Talk Radio!

  I was back on the air at my
old stomping ground, WILK Radio,
yesterday.
 I was News Director there for a
lot of years back in the mid 60's
and early 1970's.
 My return, however, came as a
caller to one the station's
talk shows.
 Sue Henry was discussing a
survey which suggests that
young people don't know enough
about history.
 I've always liked history.
 I've even lived through a lot
of it. And some of it involves
'Talk RADIO!'
 I did my own talk show at a
radio station in Berwick many
years ago.
 It's always a challenge.
 First you've got to come up with
a topic that will,hopefully,
attract both listeners and people
willing to call in on the air
to express their opinions.
 Some people with strong
opinions won't call because
they're afraid someone
will recognize their voice.
 A few will try to disguise
their voice. It's usually
with a 'southern type' accent.
 Generally they sound lousy.
 Sometimes you get callers who
are a little too expressive!
 That's why there's a tape
delay system. It gives
the announcer or the producer
time to 'beep out' words that
aren't suppose to be used on the
radio.....or anywhere else in
polite society!
  Then there are the subjects
that can't even attract flys!
  You get no calls and there's
no indication anybody is tuned
in. You wonder if you should
call in those 'Paranormal
Investigators' to see if there's
anybody out there!  
  Hosts trying to get people to
talk on the radio can be like
detectives trying to get a
suspect to confess his guilt!
  Maybe we need more 'Good
cop/bad cop hosts!
  Anyhow it was nice to be
back on the air even for just
a couple of minutes.
  And I didn't even try to
disguise my voice.
  That's all I've got to talk
about right now except to say
I hope all your NEWS is good!