Stories
Everyone in radio has stories. These are some that are still vivid in my memory - and that I can share:
WILD BILL LIVES UP TO HIS NAME
Wild Bill Cody was one of our jocks at Alice @ 96.5 in Reno. He was a big oldies fan and tracked the afternoon show on Oldies 104 too (I was PD of both).
One day he's tracking the oldies shift and another jock interrupts him. They take few minutes to talk about a local female TV anchor - and go into detail about all of the nasty things they would like to do to her.
How do I know this?
Wild Bill never hit STOP on the VT keyboard - which meant the entire conversation was recorded as a 6 minute voice-track.
When the other jock left - bill just hit NEXT - and the VT was saved and ready to air.
I am the drive-thru of my bank - a good 20 minutes from the station. I'm in line - between the cement barriers - STUCK!
Fortunately for all of us - the VT was scheduled to play over the ramp of Hermin's Hermit's Into Something Good
So unless you were listening closely (which I was) - it was hard to make out what they were saying.
I grabbed my giant cell phone and frantically called the station. The traffic manager took my call and ran into the control room.
There was nobody around who could show her how to turn down the VT pot - and I didn't remember which one it was.
So I told her to just turn them all down.
The station went quiet for 20 minutes until I got back there.
Bill Schultz (current OM and morning show host at Alice @ 96.5) loves to tell that story.
WHAT ECHO?
After the Superbowl Janet Jackson incident - we had to install a 7 second delay at WKTI/Milwaukee (you can see why - reading previous posts!). We had gone over it with everyone and were ready to roll.
Engineering had changed something at the last minute - and word never got to Reitman and Mueller. When they got there the next morning - they didn't know the headphone feed was still the 7 second delay.
The first 15 minutes of the show was absolutely hilarious. They explained to their listeners what was happening - and then had fun with it. They laughed and even put callers on the air. It was the kind of harmless fun you need at 5am.
It was also why R&M were such a success. They had no pretense. They were just themselves and always let the listener in on what was happening.
A YOUNG JARED?
I was to drive the station vehicle to a remote far from the station. We were cutting it close as I had to wait for the talent to finish cutting their weight-loss endorsement spot. I was anxious because I knew the vehicle was out of gas - and we would have to stop first and fill 'er up.
The talent finishes recording the weight loss testimonial and we tear out of the parking lot.
While I'm pumping gas, I see the talent come out of the store with a giant hoagie - 44 oz coke, and bag of chips (not the "fun" size, mind you).
The talent never said anything to me - yet proceeded to eat the sandwich, polish off the chips and swiging most of the coke.
Nothing was ever said - very awkward.
NOT THE BEATLES - BUT PRETTY COOL
One of the coolest things we did during my time at 'KTI was broadcast a live concert by the Bodeans (beloved local boys) - from the roof of the Pabst Theater in downtown Milwaukee. The promotion took on a life of it's own when two local alderman got in a scuffle over turf - and one threatened to shut down the show - labeling it noise pollution and a public nuisance.
This only fueled interest in the show. The expected 1500 - 2000 crowd was at least 5000 deep - all to watch the live radio broadcast.
I learned something about 'KTI's relationship with it's listener's that day. A lady called the station during the live broadcast to request a song. We figured she wasn't listening and just wanted to call the DJ.
No - she was listening, and figured we would send her message to the top of the building and they would play the song.
I asked her why she thought we would do that. She said because you are 94-WKTI ... that's what you do.
I thought about that for a long time.
www.bobwmedia.com