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Sometimes There's No Logical Explanation ...
July 5, 2022
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Radio has a lot of characters, and it takes character to make it in this business. It comes down to having the stamina and patience to make a career out of radio, and sometimes analytics and the bottom line have nothing to do with keeping your job. I have a saying, "We never get off the playground." There's always that one kid you could never make friends with, right? Well as we go about our adult lives, occasionally there's that one person in authority that just doesn't like you. Here's the kicker, there's no logical explanation. For whatever reason, they can't stand you "Walking or riding" as my grandmother used to say.
It Was Strange…
I was involved in a radio situation where I was the good guy and my friend who did mornings was viewed as the anti-Christ by the general manager (GM). I did afternoons with mixed results and his ratings were great, yet he always got the short end of the stick.I Could Do No Wrong …
I over-stayed my new hire hotel privileges for a month. The OM eventually told me I needed to find a place. Surprisingly the GM defended me, "Sam has come in here and hit the ground running. He can stay a little longer if he has to." His words are still etched in my memory.He Couldn't Catch A Break …
While I was daily signing off on room service with generous tips, my morning show buddy was catching hell for everything from his on-air name (The Deadly Dr.) to the volume of his voice around the office place. He was getting good ratings, but it didn’t seem to make any difference.We Figured It Out …
The GM just didn't like the morning talent, case closed. We both decided it was something outside of his conscious awareness. Whoever it was that I reminded him of, his name was Steve. Occasionally the GM would accidentally call me Steve and then correct himself. My friend in the mornings was even told that his laugh over the air sounded phony. Like I said, he couldn't do anything right as far as the GM was concerned. Once my friend and I unraveled the mystery of why the general manager was always favoring me, we'd play a game.The Same Idea ...
The OM was fired, and we were without one for 4 months. The GM took over those responsibilities. He'd ask the staff for promotional ideas and my friend and I would suggest almost the exact same things, but on different days. Guess what, the GM always loved what I came up with and would criticize my buddy’s ideas in front of staff.A Parting Of The Ways ...
Without a OM, the GM demoted my morning friend to overnights. Once it became apparent that The Deadly Dr. was not going to quit because of the demotion, the GM paid him the remainder of his contract.I Saw The Light ...
That station had the most insecure group of people I've ever worked around, but it taught me a valuable lesson. I learned to stay focused, do my job, and stay away from that one kid who might not like me. -
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