Back in the Airwaves

I was born to be in radio.

Kidding! I just thought I needed a strong phrase to start this blog. Haha!

I wrote about my previously posted blog sometime during the first week of April but it took me sometime before posting it here. It was about my first radio job and the ropes of getting in and out of it.

Absurdly, just this last April too, while I was actually reminiscing my radio days,  I received a call from an unknown number.

I remember I was having my taping then for Personalan (GMA News TV 11), in which I work as a segment producer. I got a few chats with our Celebrity Uzi, Papa Dan of Brgy LS 97.1 Tugstugan Na. We started conversing about our co-jock Maan Panganiban who passed away just this January. Papa Dan, Ate Maan and I were all part of Campus Aircheck, from different batches.

I was part of the last batch, Campus Aircheck Batch 5, after which Campus Radio reformatted and transferred to 99.5 RT. I guess it was during 2007 or 2008 when I auditioned and luckily got the chance to be part of it. Campus Aircheck is a group of student jocks from various universities who are trained to board on air. It is basically the same with Magic's Junior Jocks and RX Radio One.

Campus Aircheck Batch 5. (2008)

Throughout our conversation, Papa Dan asked me if I was able to pursue radio professionally and I said yes. I was able to mention him my work experience in a "masa" radio station. He asked me if I missed working in radio, and I said yes again. But not necessarily everything about it. Maybe, I miss using the console or talking with the mic on, or maybe thinking of a good topic to discuss or maybe reading the responses and greetings via textline and/or social media. Oh boy, I guess I missed a lot everything about it. A lot.

I went out the studio to get some fresh air. I was sitting with some friends at the GMA Gazebo when my phone rang. The caller from the other line introduced himself as Joshua Ylaya a.k.a. "Boy Dale" of 103.5 Wow FM. Yes, I remember him. I remember auditioning in their radio station before I auditioned in iFM. He explained me that Wow FM is now under new management and that they are currently rebuilding the team. He asked if I am still open to working in radio. I just thought how ironic it is to receive a call after my talk with Papa Dan. This might be a sign, I supposed! Hahaha!

I visited their office to talk with the boss. We talked about everything needed to be discussed. Schedule of work, deals of both parties, sample TOAs, etc. A day after, I was asked to visit their office again, and guess what, they told me to start Monday the following week. It happened too fast.

I started boarding April 23, 2012 with my new airname, "Aya". I went crazy with the console and software because it is way different from what I used before in my former radio station. Anyhow, I am now getting the hang of it. Right now, I am currently working on three jobs. I work as a DJ, a segment producer and a tv writer.

You may listen to me Mondays to Fridays, 5am to 8am on 103.5 Wow FM.

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.

1am to 5am Shift

Kamote Club

Darlings

Hostings and On-ground Events