Radio Roots
I said on my FaceBook status that I miss radio. I do in one sense, because for a while it was fun. I went to a lot of concerts, was MC at a lot of events, I got to interview a lot of the artists I played. I loved promotions, planning contests for radio. I don't miss what it had become. A series of voice-tracked music and commericals.
Local radio for the most part is gone. Those in the business say its not, but it is. Remember the snow storm in 2009? One of my teachers was late one morning. He had sit on the interstate for two hours, because of a tractor trailor accident. He said all he could find on radio was canned music. No local news or traffic reports of any kind. I know if there was such a thing as
turning over in ones grave, Joe L Smith is doing flips.
If you watched shows like "the Waltons" radio was THE source for everything in the community. Now there are other ways to find out information. What radio hasn't figured out is how to stay up with the trends.
My radio interest came honestly from my dad. We used to listen to Randy in Nashville on WLAC. We listened to other far-off stations. When I was a kid I had an orange transister radio. I remember listening to Art Linkletter on it
As I got older the radios got bigger. I used to hear my dad and grandma talk about where I worked. My dad's uncle worked there as a janitor, back in the 1940's. While doing research for a school project I discovered that there is a web site dedicated to the history of Beckley radio. It listed him as one of the staff. It was listed as Harry Traynham. His name was actually Hansford Traynham. My dad and my grandma sometimes helped him clean. They knew the place quite well. Growing up I used to hear about the steps, the transmitter and other things. I was curious. My grandma worked for Virginia Cooper, who managed the station during the war years. I used to hear about how Mrs. Cooper would dress up in the riding habits to go out to Gray Flats and Flat Top. Of couse I was fascinated.
When I got the job there at 19, I felt it an honor and a priviledge to work in a place that my ancestor could only clean. I was on the air. I had always felt that way. It was like I owed it to him to do the best job I could. I did until the day I left.
Times change and God moves us on to other things. God is amazing in the way He works, we don't understand all of His ways. We will "Understand It Better By and By."
I wrote this three years ago, when things were different , local radio is trying to make a comeback in Southern West Virginia. West Virginia Radio Corp purchased WJLS back in December 2012. They hired me back to do some part time work. I see that they are making strides to make radio local with community involvement. There was a while there that radio was not local at all.
Local radio for the most part is gone. Those in the business say its not, but it is. Remember the snow storm in 2009? One of my teachers was late one morning. He had sit on the interstate for two hours, because of a tractor trailor accident. He said all he could find on radio was canned music. No local news or traffic reports of any kind. I know if there was such a thing as
turning over in ones grave, Joe L Smith is doing flips.
If you watched shows like "the Waltons" radio was THE source for everything in the community. Now there are other ways to find out information. What radio hasn't figured out is how to stay up with the trends.
My radio interest came honestly from my dad. We used to listen to Randy in Nashville on WLAC. We listened to other far-off stations. When I was a kid I had an orange transister radio. I remember listening to Art Linkletter on it
As I got older the radios got bigger. I used to hear my dad and grandma talk about where I worked. My dad's uncle worked there as a janitor, back in the 1940's. While doing research for a school project I discovered that there is a web site dedicated to the history of Beckley radio. It listed him as one of the staff. It was listed as Harry Traynham. His name was actually Hansford Traynham. My dad and my grandma sometimes helped him clean. They knew the place quite well. Growing up I used to hear about the steps, the transmitter and other things. I was curious. My grandma worked for Virginia Cooper, who managed the station during the war years. I used to hear about how Mrs. Cooper would dress up in the riding habits to go out to Gray Flats and Flat Top. Of couse I was fascinated.
When I got the job there at 19, I felt it an honor and a priviledge to work in a place that my ancestor could only clean. I was on the air. I had always felt that way. It was like I owed it to him to do the best job I could. I did until the day I left.
Times change and God moves us on to other things. God is amazing in the way He works, we don't understand all of His ways. We will "Understand It Better By and By."
I wrote this three years ago, when things were different , local radio is trying to make a comeback in Southern West Virginia. West Virginia Radio Corp purchased WJLS back in December 2012. They hired me back to do some part time work. I see that they are making strides to make radio local with community involvement. There was a while there that radio was not local at all.
Not only that, but you became actually a friend to all your listeners. Nobody said, I'm going to listen to Joy in the Morning....they said, I'm gonna turn on Sandi! We miss you being there...the personal touch is gone.
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