* John Higdon wrote, On 4/17/2010 11:52 AM:

Is there some reason a broadcast school can't teach things like
community involvement, or music programming, or even specialized sales
tactics that involve clients in improving their own businesses? Now THAT
would be a broadcast school. However, as with many others involved with
local broadcasting, the schools refused to move on with the times,
seeing as their sole responsibility the training of people to cue
records and splice tape. Broadcasting schools should have all failed;
they were run by people who lacked any kind of vision whatsoever.

We need broadcasting schools today more than ever, but I'm willing to
admit that there may be a serious lack of people who are up to the task
of running them.


I think you've nailed it. Ultimately it is up to local broadcasters to
seek out and hire talent- using that word in its dictionary sense. You
are right that the schools failed to advance with the times and
therefore lost relevance-- although many of the skills I got at Bailie
were transferable to a more modern age. Spot scripting, news writing,
sports writing and delivery of the same.

I've made some pocket money doing voice work, but I don't want to run
a business and chase down jobs, which are necessary if you want to
have voicing as your main career. Otherwise, I'm mostly behind the
scenes doing technical management that is often over my head. But
Bailie was the stepping stone, the piece of paper that let me in the
door, even if I'm not doing what I originally set out to do.

I do have to admit that I loved tape splicing, though.

JT
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