Peter K. O’Connell delivering WDCR Paddy O’Grams circa 1983

Based the tremendous response to yesterday’s post (crickets: chirp, chirp), many of you asked “OK, what DOES a sad ass radio jock look like in 1982?”

Again, I believe now we’ve satisfactorily answered that question too, haven’t we?

This picture may require a bit more explanation.

You see, as a fund raising tool, the University of Dayton’s campus radio station, WDCR, would create seasonal message deliveries with staff dressed up in costumes of the season. We did them for Christmas (Santa), Thanksgiving (Pilgrims) or in this case “St. Patrick’s Day”.

Yes that IS me dressed as a Leprechaun delivering a silly (possibly naughty) message to some campus house while using my famous Irish brogue (which would likely get me thrown out of any pub in Dublin).

On the plus side, many women thought it extremely good luck to smooch a Leprechaun.

So I had that going for me, which was nice.

Tags: radio, university of dayton by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Peter K. O’Connell, on the air at WDCR in Dayton, OH circa 1982

Many of you have been asking yourselves lately “what DID a bad ass radio jock look like in 1982?”

I think now we’ve satisfactorily answered that question, haven’t we?

Glad I could help.

Tomorrow, I’ll show you what a sad ass radio jock looked like.

Tags: commentary, radio, university of dayton by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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WDCR in 1982 FRONT Row Tracy Hurd, Ron Alexander MIDDLE Row Clare Bracken, Gary Sandy, Jim Secunde BACK Row Peter K. O\’Connell, Scott Rolle, Mike Savino, Unknown (sorry) and Mark Kraus

My longtime friend Ron Alexander is a fun person for many reasons not the least of which is he likes to collect things. He just doesn’t seem to throw anything out! It’s all very organized, mind you, but he seems to keep everything. Like that photo you see up there.

What you’re looking at (besides an embarrassingly silly mustache on the guy in the upper left corner slurping his Pepsi, again) is probably a group of some of the most creative college radio folks there ever were. I don’t mean that in an egotistical, “hey aren’t we great” way!” I mean it in the best possible sense.

I will grant you that my opinion is likely jaded because I was a part of it but really, what the student staff at WDCR (now called Flyer Radio and incredibly higher tech then when I was there) pulled off as regular broadcasters was quite amazing.

BTW, the big deal for the picture was that Gary Sandy (who I want to say was from Dayton) was somehow cajoled to stop by WDCR (now known as “Flyer Radio”)while I think he was still starring on WKRP in Cincinnati. It was big doings at the time.

Anyway, at UD, it worked this way: if you really wanted to work in radio at the University of Dayton, you started at AM-64 WDCR (which was a carrier current station that only broadcast to the dorms and student union). Then you tried to work your way up to WVUD-FM, the University-owned 50,000 watt station that had a full time professional management team (GM, PD, sales, promotion etc.) and gave a few students regular air shifts.

Having the combination of those two opportunities for a radio ho like me was Nirvana. WVUD was the real deal but the creativity and ingenuity that WDCR offered to all of us was almost magical by comparison.

It helps to have had a real promotional talent like Ron Alexander who was the only person who ever got me to dress up like a leprechaun. I think I delivered leprechaun-o-grams or something to student houses and dorm rooms as a fund raisier….but that was the kind of crazy stuff that got the station attention.

Of that group, I still keep in touch with Ron (who was in my wedding), Clare, Tracy, Mark and just caught up with Scott on Facebook (Ron pointed out to me Scott’s got a new show on the History Channel so congrats on that).

Not in that picture are other great folks like John Luttrell, Bill Slamon, Jeff Wagner, Dan Suffoletto, Ginny Judge, Liz Benz, Lisa Curie, Joe Lombardi and more (who I am unforgivably forgetting) who made WDCR an amazing station during my years at UD.

That one picture absolute takes me back to a simpler time where I thought I knew how good I had it. But I now know you can’t know how really good you have it until you take a moment to look back down the road a spell.

That to me is a really special gift.

Tags: commentary, radio, university of dayton, WVUD by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Like all things gadget and quasi-technical, I think it was Dave Courvoisier who first posted something about the new i-phone application called iAudition which promises: “You can record, edit and send your auditions from wherever you are, without the need for a recording studio or computer!”

It dices, it slices it even make julienne fries! But wait, there’s more!

Well then George Washington, III chimed in with his experience on the device. As I am not nor really ever been a pioneer on technical items, I figured now that these two fellas had tried it, maybe for a penny under $5 I could try it for my iphone.

So I pinged in Facebook that I had done just that and one of the comments I got in response to that post got me to thinking.

Facebook friend and voice talent Don Capone opined “bottom line… it maybe ok for a quick edit or to… but lets be real…the audio recording quality is hideous… but i guess if its a must have situation and u need to do a quick audition…”

I love comments like Don’s because they start me thinking and in this case three thoughts popped into my head.

1. The technology boat will leave with or without us
It is pathetically obvious to even the most unengaged user of technology that as soon as you buy the newest computer at the store, it’s outdated in some aspect of its internal technology. Beyond computers, it the tech sectors business model – always be improving so customers will buy your newer stuff.

This is, to my knowledge, one of the first apps of its kind for iPhone and it’s very specifically targeted my area of business. Obviously my biggest concern with something like iAudition is audio fidelity and quality…so will Don be proven right? Will I hate it?

I won’t know unless I try it and at under $5, I can roll the dice on this technology.

2. As technology changes, so do people’s expectations
As an example: black and white TV’s died when a successful color TV model was invented. HDTV is having the same effect on analog. People expect better.

BUT sometimes people’s expectations for quality can be lowered and those lower expectations become acceptable. One example I site is this: I remember, growing up, that people always dressed up when one flew on an airplane; jackets and ties were the norm. Now it’s just nice if people keep their flip flops on during the whole flight.

In voiceover, the same thing has happened whether we like it or not. Recording studios and their amazing acoustics have given way to home studios where voice talents manage their acoustics with bed foam and moving van blankets…the clients know not the the recording room difference most times when they listen to the finished file.

Remember when voice over agencies ruled the business? Most professional voice talents signed with an agency and the agency did all the marketing for the talent (one might even go to the agent or the client’s office to audition). Now the Voices.com and Voice123’s of the world have changed that dynamic. And while some of their clients offer fine quality audio recordings and performances, some are pathetic in both those measures. But because those lesser talents will work for pennies on the dollar, they get work.

Sacrificing quality for lower cost is an American retail tradition. Which led me to think…

3. What is the tipping point for “acceptable” audio fidelity on auditions?
Whatever it is today, I think it will be different tomorrow. In much the same way America had recording studio quality standards years ago, today radio stations will seemingly broadcast almost anything for ad dollars and I can’t blame them. And video not audio has always been a prime focus for television ads as anyone who has ever watched a local cable ad can attest.

So what about when auditioning? Will clients and production houses sacrifice pristine audio quality on auditions since they are only auditions? Shouldn’t the audio quality of the audio represent the level of the finished product should that voice talent get the job? Or will the client assume that can all be fixed in post?

It’s an evolving answer but as our national consciousness seems to be focusing on faster and easier more so than better and quality, I think this debate in the voiceover industry isn’t but a year or so away from getting a clearer answer.

Tags: audio production, broadcasting, commentary, radio, technology, tv, voice talent, voiceover advice, voiceover blog, voices.com by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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The fact of the matter is radio stations need Christmas music…badly!

Research seems to indicate that stations (Adult Contemporary or Adult Hits formats mostly) that play 24 hours of Christmas music enjoy a surge in first quarter ratings as a carry over. Radio advertising revenues have been on a steady decline (unfortunately) so I get the economic sense of the business decision.

I understand the competitive argument of being first in the market to get your station playing Christmas music…maybe listeners will think yours is the only station in the market doing it (ha!) so they will stay glued to their radio.

Further, I get that retailers are pushing Christmas shopping to start earlier and earlier so you want your station on in retail stores. Sears announced they will now be open on Thanksgiving Day because family is evidently less important than retail profits.

Knowing all that, I still believe you radio people should start your damn Christmas music the Friday after Thanksgiving!

And you don’t care what I think. And I understand.

* Poorly sung to the music of “Oh Christmas Tree”

Tags: commentary, radio, rants, silliness by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Logo Montage of Z-100 New York

If you worked in radio in the 80’s, WHTZ/New York was the station that every CHR station (Contemporary Hit Radio) wanted to sound like.

It was where the cool kids hung out. Jingle companies fawned over them tossing them completely new customized and awesome jingles because they knew they’d make their money when every other station in the free world bought them for top dollar. See if these these don’t sound familiar to a market near year where only the frequency and slogan are slightly modified.

My point is once a trend setter, always a trendsetter…until you’re not. Z-100 still turns heads although the 80’s also-ran WPLJ-FM took the lead (and Scott Shannon) away to even things out a bit.

So when Z-100 changes its logo, unlike other radio stations, it matters a bit. You are more like to see those top two logos pop up in other cities around the country – radio as an industry is inventive, once. Then its copy city after that.

So what do you think of the new icon? Or do you have to hear the station to see if it fits?

The playing field is a bit more level today then it was when I was working as a jock but don’t be surprised if you start seeing similar logos to the top two in the graphic above in your market soon. Once a trend setter, always a trendsetter…until you’re not.

Tags: branding, broadcasting, commentary, logo design, marketing, radio by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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