Feeling a little bit cranky this morning. As I still have a 300 dollar traffic ticket sittin' next to me as I had 3 hours of sleep sitting up at dirty little rest stop. But I had to keep going, I can't treat any meeting too lightly.
Pulling into Columbus was a bit of a shocker. I had no idea how big it was. It was HUGE. It was probably pretty close to Sacramento size. Maybe. And seemingly pretty nice and clean. Not too much to write home about. I checked out Ohio State for a bit, and its a pretty impressive campus. That would have been a fun school to go to.
Quickly though I rolled into the radio station (radio one) where I was going to meet with the program director Jeff. This radio One Building looked like it was designed by a guy who does Hot Rods. This was easily the fanciest tricked out looking radio station I have ever seen. It looked like a professional place where chaos is organized. Jeff greeted me wearing VERY casual clothes and asked, "I hope you don't mind? Its casual friday." Then he immediately escorted me to the studio where they broadcast live. The studio was built for star wars days. Its really ahead of anyother technology I have ever seen in radio. The best equipment imaginable. It was AWESOME!! But the morning show planned on having me as a guest. They had me on the air telling my story. They too liked the story. They seemed mostly intrigued about the book and the video, letting me know that there are a lot more avenues for me to go. The power morning team was great. They really made me feel comfortable and treated me like a respected guest. They even let me plug A Letter To Bob Dylan.
Right after the morningshow was done with me, I went back into Jeff's office. Jeff couldn't have been more terrific. He seemed not only interested in my story, but really interested in me. Like all the others, I feel he would like to have given me a job if he could. He informed me of how some of his staff made it to the top by making themselves very marketable. How they found ways to make themselves valuable. Not just being a jock, but by being something more. He gave me lots of sound advice, and he told me, "People once gave me an opportunity, and I just want to give back." I love people who believe in karma, or maybe social justice. It just makes the world turn easier. He taught me that the most important thing I can do with most of the people I meet is to stay in touch. That If I fail to do that, I may miss that job opportunity I searched so hard for. He also took the time to watch some of my BYU-Idaho dating show called Dating With Rockin' Randy. He loved it, infact he sees the need for that talent in the evolving times for radio to sell a bigger web presence with radio. That was the first time I met someone who gave me honest to goodness feedback who wasn't already a friend. He thought this could make me much more marketable.
Of course, because of the way things are, he couldn't hire anytime soon. But he also told me he believes "The worst is over. There won't be anymore layoffs for on-air persona. Its been getting better for the last two months. It will be a long time before it fully recovers, but its already getting better. And I won't tell you to get out of radio. I love it, thats why I have done it for 30 years."
Jeff was easily one of the nicest people I have ever met. I hope badly a position opens there that I can handle.
I felt so jazzed as I left. I loved that station, this is where I hope to work. But, he sent me to see one of his friends across town who he thinks would really like me. His name is Randy as well. He is the VP for a independantly owned alternative radio station. Randy is like Jill from CNN. Randy thinks like it his mind is powered by google. His station doesn't operate under any large corportion from New York telling him what to do. It didn't follow any rules. They LITTERALLY played what they want (unlike the Jack format who only claims it). The jocks are promotion people first, and they have open programming music meetings for anyone to come every week. This looked like radio heaven. As intimidating as Randy is, he seems like another amazing guy to work for. Radio may seem dead everywhere else in the country. But in Columbus Ohio, RADIO IS KING!!
Pulling into Columbus was a bit of a shocker. I had no idea how big it was. It was HUGE. It was probably pretty close to Sacramento size. Maybe. And seemingly pretty nice and clean. Not too much to write home about. I checked out Ohio State for a bit, and its a pretty impressive campus. That would have been a fun school to go to.
Quickly though I rolled into the radio station (radio one) where I was going to meet with the program director Jeff. This radio One Building looked like it was designed by a guy who does Hot Rods. This was easily the fanciest tricked out looking radio station I have ever seen. It looked like a professional place where chaos is organized. Jeff greeted me wearing VERY casual clothes and asked, "I hope you don't mind? Its casual friday." Then he immediately escorted me to the studio where they broadcast live. The studio was built for star wars days. Its really ahead of anyother technology I have ever seen in radio. The best equipment imaginable. It was AWESOME!! But the morning show planned on having me as a guest. They had me on the air telling my story. They too liked the story. They seemed mostly intrigued about the book and the video, letting me know that there are a lot more avenues for me to go. The power morning team was great. They really made me feel comfortable and treated me like a respected guest. They even let me plug A Letter To Bob Dylan.
Right after the morningshow was done with me, I went back into Jeff's office. Jeff couldn't have been more terrific. He seemed not only interested in my story, but really interested in me. Like all the others, I feel he would like to have given me a job if he could. He informed me of how some of his staff made it to the top by making themselves very marketable. How they found ways to make themselves valuable. Not just being a jock, but by being something more. He gave me lots of sound advice, and he told me, "People once gave me an opportunity, and I just want to give back." I love people who believe in karma, or maybe social justice. It just makes the world turn easier. He taught me that the most important thing I can do with most of the people I meet is to stay in touch. That If I fail to do that, I may miss that job opportunity I searched so hard for. He also took the time to watch some of my BYU-Idaho dating show called Dating With Rockin' Randy. He loved it, infact he sees the need for that talent in the evolving times for radio to sell a bigger web presence with radio. That was the first time I met someone who gave me honest to goodness feedback who wasn't already a friend. He thought this could make me much more marketable.
Of course, because of the way things are, he couldn't hire anytime soon. But he also told me he believes "The worst is over. There won't be anymore layoffs for on-air persona. Its been getting better for the last two months. It will be a long time before it fully recovers, but its already getting better. And I won't tell you to get out of radio. I love it, thats why I have done it for 30 years."
Jeff was easily one of the nicest people I have ever met. I hope badly a position opens there that I can handle.
I felt so jazzed as I left. I loved that station, this is where I hope to work. But, he sent me to see one of his friends across town who he thinks would really like me. His name is Randy as well. He is the VP for a independantly owned alternative radio station. Randy is like Jill from CNN. Randy thinks like it his mind is powered by google. His station doesn't operate under any large corportion from New York telling him what to do. It didn't follow any rules. They LITTERALLY played what they want (unlike the Jack format who only claims it). The jocks are promotion people first, and they have open programming music meetings for anyone to come every week. This looked like radio heaven. As intimidating as Randy is, he seems like another amazing guy to work for. Radio may seem dead everywhere else in the country. But in Columbus Ohio, RADIO IS KING!!
Radio is actually run how it should be, the way it used to be. It was run like a team. There was no trash talking, and such. The people work as a team to make the station move forward. It was the greatest thing I have ever seen. It was like they were all a crime fighting team like the Justice league. It was a fun work environment and they sell the radio station themselves. Randy told me that one of the keys to their success is the forward thinking of using media and community to keep moving things forward. With people like Randy out there, I can promise anyone, RADIO WILL NEVER GO ANYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (So bite me nay sayers)
I left there double jazzed. This had been one of the greatest days of my journey. Sure, I didn't get a job, but I got a few more connections, and a real reminder of what it is I am fighting for. But Randy did set me up with some tickets for a free lunch at a tent infront of the PGA gold tournament. I got the free lunch and I snuck into the golf tournament. Tiger Woods was there, I don't really care much for professional golf, but what I DO care for is, professional golf fans. I love watching them get so wound up over the sport and get library quiet during the game. They all whisper to eachother in commentating on every stroke the golfers get to the hole. "his strategy will now be to get the ball as close as he can, closer than his opponent". Its pretty amusing.
After a day of fun, I drove out to Kent stay with my friend Katie's grandparents. They are perfect. They love to talk and speak about the old times. I can't wait 'til I'm an old dude telling stories. I will make the coolest old dude ever. And it is also great to see Katie. Katie is another friend I went to college with who graduated in broadcasting. We'll have fun catching up.
Scripture: Alma 40:12
I left there double jazzed. This had been one of the greatest days of my journey. Sure, I didn't get a job, but I got a few more connections, and a real reminder of what it is I am fighting for. But Randy did set me up with some tickets for a free lunch at a tent infront of the PGA gold tournament. I got the free lunch and I snuck into the golf tournament. Tiger Woods was there, I don't really care much for professional golf, but what I DO care for is, professional golf fans. I love watching them get so wound up over the sport and get library quiet during the game. They all whisper to eachother in commentating on every stroke the golfers get to the hole. "his strategy will now be to get the ball as close as he can, closer than his opponent". Its pretty amusing.
After a day of fun, I drove out to Kent stay with my friend Katie's grandparents. They are perfect. They love to talk and speak about the old times. I can't wait 'til I'm an old dude telling stories. I will make the coolest old dude ever. And it is also great to see Katie. Katie is another friend I went to college with who graduated in broadcasting. We'll have fun catching up.
Scripture: Alma 40:12
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