June 2011

Young broadcasters are often advised to get a mentor, someone from whom they learn the ins and outs of radio that aren’t written down in any book. It’s a great idea. And as someone who has been a mentor, I can tell you that it has benefits for both people. The younger person gets advice and help with direction and major decisions while the older one gets insight into the ways the industry is changing and how it affects those who are entering the business.

On a radio station tour recently a worried student asked me, “Is radio going to become obsolete? Someone told me that.” It made me think back to my first few years in radio when FM was coming on strong and AM managers were looking over their shoulders, wondering what might become of their stations. Back then, people were also saying radio – specifically AM – was becoming obsolete. And what happened is what will continue to happen; it will evolve and grow in different directions to survive. We need to keep the lines of communication open between the generations as radio continues to find its way.