-
It Should Have Never Happened …
July 19, 2022
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
If you’re going to do a favor for someone, clue in those that might be indirectly involved so there are no mishaps. Nobody likes being put in the middle of anything that could turn into a situation. Ah yes, another visit to my archives of "It should Not Have Happened."
Did I Hear Something? ...
The station I was working at shared a floor with an insurance company. Our prize closet was out in the hallway across from our station, adjacent to the insurance company and the elevators. It was Saturday night and I had just finished up some production that was due to air Monday Morning. I had just enough time to head over to Arby's for something to eat before my evening air shift. While waiting for the elevator I heard a loud noise coming from the prize closet and figured something had fallen.I heard It Again ...
The elevators finally reached our floor. The doors opened and as I was about to get in, I heard another noise coming from the closet. Instead of heading down in the elevator, I took a step back from the doors and walked to the prize closet. I put my ear to the door and thought I heard some rustling around inside. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I tried turning the doorknob. It was locked.We’re Not Alone …
I went back inside the station and went to the on-air studio. I told the afternoon air personality that there was someone inside the prize closet. We both headed across the hallway to the closet and tried to figure out what was going on. He put his ear to the door and whispered, "I think you're right, somebody’s inside. I bet they're going to rip us off. We’ve got all those new Boom Boxes In there too "Time To Call For Help ...
We headed back inside the station and called the police. The men in blue got there quick--there were six of them. They knocked on the closet door, identified themselves, and pulled guns. Then we all heard a small click. It was the door being unlocked. The police told us to stand back as the door slowly opened.Shaking All Over ...
Poor babies, it was the receptionist and a female friend of hers standing there with fear in their eyes. We told the police that we knew them. Through her tears, the receptionist explained that the Program Director told her she could go into the closet after hours to lay claim to a prize that the deadline for pickup had passed. When the police asked her why she just didn't identify herself to any of us that called out she said, "I was afraid my friend and I would get in trouble." The afternoon air talent looked at me and said, “We should have probably called Chuck (Our PD) first before calling the police.”All’s Well That Ends Well …
The policemen laughed, we gave them a couple of tee shirts from the prize closet, and no one had to take a ride down to the police station. We then called the Program Director and told him what had happened. He calmly said, “ Sorry guys, since you two are the only ones there at the station on a Saturday night, I should have warned you in advance that she’d be coming in to do some things in the prize closet this evening.”What I Learned …
The experience gave me three takeaways for my career:- Whenever doing a favor for someone at a station, never involve anyone else.
- When you’re in radio giving away some swag and flashing a smile can pretty much get you out of any situation.
- All PDs should stress to their air staff that no matter what the issue is, always make them the first call.
-
-