REBECCA YOUNG
REBECCA'S MENTOR, ERIC BROWN SAYS:
"The APPRENTICE-MENTOR ASSOCIATION is a wonderful program for serious aspiring broadcasters for three reasons: it removes some of the traditional initial barriers to a broadcast career, it provides hands on work experience and training, and it affords students the opportunity to make business contacts from day one."
"My life and career have been enriched because of the opportunity I've had to get to know Rebecca and watch her grow and learn, and I'm proud of my association with both her and the APPRENTICE-MENTOR ASSOCIATION."
Eric Brown
Assistant Programming Director
WMJJ FM
Clear Channel Broadcasting
Birmingham, AL
REBECCA YOUNG TELLS HER STORY:
This has been an unbelievable year. And, as I write this, I'm sitting at the board of one of the top radio stations in the Birmingham area, WZZK, running The American Country Countdown. Who would have thought at 42, I'd finally see the realization of a lifelong dream. You could have asked me a year ago if this is where I thought I'd be and I would have fallen down laughing, saying I wish! Well, you know sometimes God grants you a wish.
At 17, I wanted to be in radio, but sometimes, real life gets in the way of what you want, and God leads you in a different direction. But you never forget that dream. Sometimes, it dwindles down to just a spark in the back of your mind, but you never forget it.
In April, 2001, a pair of local radio personalities posed the question, What job has been your dream that you've never gotten to do? I called and told them DJ, and to my great surprise, they invited me up there to spend a morning with them. It was such a blast! I hadn't had so much fun since I was 17! That rekindled the flame I had 20 years ago. I really felt that this was the time to pursue it again. But how?
The two that invited me up, weren't really interested in an internship at all. I tried to put it out of my mind, but I just couldn't! I would spend my evenings surfing the Internet, looking for an opportunity to break in. That's how I found this program. And yes, I was skeptical. Most things that sound too good to be true usually are. But after much prayer and thought, I applied.
Writing my bio was the easy part. I can't thank you enough for getting me in with WZZK. Ricky (my mentor) has been an absolute Godsend. But I also have to admit, it's been the wildest emotional roller coaster I've ever been on. He brought me in to produce a demo for a job opening on Monday, and Tuesday, he called me to let me know his position had been terminated.
Little did any of us know, that was only the beginning. Huge changes were coming about amongst the two largest competitors here. Several more people were terminated and two stations out of three in that building underwent format changes. Fortunately, Ricky landed an APD job at the competitor up the hill, with a hefty raise in pay, and his PD even allowed him to continue my training. It was almost in a clandestine manner, but we did continue. I would produce my assignments at WZZK and meet Ricky up the hill after his shift so he could listen to it and critique it. And I did get to see some different equipment at his new station.
About a month later, in the most unlikely of circumstances, I got my shot. One Sunday, the PD asked me to work the board for a concert being broadcast by satellite that night. Unfortunately, when the time came, we couldn't get the satellite feed to come up. Between him and I, we tried everything he could think of. Apparently they did not send us the correct access codes. So he pulled up a music log and I started loading music into the computer.
Then, I got bold, and asked, "Can I talk?" He said, "Sure, you can give it a shot." So I was the DJ for the next three hours, 7-10pm, by myself. Man, that was such a rush!!!!!! I called Ricky and he was very excited. He said, “You ARE recording this, aren't you?” Well you know I was. Ricky and I later made a demo out of that, which landed me an overnight shift with WODL, one of two stations that underwent some changes there. So now, I work an overnight shift at WODL on Saturday mornings, and my Sunday morning board-op shift at WZZK. There are still some changes coming across as a result of the shakeup two months ago, but things are also settling down some too. I've been trying to find full-time work, but having no luck yet. I've been told I need to be patient, and so I am trying to be just that.
Do you remember when I told you, it seems being out in the ocean seeing a life raft, and every time I've tried to reach it to get in, a great big wave comes along and pushes it twenty feet away. Well, this time, I actually made it into the boat, and I have you and Ricky to thank for it. This IS my dream and I still pinch myself sometimes just to make sure it's real. I don't have any trouble getting up for my shifts I usually wake up early because I'm still so excited to go up there. My weekends are more fun than they've ever been.
Rebecca
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 16:35:00 -050
Just thought I'd share this with you--I was writing to another friend yesterday. . .
"Still working at UAB and WZZK. I'm on all week this week (nights) because J&J are on vacation. But otherwise, it's just weekends. I still love it--I think I always will. I had a lower GI thing this week and I was curled up on my chair with my feet on the console to help the cramps, and just watching the meters. It was at that moment, that I realized how lucky I was to be there and it made me smile, even as rough as I felt. I have those moments still from time to time. The daytimers constantly complain and they don't realize how lucky they are. I'd give my right arm to have a full time job there but I can't tell them that or if the time ever does come, I won't get the proper pay for it."
I do realize how lucky I am, but I also know I've worked hard for it. I have finally proven to those who said I paid my way in there, that I really can do it and am good at it. I'm still always trying to be better. If I ever do get hired full time and the
station agrees, I'd love to be a mentor someday.
Take care.
Rebecca
