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10 Questions with ... Bob Giaquinto
October 29, 2013
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I started working at Rider University's 107.7 WRRC 'The Bronc' in September 2009 as a student DJ, doing a two-hour radio show (it was unheard of for a freshman to do a two-hour show once a week). In April of 2010, I applied to and was promoted to APD and was shortly promoted to PD in early December 2010.
Also during this time, I was hired at WBCB-A/Levittown, PA. At WBCB, I voiced and wrote commercials, wrote and reported on news stories, and was given the opportunity to engineer remote broadcasts. I was also lucky enough there to engineer and broadcast play-by-play and color for local high school football, baseball and hockey games.
Fast forward to the summer of 2011 where I was hired as an intern in the media relations department for the ECHL's Trenton Titans (former AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers). As a junior in college, I was given the opportunity to be the color analyst for select Titans games for the next two years until the team folded this past April.
Thanks to my connections with the Titans, in 2012 I landed my first play-by-play gig with the Philadelphia Revolution, a junior hockey team based out of Warwick, PA. With the Revolution, I broadcasted every home game for all three teams, ESHL, Empire and EJHL leagues.
Currently I am the play-by-play voice of the Rider University men's hockey team. I'm broadcasting 15 home games this season.
1) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?
Since I just graduated from Rider University I'm just volunteering my time and practicing by doing shows at my college station, 107.7 The Bronc (WRRC).
2) Do you plan on sticking with radio?
Definitely! It's my goal to make it big with a lot of time and even more patience.
3) What's the best way to get your foot in the door?
Do it. Do it. Do it. I know my foot isn't entirely in the door, since I'm a recent college grad, but from my experience getting internships, you just have to do it. If someone asks you to work promotions at an event, go for it! Your superior will see that you want to do more for the station, and hopefully will help you out.
4) What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?
All Access has helped me out immensely. I get some tips from my college GM, but the most helpful has to be the jobs page on All Access.
5) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?
As of now I'm willing to take any on-air shift or production position.
6) How are you finding the "courtesy level" at places you've applied? (Callbacks, e-mails, rejection letters, etc.)
I'm overwhelmed with the courtesy from other stations. I've gotten my fair share of rejection letters, but the majority of them are saying, "You have fantastic production skills, especially for your age, BUT..." And these really help me out with finding out what I need to work on.
7) Are you finding salaries/benefits lower than you ever thought, about the same, or have you seen some pleasant surprises?
From what I've seen so far, the salaries are about what I expected.
8) Are you spending as much time listening to radio as you used to?
I'm actually listening to more of a variety of radio stations now that I'm looking for a job. Before, I would only listen to one or two stations, but now I find myself listening to different formats because I want to apply to any station format.
9) What has been your biggest career accomplishment?
In my short, four-year, career I have a tie. One is being able to engineer the first-ever radio broadcast at the Philadelphia Flower Show, the biggest flower show in the world, with my college station. The other is leading a student seminar at the New Jersey Broadcaster's Association Convention in Atlantic City about how to properly engineer and prepare a live remote broadcast.
10) How will this experience change you when you get back to work?
I'll be more than willing to do even more things not in my job description because I don't want to go back to unemployment.
Bonus Questions
Uh oh ... now you're on your own for getting new music. If applicable, name your three most recent purchases since leaving the biz.
- The entire discography of Halestorm.
- Streetlight Manifesto's newest CD, The Hands That Thieve.
- Volbeat - Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies.
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