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How is it like when you're first starting doing radio?

I would like to be a radio star, but I want to know all the good things and the pitfulls about being a new employee at your first radio station. I'm planning on going to college, to do college radio...for the experience of real radio. I plan on sending some demos out to real radio stations (maybe a public radio station). If I get hired, what are some of the things do I need to expect? How is it like being a new deejay at your first radio station? Someone give me details about the early days in radio.

Public Comments

1. It's quite a bit different when i was in 20 years ago, but it can be very rewarding with the perks. Good Luck My Friend
2. I will never forget my first time on the radio. I had just been hired to do a few overnight shifts (midnight to 6 a.m.) Mostly, it was just running the board for the "Larry King Show," then music from 5:30 to 6 a.m. At about 2:30 a.m. on my first night, the guy who had been training me said, "I need to run down to the store. I should be back by 3." At 3;00 he wasn't back, but I successfully ran the legal ID and news. At 3:05 there was a live weather forecast and a spot. I remember being nervous as could be reading off the weather! Finished the break and rejoined the network right on time. The other guy came in shortly thereafter. "Great job on the break. You're doing just fine, so you can go solo now." He left. That was a LONG time ago. This wasn't a college station. It was the real thing, and I only did overnights for a couple of months before moving to a regular music shift. This was back before computers and mp3s, by the way, so everything really was LIVE. Once you learn all of the buttons and switches it's much easier! Now it seems silly that I was so nervous doing weather at 3:05 A..M.!
3. wow...it's been over 30 yrs.I can't even remember what I did with the car keys yesterday!!....anyway...as best as I can recall, the first few days(maybe a week or so) was very surreal!...walked away from it each shift like it was an 'out of body' experience as I recall(that's the closest I can get to it!)....after that, things got a bit less hectic,more repetitive,and easy going..like someone said once you learn what knobs and buttons do what ,you calm down immensely!....However today everything is pretty much computerized(I'd be a dinosaur trying to go back into it now)...In those days, just to cut a spot w/out the advantage of 'overdubbing'...I'd start 3-4 machines at the same time(a turntable with one hand..a cart machine with the other and use my toe to tap the 'start' button on the deck!! I kid you not!!)...that's the rough way to learn...but I loved it..no doubt you'll find ways to love it the way it is now also...good luck...(but do me a favor--when it ceases to be fun, get a real job!!)..
4. Well the first year was a bit rough, Luckily I had a large music collection to start with, but it was at times disconcerting when my listener count was pretty low, and no one bothered emailing my station. You really need a good love of the music to playing to motivate you. There was (and still) The odd equipment failure but if you hand on, you'll be rewarded by a growing fan base, people that are actually glad to hear you!. ALso It's wonderful when artists start contacting you, asking if you will be the channel through which the world will be exposed to their music.