HAVEN OF THOUGHTS: My First Radio Job

I was supposed to blog something two months ago about my radio days in 2011. But I was too busy with work that I missed out posting it. I was supposed to blog this last March because it was the same month last year when I got hired. Its sort of an anniversary (almost) to me. Lol.

Let’s time travel.

It was February last year when I heard over the radio that ‘this’ station is looking for new DJs and is open for auditions. I was in the midst of career issues that time that I was very eager to try everything. I immediately contacted my college classmate who works in that station as a radio jock to ask for the requirements and schedule of auditions. I then tried squeezing it in my, not to mention, very busy and messy schedule in work (that’s how TV life goes), all the preparations for the requirements and practicing. Yes, I did practice! I practiced while in the shower. Haha!

The audition was basically an impromptu. You just need to adlib / discuss something in a very interesting, entertaining, funny and most hyper manner. There’s one thing I wasn’t able to do during the auditions, I was asked to give a joke and guess what I answered, “Wala po akong alam na joke.” Stupid enough. Haha. The audition piece is recorded and is forwarded to their bosses.

A few weeks after, I got a call back from the station manager for an interview. I remember I was in Fashbook's taping back then (as they needed a model with long hair), when I got the call from the station manager. I was then scheduled for a week of training for adlibs and technical stuff. I then started as a weekend jock. They then baptized me with a new airname “Lucy” (which I really didn’t like). Haha.

For four Sundays, I was DJ-ing during lunch time. (Then I have to run back to my mother job, for a live telecast of Showbiz Central. Imagine how hard was that? I’m a mutant. Lol)

By mid-April, I was re-scheduled to DJ at midnight (1am to 5am) in a daily basis. Yes, that was like a graveyard shift from Monday to Saturday. Surprisingly, there really were a lot of listeners still at those times. I still get an amount of responses in our textline and social media. I even get calls from random listeners here and abroad! I remember reading greetings from California, Singapore, and a lot from Middle East.

By June, I was moved to be part of their highly-rated morning program (which airs 5am to 9am) together with two senior jocks. I truly found a brother in them. They were honest, funny and nice.

I lasted in the job only up until the first week of July. I had a rough exit though. The question raised to me by the boss is that if I were happy. I was being true and honest when I answered “so-so”. It was more of me trying to escape and them letting me go. Mutual, I supposed.

I couldn’t (forever) give up my work in TV -- the wisdom I learn from working in a TV industry is priceless. Also, compensation is way better in it. Lol. Well, you may re-arrange the reasons if you want to. Haha. I told you, I was under serious career issues that time.

Here are a few treasured moments in that Radio Station.