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WHAT WAS YOUR DEFINITION OF RADIO SUCCESS?

At the beginning of my radio career, I had three milestones that I dreamed of achieving.

The one that seemed the most unreachable, ironically, is the one that most people probably would see as the easiest:

To earn at least $200 per week.

I don’t know why that was so important or seemed, at times, unreachable; in order to pursue a radio career I had left a job that paid $734 per month. (I remember the figure because at the time, that was pretty darn good money.)

The second: To work in a major market.

The third: To have radio stations offer me jobs, rather than my seeking them out.

Luckily, I did reach all three milestones.

But man, for a while that $200 per week seemed so far off….

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Johnny Mann May 20, 2010, 12:42 am

    To work for “radio” people, as opposed to “management” who don’t seem to understand that the product being sold to clients is more than simple “airtime”, but also includes relate-ability, imaging, personality, and locality, in addition to top of mind awareness.

    Anyone know of such a place?

  • Ben Maxwell May 20, 2010, 4:22 am

    I had only one goal: Major Market Morning Show Host. When I achieved that goal, I bought myself a fancy wristwatch that means so much more to me for what it represents then for being able to afford it. I found that goal setting & reaching a milestone becomes all the more worthwhile when you can see and touch the rewards of that benchmark. REsetting goals and milestones is just as important, don’t you think?

  • John Pellegrini May 20, 2010, 6:19 am

    My definition of radio success was one that I didn’t expect. When the PD I was working for at the time said that he considered the imaging I did for the station to be as vital, if not more vital, as what the the morning show contributed. Of course he never offered to pay me as much as them, but it was still nice to hear.

  • Tommy Stone May 20, 2010, 7:14 am

    Starting my career on FM stations before FM ruled, my definition of success was to be on an AM station. I guess I must be very successful today.

  • Tom Berg May 20, 2010, 7:44 am

    My definition of success is to have a name jingle sing!! 😉

  • Andy Gary Barber May 20, 2010, 10:40 am

    Radio Success is…if your still doing it now!

  • Brad Peterson May 20, 2010, 10:40 am

    Radio Success is….when you get to the station and you key still opens the door.

  • Thomas Verba May 20, 2010, 10:41 am

    A bigger U-Haul when you move on.

  • Arlene Tannis May 20, 2010, 10:42 am

    … earning respect from co workers, clients and listeners, developing my talents, helping “younger” co workers , assisting my community, saving money for retirement. I didn’t make a ton of money, but I accomplished all of that and more. You’re as successful as you think you are.

  • Amber Lee May 20, 2010, 10:42 am

    My definition of radio success is constantly evolving. 1st… it was going from board-op to on-air on Sunday nights. WooHoo! Then… leading a morning show. Then… my 1st PD gig. Then…

  • Philip Hilton May 20, 2010, 3:10 pm

    Playing radio with my sister at 10 years old and then winning my first licence 25 years later. A childhood dream realised and I still get excited about radio today…

  • Arlene Tannis May 20, 2010, 8:11 pm

    I will still sit way too long, trying to get a piece of production just right or better… a good habit that stayed with me from radio days… except back then there was never enough time because there were 4 other jobs to do!

  • Mark Haylett May 20, 2010, 11:27 pm

    As a hospital radio presenter, radio success is knowing I’ve improved at least one patient’s hospital stay. One time I was chatting to a jazz enthusiast -always the trickiest patients as they know their music so well. He was sceptical about the station having anything that he’d like. I like a challenge so searched our old vinyl collection and stumbled across a track with one Glenn Miller in the backing band so I played that. It was a version he’d never heard before and phoned up to say how delighted he was. That’s success for me