I have been passionate about radio for longer than I can remember. When I finished university (where I studied computing) I was determined to work behind the scenes in radio.
I now produce the Saturday afternoon sports show on Splash FM in Worthing – and have done since the station launched in May 2003. The irony is, I’m not really into sport, I like pressing buttons – and also know what makes a good radio show.
My job is to collate the audio reports, which are sent via satellite, and play them out on air. I’m based in one studio and Pete Mcintosh, the presenter and good friend of mine, is in another studio.
The key to the success of the sports show is mostly due to the teamwork and communication between Pete and I. I really enjoy the teamwork element but the biggest buzz I get is turning-around reports with literally a few seconds in hand. (Contradictory to what my old boarding school headmistress said, I am well organised and work well under pressure.) Pete and I have been working together for so long that we are like a well oiled machine!
I started working at Splash FM in 2003 as a volunteer but within a few months, I had proved what I could do (and my worth) and started to be paid for producing the sports show.
In 2008 Splash FM Ltd merged with Media Sound Holdings, the owner of Bright FM (based in Burgess Hill). Shortly after the merger, due to the company’s financial constraints at the time, I agreed to produce the sports show for free temporarily. Once more I found myself having to prove my worth in order to get paid again – and I did so.
Last year Media Sound Holdings expanded once more when it bought Sovereign FM and Arrow FM, based in Eastbourne and Hastings respectively.
Now, the sports show is broadcast on all four radio stations.
In 1998 I was a volunteer at Surf (now called Juice) in Brighton. I was taken on to build (record) the song library on the play-out system. However I quickly created a role for myself as a studio producer (producing news bulletins, editing interviews and creating station promos). I loved working there for the first few weeks (despite the studios having been built for people to stand up and use – and being up a mountain of stairs) but I soon realised that the company relied on volunteers (and still does) and it wasn’t a very pleasant working environment. However I spent two years at Surf/Juice because I wanted to prove to people I could work in radio.
I am now proud of the sports show and grateful to be working for Media Sound. It is very unusual for a local radio company to employ someone to produce a sports show. People are often very good at the things they love doing.
I find it funny contrasting Splash (Media Sound – which is still a small company) with Juice. Splash has always been a nice place to work, staff are motivated and it’s a successful business. It goes to show that the most important attribute to any business is the people it employs.
End of part one. After all it is commercial radio!
If I can work in radio I can make £1 million
Read part two of my radio adventure. Apologies to any royalists!
Nice post Patrick – it shows that if you can assume something, you can produce it. The more you focus on someting you want, the more likely it is that you will get it.
I’m starting small by imagining Southend United in Division One the season after next!
Thank you Roy for your encouraging words regarding my goal to £1 million. The best of luck to Southend but I think they’re going to need more than one goal to get into Div One!
[...] – because in my mind I haven’t done anything unusual so far in life (apart from working in radio). In my mind I lead a normal life, going to work every day, owing my own place, driving a cat [...]
[...] For those of you who aren’t aware, I produce a radio sports show on Saturdays (you can read more here http://sussexpatrick.com/2010/07/13/radio-time) [...]