If you've been following me for a while, then you know that I love music, radio, and the media scene in general. Operating my small (Part 15, FCC authorized) radio station is an activity that I thoroughly enjoy, and which brings me a lot of happiness.
Nevertheless, the daily grind of broadcasting can be quite difficult to deal with. Obviously, radio is a very tough and competitive business. If you don't already have some radio experience, most prospective employees won't talk to you. Having applied for many a choice position, I have first-hand knowledge of this situation. Unless you really know your stuff (I think I do), it can be very challenging to even "get your foot in the door".
Allow me to describe the current state of southern Connecticut radio. I would love to be on the air at a decent-sized station, doing either music or a local political show. However, the current industry climate leaves me with almost no opportunity for this.
A non-political music show would fit splendidly on Bridgeport's WPKN. Alas, it seems that the political divide has reared its ugly head. The station is VERY left-leaning politically; so much so that, being a conservative (in terms of political beliefs), I can't get management to even pick up the phone for me (more on that later). As such, any possibility of doing a show on WPKN is out the window. "Diversity" and "free speech" my foot!
Fairfield University's WVOF would be another option for my programming. For a college radio station, "the Voice of Fairfield" has very good signal coverage. The problem here is in trying to contact station staff. It's usually pretty easy to contact someone with the university; for WVOF, not so much. Management doesn't seem to like to reply to e-mails, and good luck reaching a human on the station's staff through the phone. This makes any show development very much a losing battle.
What about other stations, do you ask? Don't even try to get anything started with Sacred Heart University's WSHU, as they don't seem to air local programming. Staples High School (in Westport) has an award-winning station in WWPT. Nevertheless, a show on this station is not possible either, since you must be a Staples student to be allowed on air. WGCH is an excellent small station out of Greenwich (and where my friend Rob Adams works). This notwithstanding, my chances of getting on the air at this station seem slim at best (although I'd appreciate any positive references you could make). Then there's WICC out of Bridgeport, which having a show on is (to coin a phrase) an "I don't think so" type of situation.
As you can see, opportunities regarding radio in Connecticut are quite few and far between. Realizing this, I have started to question whether I am cut out for the radio industry. As shocking as this may be, I am rapidly approaching my fortieth birthday. This September, I will turn thirty-eight years old. Perhaps I'm simply having an early version of a mid-life crisis, but a few questions are starting to pop up, such as:
- Do I have my sights set too high, so to speak? Am I aiming for something that I can't hit?
- Is what I do good enough for a regular radio spot?
- Is it worth it to continue to pursue a job in broadcasting? Should I give up, and do something else? (This is the most important question of all)
These are questions that I haven't found the answer to as of yet. You would think that, after eighteen years of paying dues, someone would want to take a chance on me. Alas, that has not happened. So it is, seemingly, that I have a bit of thinking to do.
Over the next week or so, I'm going to carefully consider how I wish to move forward (not saying that I'm giving things up, just pondering). Right now, I have no idea what I'm going to do; to quote my father, I'll "cross that bridge when I get to it". Let the mid-life crisis commence!
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