadio.co.uk which no longer exists, then I went with my gig Highway 40 Country / WNIH and am also a simulated race broadcaster on High Speed Radio and on Internet TV from time to time

[xxxlpd]

when i was 16 i did a morning show on WMUL 88.1 in Huntington, WV. later on in 2004, I got my G.E.D. and attended a trade school in Cincinnati called The Ohio Center For Broadcasting. I graduated with a 3.8 GPA and a Gary Burbank Radio Excellence Award. I was also the program director for the school-run internet radio station. After school, they placed me in Thermopolis, WY. I worked for a little station there called 1240 KTHE. I did the morning show from 6-9. I was also the sports director for the high school basketball team in Thermopolis. Every morning I would get up at 3 am and get in the studio so I could record the weather (or wx as we all know) report from Don Day. Then 2 and a half months later after living in Wyoming 1600 miles away from home, the program director called me in his office and said, "It's just not gonna work out." I was down and out. So heartbroken that my very first radio job, I got fired. But I was also told in school getting fired in the broadcasting industry is not uncommon. about 1 year later, I found myself married and living in Jackson, Ohio and working at Pizza Hut. lol! I was listening to a station called WPAY one day and they were having a giveaway and I won a prize. At that point, when I picked up my prize, I thought that would be a great time to drop off my resume and demo there. In Janurary '06 I got a call from the program director asking me to come work. I was putting in a lot of hours at the station. Spending most of my day and night there. After 5 months, my wife (now my ex) accused me of cheating on her because I was never home. I tried to convince her otherwise that I was spending all my time at the radio station but she refused to believe it. Currently, I manage a bw-3 and run my own internet radio station. I'm itching to break back into the business though so if ya know some program directors for terrestrial radio stations lookin for an awesome voice talent and production pro, sample some of my work and tell them to do the same. thanks for having this post James. Had Fun!

[anaklio]

We got hooked in college at our university station. For so many of us, our shows became bonding experiences and part of our life. So we just keep finding ways to do them despite the changes in our society.

[Neilad79]

I started on hospital radio about 11 years ago. I approached the station for a copy of a certain song to play at my Grandma's funeral, saw the studio and the rest is history. Internet and RSL stations later and here I am.

[JBVoice]

I started with internet radio, which then led to taking courses for broadcasting. I did some interns but now am taking a break from the broadcasting industry to open up a restaurant with a good friend of mine. Still doing voice overs on the side!

 

Short and to the point story

 

-JB

[Brutish Sailor]

I played a video game. They were taling about how great it is running SC_serv in the forums there.

 

2 weeks later....

 

A couple of my buddies and I ran a mock station off a server host for fun based on our games doings. Well they couldn't keep their mouth shut, and word got out about our secret "leisure" broadcast.

 

30 listeners within 3 days. I didn't know how to even use the SC DSP, and was streaming at 24kbps onto my 128kbps server. Then I found out about the DMCA.

 

Looked at getting an ASCAP license and BMI licensing. Then found out the cost. So I almost gave up. Then found out about JLA. Went to loudcity. Got an account there, but wasn't a big fan of icecast. Then found out I could do a pro plan with them and have my backup/intro files and such.

 

Started sinking money into this like dead weight on a buoy. Sold the Xbox. Sold the games. Sold the trinkets from travels that I kept lieing to myself will be worth something one day.

 

Back and forth until the listeners were PO'ed big time. All good though because this is a hobby, and I love it. Learning about the broadcast perspective is almost more fun than broadcasting. Every challenge I overcome on my own, one more personal victory I celebrate.

 

Its been been rough seas for me all the way, and I wouldn't like it any other way.

[FirstActsAudio]

Was the master of ceremonies for multiple events in high school - had the lead in plays - loved interacting with people. Spent three years as a DJ at a skating rink (back when they were cool).

 

Twenty-five years ago (almost to the day) I was asked to drop by the local radio station. The PD looked at me, smiled and said, "So, do you want to come and work here?"

 

I never applied and had no idea what kind of work he was talking about - I honestly thought it might be janitorial. I started out at $450 a month. Since then I've added television and newsprint to my area of expertise, but there is nothing more satisfying than broadcasting.

 

There are now a few radio stations listed on my resume and I no longer live in the town where I got a break I hadn't asked for, but I wouldn't trade the world that opened up through radio.

 

Here's to 25 more.

[Jinglemaster]

When I first got out of prison, I was recaptured. Then I got out again and this time I ran fast. I ran and ran and ran. I needed to get money. So, it was either TV or radio. So, I robbed a bank at gunpoint and bought a Yacht with the proceeds. I then used this £700,000 motor cruiser to take me to far away shores. When I reached the south bank of the Thames I noticed a hideous, fire breathing dragon. It looked down on me with piercing eys and a horendous blue handbag. It was 1979 and times were about to change forever. The hideous fire breathing dragon became leader of the people and led with a rod of coconut and lemon sherbet.

 

I was still running and decided that after 3 months of running I really had to use a toilet somewhere. I went into B&Q and used their toilet. Reegretably, the customers were not amused and I was promptly arrested whilst still on the toilet in the sales floor.

 

Cunningly I gave a false name. Englebert Plumperstink. They didn't buy it, which was just as well as it wasn't for sale. They asked me 'is that your Yacht'. Technically it was as I had paid for it, albeit with ill gotten funds, so I denied ever seeing it before in my life. Pity they said, because whoever has they key to that Yacht will surely marry the prince. I admitted it and then they laughed as they slammed the door to the van shut and drove of to shouts of 'we have him now'.

 

This seemed like a fool proof plan to them, but as I was outside the van and indeed stood in the car park where they thought they threw me in the van, I was still free. I decided to put my price up and thought I would anounce it with a TV commercial. I waited for the Flora Marg advert to come on and then anounced it. Nobody heard me, it was Sunday in the City of London and nobody could give a F...

 

 

Anyway. What has that all to do with me being a mega-God radio personage? Nothing at all. Just a lot more interesting than me being married to the BBC Director generals daughter I suppose.

[Blazin 97]

Started webcasting for fun back in 2004. Shut the station down in 2007 due to too many commitments and not enough time to have "fun", as I was in High School and had too much work. Around this time last year I started webcasting for fun again.

[theoriginalrage]

Music is my life. I learned how to play the guitar when I was 16. Knowing that I couldn't survive off of just that I started looking into other avenues to make money with music. Radio was one of them. I applied at the same radio station every year for 10 years. About 5 years into it I decided to try and get a better background in audio and music so I went to school for Audio Engineering. Finally in October of 2007 I got my shot in terrestrial radio. Around the same time a friend of my was dabbling in internet radio and wanted me to get involved since I worked in radio. I went for it and now I'm doing both. If your in Tucson you can catch me on 96.1 KLPX. Or streaming online at http://www.klpx.com I'm on the weekends Saturday 12a-5a and Sunday 6p-9p Arizona time of course.

[James]

When I first got out of prison, I was recaptured. Then I got out again and this time I ran fast. I ran and ran and ran. I needed to get money. So, it was either TV or radio. So, I robbed a bank at gunpoint and bought a Yacht with the proceeds. I then used this £700,000 motor cruiser to take me to far away shores. When I reached the south bank of the Thames I noticed a hideous, fire breathing dragon. It looked down on me with piercing eys and a horendous blue handbag. It was 1979 and times were about to change forever. The hideous fire breathing dragon became leader of the people and led with a rod of coconut and lemon sher....

Oh my :biggrinthumb: I just read this, Jinmaster you legend :D This has made my day, wish you were still around, i loved the sarcasm around this place!

 

Music is my life. I learned how to play the guitar when I was 16. Knowing that I couldn't survive off of just that I started looking into other avenues to make money with music. Radio was one of them. I applied at the same radio station every year for 10 years. About 5 years into it I decided to try and get a better background in audio and music so I went to school for Audio Engineering. Finally in October of 2007 I got my shot in terrestrial radio. Around the same time a friend of my was dabbling in internet radio and wanted me to get involved since I worked in radio. I went for it and now I'm doing both. If your in Tucson you can catch me on 96.1 KLPX. Or streaming online at www.klpx.com I'm on the weekends Saturday 12a-5a and Sunday 6p-9p Arizona time of course.

Great stuff! Sounds like the future life of an audio engineer! Good luck with the radio work Times are tough but it looks like your generating a wide audience!

[kconn]

started off being a bedroom DJ....wanted more so I got into NSV broadcasting with the old Sas-Tv channel then when that got shutdown started up an internet radio station of my own (Party 93.5) was forced to shutdown after a while. then went back to DJing til I got outta high school then got an internship at WFLZ (933Flz) and that is where I am at today still and love every minute of it!

[sneradio]

Somebody I knew worked at a local AM/FM combo and gave me a tour one day. It was then I fell in love with radio! The station hired me when I was 17 in 1981. I worked weekends just to change tapes and generally babysit the FM automation so the AM jocks didn't have to worry about it. After playing around in the production studio and bugging the AM jocks for a few months they finally gave me a weekend overnight air shift. Long story short, I worked in radio full or part time until 1990 and then took up television master control full time which I still do to this day. I had a couple of part time/fill-in air shifts at a couple of stations from 2000 to 2005 and started an internet station in 2004.

[RadioProducer]

wow, so many inspiring and different stories about entry into the industry. well,mine isn't different. A friend suggested that we go for a voice test just for ''fun'' and once i stepped into the studio and saw the dj give a link live, i knew i wanted to do this for the rest of my life....

[LeafpileRadio]

I started off back in 04 with a small internet radio station. We mostly broadcasted to the Seattle area. Everyone would tune in. It got to be that we were upping the amount of slots every week... 2000-3000-then to 20,000. So I decided I was going to put in for an FCC LP-100 License and got it. I had just graduated from Clover Park Technical College with my degree's in Mass Comm, Radio/TV Broadcasting, Broadcasting Engineering and Audio Production.

 

So we got our license and put up a 150 watt FM Transmitter with a 5/8 Wave Antenna. Pushed at least 40 miles, more than enough to cover the Seattle area. And according to Arbitron we had a 36 Market Share! For an LPFM Station it was tremendous.

 

As time went on, we got bothered to up the power and broadcast further. So we applied for a Class A Commercial FM Broadcast License and went Full Power to 250kW. Broadcasting out to about 115 miles. Which was awesome. We covered all of western Washington and life was great. Good advertising money. Great staff. Only problem, we only had one station with one format. And as we all know, when people like you that much, they want diversity. So we bought an old station in Yakima WA from Cox Communications. A full power 55kW FM Station, 98.5 KTMU, which has now evolved into KNBQ Q Country 102.9 FM.

 

And now we sit here today with a pretty big network underneath our belts, just opened a new station in Oregon and California.

 

So let this be a note for all you new guys. Nothing takes off overnight. We had to fight and fight to get where we were, endure several hardships and almost being shut down a couple times due to lack of funds.

 

But if you work hard enough, and have a pretty good determination. You will go far.

[jamesleemccoy1988]

Well it all goes back when I was 9 years old. My family and I just moved here to Pikeville, Kentucky from West Palm Beach, Florida. A few months later I was staying up late on a school night cause I couldn't sleep so I turned onto a country music station know as WZLK 107.5 FM back in 98 or 99 it was country station now a rock station. Anyway as I was listening to the radio during the overnight hours I thought to myself radio broadcasting during the over night hours is something I wanna get into especially country music. Well I was still in school during that time so I put that dream on hold.

 

In late 2006, early 2007 I'm a junior in high school and on the school news paper. Well we had plans of doing a high school radio show of some sort and we were gonna take a tour of the radio station or broadcasting station where there is 7 different studios running 6 or 7 different FM stations. The place was Called East Kentucky Broadcasting. Anyway I didn't get a chance to go on the tour but luckily for me I knew a couple people that worked there and gave me a private tour of the place. After taking a tour and knowing how everything worked at the station I thought to myself this is something I really wanna get into. Ever since then, Since I was senior in high school I told everyone I'm gonna get into the radio broadcasting.

 

There was a lot of people doubting me but guess what since January and February of 2009 I proved everyone wrong and I'm into internet radio broadcasting. I try to run my own station but I done it with winamp. Apparently using winamp to broadcast with sucks. So I had to put my own station on hold and I was asked in April of 2009 to join the SpazzRadio family when Owner operator Shannon Roberts (Shea) asked me to join I jumped at the opportunity. I been at SpazzRadio for over a year and a half. I love it but sometimes I do think about wanting to run my own country/southern rock station just for fun. I got visions on how and what I want to do with it. Which one of these days I will do. It's a dream that I will one day make reality. But there is one person I wanna thank for getting me into radio broadcasting and his name is Rocky Ball aka Uncle Rock. Rocky without you bro, I wouldn't have gotten into radio broadcasting in the first place. You taught me everything I needed to know and I'm happy to be following in your footsteps but at the same time I'm doing this cause I wanna be successful and make a living doing this. This is to everyone, if you got a passion for something go for it cause it's not gonna come to you unless you go grab it yourself and do it!!!

[Zimdjsounds]

inspiring stories ...thanks to you all for sharing and inspiring me ....

[merirei]

Truth be told, I didn't intend to work at a radio station. I enjoy public speaking and I seem to do it well enough... But I fancied myself to be more of a writer and visual artist with a knack for marketing.

 

Anyhow, I moved to the Republic of Palau in December 2011 and found myself managing the island's newest radio station-- Palau Wave Radio.

 

I could definitely use all the advice and guidance anyone's willing to offer. We have a website-- http://www.palauwaveradio.com -- which features some of our podcasts.

 

The primary language is Palauan, though there are quite a few announcements in English and I'd love advice and help with how to improve our Engish-language programming and even just the production quality of our broadcasts.

 

I'd ESPECIALLY love help with imaging, DJ drops and the sort. I'm not entirely new to the editing process, but I am a rookie in comparison to everyone here.

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Downtown]

Great stories! Technically, I haven't gotten my start, but I am pondering starting a podcast. Hope to learn a lot on this site.