FEATURE:
My Wave
ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: fendri
Keeping the Dream Alive: Is It Ever Too Late to Take a Radio Leap?
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MAYBE the title of this feature…
PHOTO CREDIT: @filmlav/Unsplash
is a little mysterious and vague, so I should explain. I have been promising myself I would get into radio and sort of chase the dream, as it were. There have been some delays and, as with every dream, real life sort of gets in the way. I should explain the precipitating factors to the latest delay. For some, it might be as easy as taking up a course or getting the right training; readying themselves for a career in radio and that would be that. It might be a long process, whereby they have to start from the bottom rung and then move their way up the ladder. In my case, I have clarity in the sense I know which radio station I want to work for – it is not a case of starting with one and then finding out whether it is a good fit. In my case, there are other factors delaying my ambitions. Depression is raw enough to deal with as it is and, when it can make a regular job hard enough, it does make me wonder whether I would have the requisite energy for a career in radio. I am loathed to start at the bottom but, without that experience and training, it would be unrealistic to simply come into the station of my dreams and get the basic training there – even if I do have a lot of similar experience and skills from my time in journalism. Also, I am dealing with other medical concerns at the moment – including a voice issue (which I hope to get resolved) and living with a mild form of autism; shyness at the very least is another barrier for anyone going into an industry that is so public and is live.
PHOTO CREDIT: @joaosilas/Unsplash
I appreciate, too, that radio is a tough business and there are limited opportunities. At a time when we have Internet radio and podcasts, one does not necessarily have to get a degree and work their way through local radio. So long as you can promote your station and get the word out, people will come your way. Living with conditions that do make going out and socialising incredibly difficult, of course, will impact radio and aspirations in that area. I have been meaning to get a Kate Bush podcast running but, with very little money and problems getting a production company on board, even making those first steps are very difficult. I guess there are many out there who grew up around all sort of music and dreamt of one day becoming a producer or D.J. At the moment, production seems like the logical area, as I need to build up the confidence, fluidity and skills to be able to broadcast live without error. I could easily go onto a radio show as a guest but helming a show and being in control of the show would be different. Production is very difficult, yet I feel it is something I could take to easier, and it allows me chance to slip in some songs and have input when it comes to selection. Those childhood days when I was making mixtapes and listening to the radio; one day hoping I could have the chance to play my favourite songs and explain what music means to me.
PHOTO CREDIT: @joaosilas/Unsplash
That is what so many of us music lovers want to aim for in life, so the opportunity to be set free in that way is always on my mind. Whilst I realise there are obstacles I have to face, I also wonder whether things will happen at all. It can be daunting dedicating yourself to a career and taking that risk. One usually starts as a radio broadcast assistant, but salaries can be quite low if you are not working for the BBC – which is where I want to be. It is important to have a salary you can live on and, living in London, that is not always possible. There is also that concern about age and whether it is too late to start out. Apart from anything else, I do get this worry that it might be too late in life to start out. I am thirty-six now and, whilst broadcasters and producers can be any age, many in the top rungs started out when they were a lot younger than me. If, one day, I become a broadcaster and make my way to the mic, have I left it too long to aspire towards a production assistant role? There are few advertised jobs in the area I want to work and the competition is very fierce. One can be self-sufficient and make their own show, but I have such a clear idea of where I want to be and who I want to work alongside – would having my own podcast or show set me in the wrong direction?
Maybe these are irrational fears but, as I see what radio can do and how powerful it is, that desire to be part of a cool team at a great station burns hot. It is always hard to step away from security and a stable life and chasing that dream. If it all fails, what happens then? I do have to battle with various problems, that will naturally curtail a great deal of confidence and assurance. I think the age thing gets to me. Radio is not exactly a young person’s game, but I do get the niggling feeling that I should be a hell of a lot closer to my dream by now; can someone in their mid-thirties really embark on a career where age, in a way, does matter?! The benefit of having a podcast is that you have autonomy and can dictate what it sounds like. Even if you launch your own radio show, you can change it from show to show and not have to rely on a set format. As I said, I do know the station and show I want to be on, but a lot of legwork needs to happen from now until that happens. A lack of finance and time at the moment is curtailing anything in the way of real endeavour and results. Just when I think I can be happy enough in journalism and making do with that, the radio bug comes to me and it seems like the only thing I need.
I think I will make a bigger effort in 2020 to move towards my dream, but I can appreciate it will not be that easy or quick. Every time I listen to the radio, I can hear the joy radiating from the speakers. Not just in terms of the music, but the people who are sending it to us. I love the thrill of discovering a new act and showcasing a cool track; the pleasure of dusting off a classic that someone has not heard in a while. Whether that is as a D.J. or as a producer, I need to find a way to push forward next year and work towards that dream. I have the musical knowledge and passion so, teamed with some experience and focus, I hope to be in a better position this time next year. I come back to that question as to whether my age will count against me. If I were already established, then I would not feel like age is a barrier or worry. Coming onto the ladder is a slightly different thing. I am determined to press on and push things forward. I shall see how things go and do what is necessary to get where I need to be. My hope is that I haven’t left things too late and the dream to play the music I love is not out of reach. I am not one for resolutions and using the first day of a new year to change who I am but, with radio and music capturing me this year in a way it has never done before, I feel like I have to…
PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock/Argus
TAKE a chance.