Stories from my colorful (and slightly checkered?) employment history are among my favorite blogs to write. I would rank my college internship at a local radio station, 99.1 FM, WAAL, pretty high up on the list. Surprisingly, it’s one of the few places where I didn’t have any glaring failures. At least that I’m aware of.
For those unfamiliar with Binghamton radio, WAAL is affectionately known as “The Whale.” Back in the 90s, The Whale was one of the most popular stations in the Southern Tier of New York.
I gained more than I ever could have imagined from my internship at The Whale. Thanks to my youthful pluck and enterprising spirit, I learned a huge life lesson that still guides me today: when opportunity knocks, you should tune in. You just might be amazed at what can happen.
Here’s my story…
Going the extra mile
I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to double major in pre-Law and English and work part-time in college. Perhaps, in retrospect, I wasn’t fully applying myself. I’d think it was because I have exceptional organization and time management skills, so let’s go with that, OK?
Regardless of the reason, I applied for an internship at The Whale for the fall semester of my senior year. After a round of interviews with the station manager, D, who was also an ex-WAAL disc jockey (aka “DJ”), and his wife, K—who oversaw the station’s news and advertising departments—I was offered the job. The payment for my time? A whopping four college credits.
My job at the radio station was to help write advertising copy and pitch in on random assignments. I didn’t care what assignments they gave me. I tuned in to every opportunity they threw my way.
A few months in, D asked if I could help with the meet-and-greets the more popular DJs had on weekends. This meant touring the Binghamton area, setting up card tables for the DJs to sign autographs and give away merchandise. I also kept the lines moving so that people didn’t monopolize the DJ’s time. Then I packed everything up into “The Whale van” once the event was over.
There was nothing remotely glamorous about my job. I loved every second of it.
Pinch hitting
While I never contemplated a radio career, this was the first job I ever took seriously. Turns out, I was a pretty good intern. As my copywriting and event management skills grew, so did my role at the station. When an extra voice was needed for a commercial, I was often called in to record the bit. D also had enough confidence in me to let me sit in on production meetings. I’m pretty sure no one paid any attention to me. Yet, I felt like part of the team.
And so, when D asked if I wanted to extend my internship beyond the first semester, I said “yes” without hesitation. I was fascinated by The Whale and was happy to be part of their quirky orbit.
One morning, when I came into the station, D had a worried look on his face. It turned out that the DJ for their sister station, AM 1360 WKOP, “The Music of Your Life,” had called in sick. There wasn’t anyone at the station who could fill in at the last minute. Until I walked in. D motioned for me to sit down in his office.
“Steph, would you be interested in filling in for [the sick DJ] today? I’ll show you how to operate the equipment and tell you what you need to do.” My stomach turned at the thought of being live on air. Me? Talking into a microphone? I was a writer and a gopher. I wasn’t a radio personality.
“Umm, you want me to go on today?” I asked. I was trying to stall as I deliberated. This request seemed way out of my comfort zone. But still…what if I said yes?
“Trust me, you can handle this,” D said. “It’ll only be for a couple of hours since the slot is almost over.” Hmmm. I was eager to help. And what was a few hours? When would I ever be asked to go on the radio again? Probably never. Besides, who even listened to “The Music of Your Life?” The music spanned from the 1940s to the (then) 1990s. What demographic were they targeting? I wondered.
But opportunity was knocking. With a nervous gulp, I chose to tune in.
In a (Binghamton) New York minute
With a brief fifteen-minute tutorial, D showed me the basics for how to queue up the tracks and use the microphone. D sat me down in the booth and gave me a pair of headphones while he explained the format of the show:
“Just choose a song from every decade until the hour is over. Remember, only one novelty song per hour. You just have to queue the music, introduce the song and artist, then hit ‘play.’ Oh, and turn the mic off. I know you’ll do fine,” D side. He nodded assuredly.
Then he left me alone. As in, I was now solely responsible for running the AM station. Holy [insert expletive here].
I didn’t have much time to freak out because I needed to get the already-late show going. After a deep breath, I introduced myself with my brand-new, hastily chosen stage name, “Steph Murdoch,” then played the first song. Phew!
And that was the start of my part-time radio career.
Feeling like a million bucks
While I was tuned in to the DJ opportunity, at least my friends weren’t tuned in to hear me. In fact, I told myself absolutely no one anywhere was listening to me. This mindset helped alleviate my fear of public speaking. And it worked. Other than a couple of missed song queues and some very brief dead air, I thought I did OK for my first time. Especially with only fifteen minutes of training.
Turns out, I had done more than just OK. After I’d signed off, D’s wife, K, heartily congratulated me on a job well done.
“You sounded like a pro,” she said. I took this as the highest praise since K wasn’t shy about offering tough feedback. (Though she usually was spot on.)
Given my strong debut, D asked if I wanted to fill in again on the AM station in the future. Why not? I thought. D told me the station would eventually become a satellite radio station, so they weren’t concerned with ratings. I felt like I had nothing to lose.
Being tuned in to opportunity had its rewards. As a part-time AM radio DJ, I got paid the princely sum of nine dollars an hour.
Congrad-ulations
Once I settled into my radio role, I got crisper in my technical abilities. I dedicated funny songs to my friends; some of whom would listen if they were awake. I also put more thought into the playlists. I’m pretty sure none of the other AM DJs were as dedicated as I was. I may have even worked harder than some of the “real” FM DJ’s.
I would’ve stayed on at The Whale if it weren’t for my upcoming college graduation. Law school awaited me that fall. I had to tune in to my future, after all.
I distinctly recall my last broadcast.
At the top of the show, I announced that I would be leaving the station. But instead of saying “because I’m actually a kid and I’m graduating from college,” I said it was because I was “pursuing other opportunities.” Why spoil the mystery?
I was certain that of the zero listeners, no one cared that this was my last show. Except I was wrong.
Brinnnggg it on
The studio line rang after I went into the first block of songs. It was a number from an outside line.
When I answered the phone, “AM 1360, the Music of Your Life, how can I help you?” the caller asked if I was “Steph, the DJ.” I gulped, and my eyes grew wide.
It sounded like an older woman, not one of my friends pranking me.
When I responded, “Yes, this is she,” the caller said, “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll miss listening to you. You were better than those other DJs. You didn’t talk too much and interrupt all the songs like they do. Good luck to you.”
A gentleman called a little while later to wish me well and request a song. As did another woman. Three real-life listeners! I was shocked, not only that three people (and perhaps more?) had heard me, but that they actually liked me.
For a few precious moments, I felt like a celebrity. All because I’d tuned in to an unexpected opportunity.
Shine like a star
Working at The Whale was one of the most interesting and unusual jobs I’ve ever had. I’m glad that I overrode my fears and accepted D’s offer to fill in on WKOP.
I firmly believe that going on air with fifteen minutes of training put me on a different trajectory in life. I became someone who seized opportunities. I took on challenges, even if I was petrified. I discovered that I was more capable than I gave myself credit for.
From this experience, I learned that when someone believes in you, they’re probably not wrong. And if no one believes in you, well, maybe they’re the ones who are wrong. In other words, tune in to the positives; believe in yourself.
Without The Whale, I may not have had the courage to leave my job at Deloitte and become an author. Just like I had no radio experience, I also had no experience writing children’s books. But I did it anyway. Fast forward to the present: as an homage to WAAL/WKOP, I’ve incorporated a radio station subplot into all my Camp Hillside books. In fact, those humorous radio show mishaps that Noodle, the main character of the series, has are among my favorite scenes to write. Though I will say, those subplots are purely fiction. Noodle and Steph Murdoch, AM 1360’s part-time DJ, would never let their fans down.
Do you recall any childhood memories that had a strong impact on you later in life? Please share your stories with me in the comments section.
