Change the Channel…
I knew a lot of local radio personalities, but one in particular was my hero for the longest time. Mike Gonsalves was known to us here in RI as “The Doctor”, or Dr. Metal. He ran “The Metal Zone” on 94 WHJY, in Providence, a Clear Channel owned station. He was an amazing person. He demonstrated such an energy, such a love for his job. Such an admiration for the music.
Mike, knowing how I felt about radio, told me something one day. He told me “If it’s in your blood, kid, you can’t get it out. Just go for it. You’ll make a great rock jock one day!” And so, there was my inspiration. I will carry those words with me forever since, after all, those words are what prompted me to “go for it” and sign up for broadcasting school.
Sadly, Mike was taken away from us way too soon. He lost his life in February 2003 when he was Emceeing a show at The Station Nightclub in West Warwick, RI. ( see : http://www.boston.com/news/packages/nightclub_fire/victims/list.htm) and, for me, radio has never been the same.
Now here I am in 2009, watching the world happen from a box. A small box, that fits on your lap, portable, and full of neat things you can do. And, as far as I can see, radio as we know it is obsolete.
I live in a tiny state. Most of our traditional radio stations are owned by either Clear Channel or Citadel. The days of locally owned radio are pretty much over, and in a state where the population of our entire state is all of 1.2 million people, there just doesn’t seem to be much room for local media.
The days of local artists sending their stuff to a radio station hoping for air play is over. So, what do we do now? We get online. We “blip” our favorite music (http://blip.fm/ ); we listen to online internet radio,and hey,some of those guys are awesome twitter buds of mine, and I am proud of their accomplishments. As for the artists, there is myspace, facebook, twitter, a score of ways to promote themselves in hopes of being “discovered”.
I am curious to see if newly created vehicles will install mini-laptops in cars for music pleasure as opposed to decks or satellite radio. It’s just an idea. It is an idea that somewhat makes me sad.
Perhaps it has already been done in some form. Maybe I ignore it.
I will always have a love for radio. REAL radio. And I will never forget the words of my fallen friend. I will also never forget the radio teacher I had who would give me a hard time because he thought I had talent.
Radio may have broken my heart several times…or is it the times that have broken radio? Either way, my perspective was this: There is a song for everything. A song has been written to make you laugh, make you cry, make you think, etc., and God, I wanted to be the one to bring it to the people. I wanted to play it for them.
If everyone has their poison, for me, it is music. It is my drug of choice. I am not saying that internetinternet DJ’s work more or less than any others. In fact, from what I am gathering, a lot of radio now is pre-recorded. Sad, but true.
The fact is that technology has changed the channel. The death of cart machines and reel to reel was imminent. However, the concept is still there. And, still there is a song for everything.
There is an opinion for everything. There is someone out there, somewhere, playing that song, or giving that opinion. I guess I just need to come to terms with the fact that there are other ways to do it now.
I believe I have come to terms with it, and if not, it’s okay. My broadcasting degree collects dust as I prepare to begin my next adventure: Majoring in psychology this coming September…Oh the irony.
~Chrissyisms~
This Post is Dedicated to Michael J. Gonsalves and all of the victims of The Station Nightclub Fire; West Warwick, RI; February 2003. They died for the music… you are all missed.
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Excellent, Richard, thanks for sharing this with everyone!