May 12th, 1995 was my first day on radio as a "DJ." I found out the day before that my first show would be the next day.
It was a rainy morning on the campus of King's College in Wilkes-Barre. Finals had wrapped up the day before. The campus was kinda barren, since everyone had moved out.
What set 88.5 WRKC apart from the other college stations in the area was the Radio Home Visitor... a daily news program for the blind. It aired at 10AM, and replayed at 11AM.
I was already scared that morning, and the fear doubled when the "RHV" wasn't on at 10AM. The rule was no RHV, no music. The program director got there at 11:10 and signed the station on. Father Tom, the station manager, was at a funeral. I got there shortly after and got things ready for my show.
The station always played an entire album during the noon hour. My first record that I played was, "Live Nude Guitars" by Brian Setzer. Then, my show ran from 1:00-4:00. A couple other DJ's had stopped in. Father Tom came back, hearing that RHV got on late. I thought my first day would be the last day. Luckily, I was spared.
I played mostly R&B and a bit of dance music. I did my shows on Friday, then on Thursday throughout the summer. Honestly, my biggest fans were the temporary residents at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. I'm sure you can figure out my euphemism.
I did one or two more shows after school started, then I got hired at two stations in Scranton.
I might have done 13 or 14 shows on 88.5... I supplied most of my own music, on cassette. There were some CDs and some records, but not too many. While the RHV played, I would venture back into the music libraries and look through all the albums.
The station as I remember it had only one functioning studio. When the student center got remodeled, an entirely new facility was built, complete with all music on hard drive. A new tower is in the works for the station as well.
College radio has always been a great breeding ground for budding talent. It's one of the few places left where you can get real radio experience. Most colleges around here have one or two stations, some even closed circuit. If you're interested in going to college for communications, get hooked up with its radio station. I'm thankful I did.
Father Tom still hosts the Radio Home Visitor every day. It's the nation's longest-running radio reading service for the blind. I owe them a night sometime soon.
Buckle up,
TS
Monday, May 11, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Random musings...
You can't spell twitter without twit.
Why in the world do I want to know what somebody is doing every single moment of their lives? There's one aspect of life that I greatly treasure... privacy. This is why you don't hear me publicize where I am 24/7/365. Where you are is more important than where I am.
All you need to know is that I'll be on your radio tonight from 6:00 to midnight... and I'll tell you where I've been after it happens.
The next time you check someone's twitter, just remember how you got along without it, and how much less complicated life was.
Go on youtube and watch any commercials from the 70s... no websites, no cell phones, no internet, no video games and you had to actually leave your house to buy something. No reality shows, no CDs, DVDs, DVRs, CNN, ESPN, or HDTV.
You went to Hess's to buy a console TV that could never be hung on a wall. You wrapped aluminum foil around the antenna to be able to watch the Phillies games. Standing in line waiting to get checked out at Zayre's and A&P? That was a reality show. No infomercials.
You listened to the radio for new music, then went to the record store to buy the entire album... no I-tunes back then. Heck, cassette singles were a big deal in the late 80s.
News anchors had the voice of God, and were revered and remembered as such... Walter Cronkite, Huntley & Brinkley, John Facenda, Franklin D. Coslett, and so many more.
You can tell that I long for some parts of the good ol' days. My earliest memory dates back to 1977. I first remember paying attention to what was going on in the world in 1980, when my parents got cable. What a big deal it was to have 12 channels!
Let's see... WDAU, WBRE, ESPN, WNEW, WNEP, WPHL, WVIA, WOR, WCAU, WPIX, CNN, and KYW.
What memories! Vic's Vacant Lot on ESPN, Tom & Jerry on WPIX, and the Pink Panther on Fridays at 7:30 on KYW. I'm not sure why, but my parents let me have a black and white TV with rabbit ears in my room when I was five. I would watch Keith Martin on Eyewitness News at 11, then Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. We only had four channels back then, and none of them aired anything overnight. Ah, the good ol' days!
----
Miniature golf! We have a few nice courses in this area. Heisler's, Goody's, and Burnie's.
My friends and I went to Carlisle Sports Emporium on Saturday night... two courses, $10. Crowded, but worth it. I got two holes in one on the Western Course. Yee-haa! Shot 4-under par, best round I've had in a few years!
Is there still a mini golf course in Pine Grove?
----
Buckle up,
TS
Why in the world do I want to know what somebody is doing every single moment of their lives? There's one aspect of life that I greatly treasure... privacy. This is why you don't hear me publicize where I am 24/7/365. Where you are is more important than where I am.
All you need to know is that I'll be on your radio tonight from 6:00 to midnight... and I'll tell you where I've been after it happens.
The next time you check someone's twitter, just remember how you got along without it, and how much less complicated life was.
Go on youtube and watch any commercials from the 70s... no websites, no cell phones, no internet, no video games and you had to actually leave your house to buy something. No reality shows, no CDs, DVDs, DVRs, CNN, ESPN, or HDTV.
You went to Hess's to buy a console TV that could never be hung on a wall. You wrapped aluminum foil around the antenna to be able to watch the Phillies games. Standing in line waiting to get checked out at Zayre's and A&P? That was a reality show. No infomercials.
You listened to the radio for new music, then went to the record store to buy the entire album... no I-tunes back then. Heck, cassette singles were a big deal in the late 80s.
News anchors had the voice of God, and were revered and remembered as such... Walter Cronkite, Huntley & Brinkley, John Facenda, Franklin D. Coslett, and so many more.
You can tell that I long for some parts of the good ol' days. My earliest memory dates back to 1977. I first remember paying attention to what was going on in the world in 1980, when my parents got cable. What a big deal it was to have 12 channels!
Let's see... WDAU, WBRE, ESPN, WNEW, WNEP, WPHL, WVIA, WOR, WCAU, WPIX, CNN, and KYW.
What memories! Vic's Vacant Lot on ESPN, Tom & Jerry on WPIX, and the Pink Panther on Fridays at 7:30 on KYW. I'm not sure why, but my parents let me have a black and white TV with rabbit ears in my room when I was five. I would watch Keith Martin on Eyewitness News at 11, then Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. We only had four channels back then, and none of them aired anything overnight. Ah, the good ol' days!
----
Miniature golf! We have a few nice courses in this area. Heisler's, Goody's, and Burnie's.
My friends and I went to Carlisle Sports Emporium on Saturday night... two courses, $10. Crowded, but worth it. I got two holes in one on the Western Course. Yee-haa! Shot 4-under par, best round I've had in a few years!
Is there still a mini golf course in Pine Grove?
----
Buckle up,
TS
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Losing a few great ones...
Forgive me for not blogging lately. I didn't give it up for lent, but have been busy here.
----
If you're younger than 40, then you know no other voice than Harry Kalas when it comes to the Phillies. Look at any media site in Philadelphia and the suburbs. You'll see tributes abound. I'm sure Youtube is flooded with them.
When the Phillies won the World Series in October, I was lucky enough to be able to pick up WPHT in Philadelphia up at my parents' house that night. The radio signal was 10 seconds behind the TV play-by-play. When I saw Brad Lidge kneel on the ground in disbelief, I turned up the radio so I could hear Harry's call. I'll never forget the joy in his voice that night.
I credit whoever had the foresight at Comcast Sportsnet to put a camera in the press box to record Harry making the final call, and Chris Wheeler celebrating like crazy.
WBRE used to carry a few Phillies games here and there, and I'd occasionally watch and listen to Harry, Richie Ashburn, and Andy Musser. I've watched the Phils more in recent years, and smiled anytime I got to hear "Outta Here!"
A few years ago, we had a Harry Kalas call as a contest cue. "Here's the stretch. The 1-0 pitch. Swing and a LONG DRIVE... IT'S OUTTA HERE!!!! TREMENDOUS HOME RUN, JIM THOME, AND THE BIG MAN DELIVERS AGAIN!" Vintage Harry Kalas.
Thanks for the Memories. Eternal High Hopes.
----
As I type this, Al Kovy is playing Night Ranger's "Goodbye"... "I was never much good at goodbye" is the lyric that sticks in my head.
An hour ago, I found about John Madden's decision to retire. Since 1979, John has been on NFL telecasts. He was probably one of the few broadcasters to be prominently featured by all 4 major networks... CBS, Fox, ABC, then NBC.
For the first time in a very long time, he took a week off last season. I sensed retirement was near, but not this soon. It's tough to imagine watching football without hearing his voice. To me, Pat Summerall and John Madden are still the gold standard in broadcasting teams.
John picked a good time to go out on top. He and Al Michaels had one of their best games ever in Super Bowl 43. Not many people can go out on top. Good luck, John.
Frank Caliendo is crying somewhere, because he won't have any new material for a while.
----
WYOU dropped their news department a few weeks ago.
They were the top news station in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the 60s and early 70s. However, the ownership couldn't keep up with WNEP once Newswatch 16 went full steam ahead in the 70s. When they finally moved to 415 Lackawanna Avenue, things slowly got better. They were at their best in the mid-90s, especially with the 11:00 leading into David Letterman. They really scored points with us in the media who were watching their coverage when Bill Clinton came to Wilkes-Barre.
When WYOU was sold to new owners around 1997, things began to change for the worse. Five high-priced talent were let go, including Debbie Dunleavy. Honestly, the news product looked alright for a few years during the 22 Action News era. Unfortunately, it's gone. I'm glad my buddy Scott Stuccio went to work for the Penguins when he did.
When the (bonehead) owners of WYOU in 1998 entered into the shared services agreement with WYOU, we were all skeptical. Most of their footage could be seen on both WBRE and WYOU. Some people referred to the two as Channel 50 (22+ 28).
Speaking of (bonehead) owners, another leader in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the 60s and 70s is on life support. The Mighty 590 W-A-R-M was the station to listen to from 1958 through the 70s. By the 90s, they were news/talk, and I listened often... especially when their signal went to FM in 1995.
Then Susquehanna Broadcasting sold them and their sister stations in 1996 for $10 million. Slowly, WARM became lower on the priority list. Lately, WARM has been oldies via satellite and running on the backup transmitter. That transmitter went kaput two weeks ago. Not sure when it will be back.
For both WYOU and WARM, the people who have been working there the last 10-12 years should be credited for trying to make lemonade out of a pretty small lemon. It's too bad that their owners don't live in the area and don't know the people who make things tick around here.
That's what I've always liked about working here... I see the owner every day. He grew up here, and he knows the area. That's just about true for everyone who is here.
I've worked for the big corporation, and never saw anybody associated with direct ownership... just via e-mail and memos. I'd love to see the rules return to a company only allowed to own one am, one fm, and one tv in a market... I can dream, can't I?
----
Buckle Up,
TS
----
If you're younger than 40, then you know no other voice than Harry Kalas when it comes to the Phillies. Look at any media site in Philadelphia and the suburbs. You'll see tributes abound. I'm sure Youtube is flooded with them.
When the Phillies won the World Series in October, I was lucky enough to be able to pick up WPHT in Philadelphia up at my parents' house that night. The radio signal was 10 seconds behind the TV play-by-play. When I saw Brad Lidge kneel on the ground in disbelief, I turned up the radio so I could hear Harry's call. I'll never forget the joy in his voice that night.
I credit whoever had the foresight at Comcast Sportsnet to put a camera in the press box to record Harry making the final call, and Chris Wheeler celebrating like crazy.
WBRE used to carry a few Phillies games here and there, and I'd occasionally watch and listen to Harry, Richie Ashburn, and Andy Musser. I've watched the Phils more in recent years, and smiled anytime I got to hear "Outta Here!"
A few years ago, we had a Harry Kalas call as a contest cue. "Here's the stretch. The 1-0 pitch. Swing and a LONG DRIVE... IT'S OUTTA HERE!!!! TREMENDOUS HOME RUN, JIM THOME, AND THE BIG MAN DELIVERS AGAIN!" Vintage Harry Kalas.
Thanks for the Memories. Eternal High Hopes.
----
As I type this, Al Kovy is playing Night Ranger's "Goodbye"... "I was never much good at goodbye" is the lyric that sticks in my head.
An hour ago, I found about John Madden's decision to retire. Since 1979, John has been on NFL telecasts. He was probably one of the few broadcasters to be prominently featured by all 4 major networks... CBS, Fox, ABC, then NBC.
For the first time in a very long time, he took a week off last season. I sensed retirement was near, but not this soon. It's tough to imagine watching football without hearing his voice. To me, Pat Summerall and John Madden are still the gold standard in broadcasting teams.
John picked a good time to go out on top. He and Al Michaels had one of their best games ever in Super Bowl 43. Not many people can go out on top. Good luck, John.
Frank Caliendo is crying somewhere, because he won't have any new material for a while.
----
WYOU dropped their news department a few weeks ago.
They were the top news station in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the 60s and early 70s. However, the ownership couldn't keep up with WNEP once Newswatch 16 went full steam ahead in the 70s. When they finally moved to 415 Lackawanna Avenue, things slowly got better. They were at their best in the mid-90s, especially with the 11:00 leading into David Letterman. They really scored points with us in the media who were watching their coverage when Bill Clinton came to Wilkes-Barre.
When WYOU was sold to new owners around 1997, things began to change for the worse. Five high-priced talent were let go, including Debbie Dunleavy. Honestly, the news product looked alright for a few years during the 22 Action News era. Unfortunately, it's gone. I'm glad my buddy Scott Stuccio went to work for the Penguins when he did.
When the (bonehead) owners of WYOU in 1998 entered into the shared services agreement with WYOU, we were all skeptical. Most of their footage could be seen on both WBRE and WYOU. Some people referred to the two as Channel 50 (22+ 28).
Speaking of (bonehead) owners, another leader in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the 60s and 70s is on life support. The Mighty 590 W-A-R-M was the station to listen to from 1958 through the 70s. By the 90s, they were news/talk, and I listened often... especially when their signal went to FM in 1995.
Then Susquehanna Broadcasting sold them and their sister stations in 1996 for $10 million. Slowly, WARM became lower on the priority list. Lately, WARM has been oldies via satellite and running on the backup transmitter. That transmitter went kaput two weeks ago. Not sure when it will be back.
For both WYOU and WARM, the people who have been working there the last 10-12 years should be credited for trying to make lemonade out of a pretty small lemon. It's too bad that their owners don't live in the area and don't know the people who make things tick around here.
That's what I've always liked about working here... I see the owner every day. He grew up here, and he knows the area. That's just about true for everyone who is here.
I've worked for the big corporation, and never saw anybody associated with direct ownership... just via e-mail and memos. I'd love to see the rules return to a company only allowed to own one am, one fm, and one tv in a market... I can dream, can't I?
----
Buckle Up,
TS
Thursday, February 26, 2009
This is the worst excuse...
I thought I heard it all...
I heard this morning about the plight of one schoolgirl who didn't go to school today because she didn't have a brush to brush her hair.
RIDICULOUS!!
Kids these days think of the best excuses not to do homework or chores... why not a good one to explain the unstraight hair? Come on... you can think of something better than "I can't find my brush." Be lucky you have hair! You can take any kidding from your classmates for a day... it ain't the end of the world. Heck, look at me, you think I'd ever take a day off because I had a bad hair day? I can't, I hardly have any hair!
Buckle up,
TS
I heard this morning about the plight of one schoolgirl who didn't go to school today because she didn't have a brush to brush her hair.
RIDICULOUS!!
Kids these days think of the best excuses not to do homework or chores... why not a good one to explain the unstraight hair? Come on... you can think of something better than "I can't find my brush." Be lucky you have hair! You can take any kidding from your classmates for a day... it ain't the end of the world. Heck, look at me, you think I'd ever take a day off because I had a bad hair day? I can't, I hardly have any hair!
Buckle up,
TS
Friday, February 13, 2009
Random Musings...
I stayed up all last night watching the breaking news from Buffalo... My heart goes out to those affected by this tragedy. Never easy to think about 'do I know anyone on it?'
As one who enjoys following the ins and outs of local TV news coverage in areas away from ours, I found it interesting that CNN was carrying the coverage from the NBC station in Buffalo, but MSNBC could not. I'd love to see what those contracts and agreements say. NBC does own some of its affiliates, but not all of them. WGRZ (NBC in Buffalo) is owned by Gannett, the same folks who own USA Today. I wonder if CNN and Gannett have an agreement. CNN easily topped MSNBC and Fox News last night, simply on its access to coverage from WGRZ and the ABC affiliate, WKBW. I think all those MSNBC budget cuts reared their ugly heads last night.
MSNBC has good nighttime programs, if you lean that way politically. If Olbermann's not talking too much politics, I'll watch him. Everything else doesn't really interest me.
Fox News and CNN are alright. I'll watch HLN (formerly CNN Headline News) in the morning. I used to watch Glenn Beck, but now he's on FNC at 5pm, and I'm usually watching local news.
----
Speaking of local news, a co-worker commented to me how many people they didn't recognize on Newswatch 16. Aside from the anchors, most of the reporters have changed over the last few years.
It's good to see Bob Reynolds when he and I run into each other when he's in town. His wife, Paula, gave me my first commercial radio job in Scranton. My first day on the job was 2/18/96, the day President Clinton visited Wilkes-Barre and I covered it... I've blogged about this before, but my first day on the job included being in the same room with Bill Clinton, Tom Ridge, Brian Williams, ABC's Ann Compton, CBS's Mark Knoller, Wendell Goler (now with Fox), and a lot of the traveling White House Press Corps.
----
Did your house almost blow away last night?
----
Congratulations to the 93% of baseball players who have never used performance-enhancing drugs in their lives. It's the other 7% who make the news and SportsCenter.
----
Bye, Brett Favre. Again. In other news, Vinny Testaverde will come out of retirement to quarterback the Buccaneers next year. ;)
----
Happy Valentines Day. I'm taking my folks out to dinner before my show tonight. Talk with you after basketball.
Buckle Up,
TS
As one who enjoys following the ins and outs of local TV news coverage in areas away from ours, I found it interesting that CNN was carrying the coverage from the NBC station in Buffalo, but MSNBC could not. I'd love to see what those contracts and agreements say. NBC does own some of its affiliates, but not all of them. WGRZ (NBC in Buffalo) is owned by Gannett, the same folks who own USA Today. I wonder if CNN and Gannett have an agreement. CNN easily topped MSNBC and Fox News last night, simply on its access to coverage from WGRZ and the ABC affiliate, WKBW. I think all those MSNBC budget cuts reared their ugly heads last night.
MSNBC has good nighttime programs, if you lean that way politically. If Olbermann's not talking too much politics, I'll watch him. Everything else doesn't really interest me.
Fox News and CNN are alright. I'll watch HLN (formerly CNN Headline News) in the morning. I used to watch Glenn Beck, but now he's on FNC at 5pm, and I'm usually watching local news.
----
Speaking of local news, a co-worker commented to me how many people they didn't recognize on Newswatch 16. Aside from the anchors, most of the reporters have changed over the last few years.
It's good to see Bob Reynolds when he and I run into each other when he's in town. His wife, Paula, gave me my first commercial radio job in Scranton. My first day on the job was 2/18/96, the day President Clinton visited Wilkes-Barre and I covered it... I've blogged about this before, but my first day on the job included being in the same room with Bill Clinton, Tom Ridge, Brian Williams, ABC's Ann Compton, CBS's Mark Knoller, Wendell Goler (now with Fox), and a lot of the traveling White House Press Corps.
----
Did your house almost blow away last night?
----
Congratulations to the 93% of baseball players who have never used performance-enhancing drugs in their lives. It's the other 7% who make the news and SportsCenter.
----
Bye, Brett Favre. Again. In other news, Vinny Testaverde will come out of retirement to quarterback the Buccaneers next year. ;)
----
Happy Valentines Day. I'm taking my folks out to dinner before my show tonight. Talk with you after basketball.
Buckle Up,
TS
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Now you REALLY know that times are tough...
Skycam 16 is being sold. Channel 16 has had a helicopter in one form or another for about 30 years. NewsBlues says the pilot has been laid off as well.
Next thing you know, Snedeker will be auctioning off his dress clothes to raise money... oh wait, he doesn't have any.
Buckle up,
TS
Next thing you know, Snedeker will be auctioning off his dress clothes to raise money... oh wait, he doesn't have any.
Buckle up,
TS
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