Mark Explains A Radio Career Path and Success Secrets

You don't see many people trying to get into radio broadcasting these days. The computer has taken the place of the up-and-coming disc jockey eager to work their way up to being on the morning show.

Back when I started, you could get extra hours by doing play by play of high school football and basketball games. Or manning the radio station booths at trade shows.

Get our free mobile app

Then you finally got your break and were hired to work the midnight to six a.m. shift. Not the most fun to do, but at least you feel like you're on your way to small-town radio stardom.

Now you're full-time. Now you get to meet the consultant. A consultant is a guy who lives somewhere else and flies to your town each year to sit down with each member of the air staff and explain just how badly they suck.

You'll hear terms like "sweeping the quarter-hour with music", "Calls in and out of each break" and "power gold". It sounds ridiculous and it is, but you won't' know that for about ten years. By that time you'll have a different consultant telling you how badly you suck. This time, the sucking is for completely different reasons than the last guy told you.

Who wouldn't want this job?

The secret to long-term success in our line of work is simple. It's not having the big "Radio Voice". It's not being the best comedian that you know.

The secret is simple. Play. George. Strait.

See? Simple, huh? I've never, ever had one person call and complain about a Strait song.

Have you got a song in rotation that gets played too much? Click it out of there and add one George Strait song. It really doesn't matter which one.

There you go. You're welcome.