You're Fired, Maybe

Radio during the 70's was a very volatile business as ratings battles escalated in the Philadelphia market. AM stations like WIBG trying to beat WFIL, now had new competitors coming from the FM part of the dial. Disc Jockeys were still considered a big part of a station's success or failure. A bad ratings book and the DJ could quickly be out the station's well-oiled revolving door. 

On-air people are generally outstanding, but they're "different" individuals. Some of the difference between them and the average person comes from their being more sensitive and in some cases more insecure. 

During one mid-70's period of DJ musical-chairs, I was WIBG's Production Director so I didn't have to be concerned about losing my air shift and job. As producer, I voiced and put together commercials and the station's promotional announcements. My recording studio was right next to the air studio and shared a common wall. We both played everything LOUD, so we were always reminding each other to turn down the sound. 

One Friday morning, Dave Parks, a well-known and respected radio personality came to our station. I was told Dave was going to become our new afternoon drive air personality. His hiring was not going to be officially announced until later, so we were to keep it quiet for now. Staff members, especially the mid-day guy (Let's call him, Dennis.) who was on-air at the time, were really curious about Dave's presence.

Dave and I got together around noontime and produced a promo saying... starting Monday, he's WIBG's new drive home air person. Seeing Dave with me in the Production Studio increased Dennis' concern. He stopped me in the hallway and wanted to know, "what are you guys doing, why is Dave here, what's going on...". This gave me an idea.

After we finished recording, I asked Dave if he'd like to have a little fun at our mid-day announcer's expense. (Asking radio guys if they want to have some fun was like asking Seinfeld's Kramer if he wanted to do something. The answer "Yeh" is out before the question is finished.) 

I told Dave to voice another promo, one saying he's going to be our new mid-day jock. I cranked up the Production Studio monitor's volume to play back the bogus announcement... "Hi, I'm Dave Parks, join me MID-DAYS starting Monday here on WIBG..." We played that promo over and over, loud enough so the sound would surely leak through to the air studio.

After Dennis freaked-out for an hour or so, we told him the truth, that it was a joke, that he wasn't being fired and replaced, at least as far as we knew. I don't think he totally believed us until late Monday afternoon.

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