(By Michael Dudding) Several years ago I asked a fellow broadcaster, “When is the right time to leave this industry?” His answer made sense, “When it’s no longer fun.” It would be prudent to amend his reply by saying, “when all the doctors and surgeons know you by name at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota.”
August will mark my 50th and last month and year in radio. I’m not asking for applause, just a little bit of your time to read this.
I never have been a fan of any kind of award that you have to pay an entry free to try to bring the award home. Someone’s making money on those who enter. I’m not saying these award-winning stations aren’t deserving, but how important are awards to you? Might help with ratings, might temporarily excite the staff. Congratulations, I applaud all winners, really. Please help the radio industry by teaching other stations what you know or do.
Why did your station get a license from the Federal Communications Commission anyway? Isn’t it rewarding to know you’re doing your best to serve the public interest of the people within your broadcast contour?
It’s infinitely rewarding to know when your part of the state has a blizzard and ice storm and there’s no electricity, your generator showed its power and you’ve suddenly become the survival tool to keep listeners informed, safe, and warm. Especially when it’s Christmas Day and surrounding stations choose to play Christmas Music during the blizzard instead of becoming a information center and end up saving lives.
My greatest award I’ve ever received comes from the individuals in radio that I’ve helped become successful. Another invisible award comes from sending staff on a week-long “bucket list vacation” fully paid for by my station because we were having our seventh consecutive record sales year.
Most importantly, my biggest award comes every night when I leave my station knowing that we’ve tried to make a positive difference in the lives of our listeners.
I’ve always enjoyed writing about small-market radio and the power we really have. Some of my articles have generated over 100 emails, the overwhelming majority with positive replies. Most of us Mom and Pop stations don’t wear three-piece suits to work. We like casual attire and polo shirts, just like the clients we call on. Would we survive in the large metropolis? With some adjustments, there is no doubt we could. Small-market radio stations are often categorized as “stepping stones” for broadcasters entering the broadcast field. Yes, I think we could survive in larger markets — even if we had to wear a three-piece suit.
I earlier asked the question, “When do you think you’ll write your last chapter?” The answer is acutely obvious: you will never close the book on radio. What you’ve learned; good or bad, how you affected peoples lives; good or bad, how you treated your employees; good or bad, radio will never leave you if you’ve been in broadcasting for an appreciable number of years. You will listen to radio differently, hear something you could have done better…. but if radio is going to rise from the ashes we need to help new owners and broadcasters avoid mistakes we’ve learned from.
I’ll hang up the headset and microphone in August only because my love for radio meant six days a week. It’s time to dedicate the time the Good Lord has given me to my family that maybe didn’t get the attention they needed and deserved. Congratulations to the good broadcasters who can sleep peacefully at night knowing they did their best, regardless how many years they’ve been in the industry.
Michael Dudding is owner and GM of the KDSN radio stations in Denison, IA, and one of Radio Ink’s Best Managers of 2016. He can be reached at [email protected].
As a Canadian Broadcaster who went to social media.. there are many points that hit home. The sad state of radio ( and my age– 59) makes me a dinosaur. I enjoy mentoring and passing along what I have learned from many a great broadcaster…BUT, suits won’t hire guys like me. We know too much . I agree that bragging about awards is a slippery slope. Bad enough our industry has plenty of overblown egos that get in the way of what we are supposed to be doing.
Serving the community.
The financial aspects of this biz, over the air or social media, have hit me hard in the pocketbook, and I really wonder, after 40 years, should I get a real job. I can’t even get a job as a Wal-Mart greeter..lol
Rod and I benefited from your experience and we owe a debt to you and Group 20 that can only be paid forward. It is my hope that financing regulations will feee up and allow the next generation to become Mom and Pop shops!
Congratulations Mike on a job well done, a broadcasting life well-lived. Paying-it-forward to the next generation is the best reward we will ever receive.
I know that Iowa broadcasters are a dedicated bunch from my time with the IBA and Sue Toma when I was managing stations in Waterloo-Cedar Falls.
Proud of Great Broadcasters like YOU.
Thank You for your service.
-Dick Taylor
Congratulations! It has been radio’s good fortune to learn from you. Thanks for all you have contributed to a great industry.
Never owned a station, but have been talking on them for over 45 years now. I now see the light at the end of the tunnel and am hoping it’s not Amtrak. I know my career’s end is rocketing my direction, too…and have no real regrets. Congratulations on hitting the 50 mark, my colleague. And, may others be inspired with your story.
What the radio industry needs/needed is/was more broadcasters such as Michael Dudding and far, far fewer Lew Dickeys and Lowry Mays’. You cannot undo the damage done to the commercial radio industry that was inflicted upon the communities to be served, listeners, advertisers, and employees of radio by the likes of Dickey, Mays and their ilk. As the late sales consultant Jim Williams often would say, “Some people rise to the occasion, others lower the occasion.” That’s exactly what occurred back in 1996 and the resulting damage is quite evident.
Mike,
Congratulations on your retirement, very well deserved. It was a pleasure to get to know you through group 20 and thank you for all that you brought to the meetings.
Enjoy my friend!
Jim Lamke
Good Job Mike!
For the size of his coverage area, his stations KDSN-AM/FM in the heart of central Iowa has been the most successful, most professionally managed radio operation I ever encountered among the hundreds of stations I inspected under the Alternative Inspection Program. He has long been and will be long remembered as a true Legend in American Broadcasting. His most famous quote was “Serve your community and your community will serve you.”
Respectfully Submitted, Ken Benner