I have written a little about my experiences with small town radio. Now it's my turn to talk about my short experience with Big Market Radio.
It was January of 1996 and I was working Inside Sales for The Phoenix Network, a Telecom Company with an office in Bellevue. Outside there suddenly was a heavy snowfall and we were given the option to go home. I certainly felt that having been stranded in a heavy snowfall before, that I should definitely not risk working all day and getting stranded in the evening commute. I got in my car and the radio was turned to 950 KJR. At that time, they were pretty new in the Sportsradio business. Apparently they could not get their satellite feed of the national syndicated show that they carried so the morning man was asking for volunteers from the audience to all come in and do a 15 minute radio shift. Now I had worked for KYYX in the early 80s with their operator assisted automation, but I was not actually on the air.
This was a chance for me for a very short time to star on my favorite radio station. I forgot safety and sped down to the KJR studios. The receptionist said that indeed, they were letting listener volunteers have 15 minute airshifts. I remember how Cousin Burl had written they he got his first KJR airshow by showing up while the all--night Jock was on vacation.
Doing talk radio, was much easier than I thought. I had a little trouble with working the telephones but it was a blast talking to the listeners. I did not get an offer for employment, but I did have the experience of a lifetime. I got to meet Mitch Levy, who was at that time the Midday day man and New York Vinnie who worked with me.
Unfortunately I did not have a cell phone at the time and was not able to call my friends to tell them to listen. I think Deb heard maybe the closing remarks.
4 comments:
Good for you, famous KJR personality for an hour or 2. KJR was top 40 when I was a student at UW in late 50s and competing with KOL and KAYO for the same teen audience. Check out the musical on DVD, "Reefer Madness" and see my post at www.cheezymovies.blogspot.com
It was literally 15 minutes as their were other volunteers who got their turn.
It’s difficult to ascertain why “Murder in Spokane” by Mark Fuhrman was written other than some publisher thought another sensational homicide book about prostitute murders would sell. I was drawn to the title because I was born and raised in Spokane and thought that I might learn something about current events there other than the homophobic closet case mayor who was recalled. Not a very interesting read and I skipped to the last chapter. Interestingly, Fuhrman, who investigated the OJ murders, co-hosted a talk show on KXLY-AM with Mike Fitzsimmons, which was a hot top 40 station when I last lived in Spokane. Also Fuhrman lives in ground zero for crazies Sandpoint, ID. Apparently, East Sprague Ave. in Spokane is the spot for desperate living in Eastern Washington, in case anyone is interested in moving there and become a drug lord or hooker.
Spokane may not be the 2nd largest city in the State if Vancouver, USA follows through with it's anexation plans.
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