I’ve been noticing some interesting quotes that people have remembered over the years… These are not quotes by famous people but are personally famous quotes… statements people have made over the years that stuck, and sometimes gain more validity as the years go by…

Here are a few quotes that have meant something to me over the years...

“In radio is there is no right, there is no wrong, there is only what works.” Cliff Campbell former KTNT Announcer and Clover Park Vocational Instructor 1967…

“It’s interesting to realize that we can all be replaced by a used coke machine.” Clayton Brooks, Clover Park Vocational School Student 1967…

"And remember the firings will continue until the attitudes improve!" Dean LeMaster, KIOK FM, Tri Cities, Program Director circa 1986... (Dean added this to the end of every memo for months... of course; it was only tongue in cheek...)


“There’s no sin in radio that can’t be forgiven with a new sales order”…Joe Gonzales…KTWY- Christian Radio, Walla Walla. 2002.

“Consistency is what wins… even a really bad radio station, if it’s consistently bad, can climb to the top of the ratings… The common denominator is consistency…” Paul Cowley, General Manager KEDO circa 1975.

“This has nothing to do with you; we’re eliminating your position… by the way, would you mind showing your replacement how to program the automation?” General Manager unknown.

“You can call this whatever you want, but you can’t call it a firing...” Kathy Balcom, General Manager KIOK and KALE… (This termination was after 13 years of service to SRO in Tri Cities.)

Apparently I said something that stuck with Kevin Holmes because I found this on his website, that he credited to me…

“A program directors job is to give the Dj enough mic cord to hang himself…” I don’t remember saying that…

I would love to see the “not so famous quotes” that have crossed your path over the years…

Greg Allen

>>“There’s no sin in radio that can’t be forgiven with a new sales order”

ouch...that's from a Christian radio station!

"Never let your ego get bigger than your talent."

Norm Woodruff ... KCBS Radio and later a news consultant.

"Your fired!!- Just kdding."

I've always wanted to say that.

"If you don't ask, the answer is always NO".

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!!!"

-- Arthur Carlson, WKRP in Cincinnati

"Don't think for one minute there is any problem.
You are the most versatile announcer we have...."

DT, (even when you do ask the answer was always no!) See above quote.

"Someday Radio , and the entire world for that matter , will be run by computers and robots"..

( The late ) Wm R. Gott Chief Engr KGON/KYXI circa 1974.

" Small minds in small markets"

Byron McCann TV Transmitter ENGR & consultant.

"Be on, and be gone."

"Less is more."

When the ratings come out...

"As the program director you are either the hero, or the goat."

On music programming...

"When in doubt, leave it out."

"If you have to ask if it's a hit, it isn't."

I give you the god damn Queen Mary....and you treat it like the Titantic.

"Don W Burden owner of Kisn/Star Stations in a jock meeting.

"THE ONE CONSTANT THING IN RADIO....IS CHANGE."

"RADIO....THE BITCH THAT WILL NEVER LOVE YOU BACK."

This is more of a story with a quote in the middle... but I heard this numerous times from my Favorite General Manager of all time...

The sales manager of two Bakersfield stations called a meeting of the sales staff at 8am SATURDAY morning.... when the entire staff was gathered the sales manager sat quietly for a few minutes, then suddenly slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Sell"... and then left the building...

Ozzie Knudsen - KIOK-KALE Tri Cities 1983

A friend of mine was the chief engineer of a station in Ontario, Ore for about a year around 1972 or so. It was on 1450 kHZ and originally was KSRV when it first went on the air in the 40s or 50s. KSRV moved down the dial someplace some years later, and this other station was another call sign and ownership by then, specifically what callsign escapes me right now. Of course it was run on a shoe string, lick and a promise as you can imagine.

Anyhow, the owners at that time were always putting off engineering issues that cost any money at all. And I mean any money.

Engr. Mike used to tell me some famous quotes from the owners that he used to hear constantly.

.....Cant we get it at Schmidts????

( Schmidts was a TV Sales and Service business down in this mall that also housed the radio station, of course they got to trade out electronic parts. ). Oh and this also included transmitter tubes, turntable pucks, wire , resistors, cart machine parts, reel to reel transport parts?!!

........Cant we get it at Schmidts???//......

The other one was...

.....We'll do that right after the first of the year !..........................................

right after the first of the year...right after the first of the year......

Stan Mak "We are going to have to let you go. We need a woman's voice". Funny, coming from a guy with no balls.

Ego? Norm Woodruff? He was "our" consultant. What an ass****. A couple of encouraging votes from our former news director: "Good bit," if the story was
ok. "Bag it," if we were enterprising and he thought it was a waste of time. I still love the guy.

Former_insider:

Wow, that was rough shot at Stan. Having worked for "Mak Daddy" (my joking with him) for nearly three years, I always had great respect for him as a general manager, especially with the ARS, CBS, Infinity or "whatever radio name of the week" politics he had to deal with.

During my time there, three particular employees had their "barbs" aimed in my direction, and all three showed their true colors on more than one occasion. One of the reasons my sanity came back after leaving there.

One of the most important conversations I ever had with any GM was with "the Mak Daddy", who is a "Master" of more than just a few weapons in Tae-Kwon-Do. It was a one on one with me that he took a moment in his office to say "Your heart is your soul and can be many things, at many times, to many people, most importantly to yourself. Whatever the situation, you can let it be hard and abbrasive, like a dagger, causing constant damage to you and those near you... or you can let your heart be soft and sincere, covering, thus protecting and caring all those around you as well as yourself. Always try to remember and take the road of the latter, as it will always get you farther in life, and give you the best respect."

Thanks Stan, NEVER forgot that meeting!

Oh by the way, yes it was me the week before who told the new sales rep that it was always OK to putt a ball to that sinker directly outside office. Yeah, once was good enough to see the expression on their face after they missed and hit the wall and you walked out. Gotchya!

The more I read these posts the more I remember... How about a back-announce miscue... In about '71 Peter Yarrow had a song "Weave me the Sunshine" I once heard a Dj coming out of the fade-out with:

"That was Peter Yarrow singing "Weave me the Sunshine", you remember him, he was the Peter of Paul and Mary"...

I don't think the Dj really knew what he had just said... because he just continued on with the weather.

Wonder if he was air checking that day???

"...easier to get forgiveness than permission..."

Kahtik:

I guess the feelings for Stan Mak depend on whether or not you walked out of his office with your job. Some people thought he was smart. I felt they had that confused with being quiet.

Ya, young DJs too young for Oldies back announcing things like:

THATS ...Consequator ....( Conquistador by Procul Harum )

Or...Jimmy Buffet, Come Monday ( and he pronounces it "Buff ahy" )

I was sitting at an intersection waiting for a light at 5 AM on a sunny dawn summer morning and heard this guy say Buff Ahy automated on our Cetec/Schaeffer and the guy in a car heading across the intersection was listening to KALE too and was laughing as hard as I was..it was great, he saw me laughing about the same time too and had his window down at the time and he yelled to me, can you BELIEVE that one !

I heard one last week that still has me laughing...

Our temporary Sales Manager... who stepped over from programming to help, said in a throw together sales meeting...

"I can't wait until our next sales meeting to find out what I'm going to say during it!"

That is one of the best quotes I've heard in a long time... BTW... he is doing a fine job as our sales manager...

"It'll all be better in the new building"

"This format change will help the station grow."

"KRCK could be the next KGON!"

"There's a meeting with the new PD in 15 minutes"

"What do you guys think about Smooth Jazz?"

Program director lecturing at air staff meeting, "This is very important, all 30 minute music sweeps must be at least 20 minutes long!". That's some fine programming there Lou.

HEY, don't knock K-ROCK, I liked them and was constantly switching between them and KGON for the best songs. That was when they played things on air like AC/DC "Big Balls" and did not have 9,000,000 complaints from people with sensative ears!

Oh Greg "K" , you still make me laugh !

Arrgh?!? How could anybody pronounce Jimmy Buffet's last name "Buff Ahy?" Even Gen-Xers have heard of Jimmy Buffet! This poor guy must have been living under a rock.

Ya, well " Zack " was sort of born under a cabbage leaf in Hermiston , Ore. He came to us as a partimer having been a DJ on the AM station there, which at the time was doing country. I believe he was a local farm boy who knew someone in local radio. He did have a rather nice set of pipes. And he was a well mannered kid.

One other funny thing he said once, and you would have to have known his wife....He back announced out of 'Four Tops" ..Aint no woman like the one I've got" said artist and title....and then he says..." Thats for damn sure " ! I just about fell over in the hallway when I heard that on the air monitor and It was voice tracked on our Cetec/Schaeffer ! Geez Louise...makes me wonder If she was listening and she listened all the time to both stations FM and AM ...It was at a time when they were having some marriage problems and they were separated.

'Zack" finally got out of radio and went into the military last I heard.