Meet Radio’s National Treasure

6

Paul Howard has been in radio for 71 years. He’s been selling radio for 55  years. Paul is 92 years old and still going strong. Dale Miller is the CEO of The West Virginia Radio Corporation where Paul works. “I’ve been making a living from radio since 1968 and still feel like a rookie next to Paul. If radio had a Mount Rushmore you’d have to start with Paul Howard. He is the one of the very best of all time.”

 

Radio Ink: Tell us how you got started in radio.
Paul: I have only worked for five companies in my life. In 1944, the army was drafting 18-year-old seniors and sending them to basic training. I enlisted, took my 13-week basic, and went over to France, Belgium, and Germany. Germany surrendered and I was sent to a remote village near Czechoslovakia. In August of 1945 they said, “We are assigning you guys.” The assignment, we did not know, was to Japan. But while we were waiting they dropped the bomb and I never fired a shot. The war was over and I went home to New Brighton, PA. That town is about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh and I sat on my butt for a few months listening to KDKA. I thought, Hey, that is a great way to make a living, every 15 minutes you say you’re listening to KDKA in Pittsburgh. I wrote to them and asked how do I get started. Coincidentally, two announcers were starting an announcing school. I went to Pittsburgh and there were about 18 people who were auditioning and nobody flunked, including me. I went 14 weeks, two nights a week.

My first job was in Flat River, Missouri, which is south of St. Louis. One kid who went to the announcing school, his dad was the superintendent of a lead mine in Flat River. Flat River was combined with some other towns and is now called Park Hills. There were just two announcers, just me and him, nine hours a day, seven days a week, at 70 cents an hour. I could not wait to get out of there. When I did get out, I got a job in Bellaire, Ohio. In order to get a job and make an audition, I had to go into the back room of a hardware store in Flat River and make an audition on a wire recorder. It got me the job. I went there in 1947, WTRF. They were not on the air yet. In 1953, WTRF TV was put on the air. I was there about six months and they said all the people from WTRF radio make a decision: you must choose either radio or TV. It was intimated that since I had a face made for radio, I went to radio. I then went go to Akron, Ohio. I was the backup to the morning show announcer who was terrific. He was only 29 years old. He would make appearances at three record shops every Friday. This was about 1960. In 1961 I went to Charleston. I was there 10 years as a rock jock. I had hair and everything! Our company then bought another station and I was the manager for 11 years. In 1981, I came back to Charleston working for Capital Broadcasting. In 1993, West Virginia Radio Corporation bought out two stations and here I am moving into a building where I had been fighting them for years. West Virginia Radio now has 28 radio stations, all of them in West Virginia. We are talking about two great radio companies, Capitol Broadcasting and West Virginia Radio.

Radio Ink: How did you get started selling radio?
Paul: A sales manager at a radio station in Charleston got a hold of me and said, “Why are you wasting your time in programming? Get into sales where the money is. Come along with me and I will show you how easy it is.” He knew everybody at that time in Charleston so it was easy for him. He was the kind of guy who, when an appliance dealer who had six stores in town had a sale, Norm would go down and he would approach customers and talk to them until a store salesman was available.

Radio Ink: How have you seen selling radio evolve over the years?
Paul: I remember doing my first play by play broadcast we had to lug equipment that weighed about 100 pounds up to the press box. The great big 15 inch reels. Now it’s so simple with computers. I do have a computer on my desk and I am still learning how to use it.

Radio Ink: So tell us what are you every day now.
Paul: I’m in sales. Every now and then a client asks me if I would like to do a commercial. I’m here daily in Charleston from 8:15 to 3:15. My wife died in 2005 and my relatives took a look at my physical condition and put me in an independent living home. I work 5 days a week. I have a couple good customers who have remained with me for many many years. My oldest customer is a lawyer who’s been with me for 18 years and that does help.

Radio Ink: How long have you been in the independent living facility?
Paul: I’ve been here three years. I have this artery problem and I am having surgery next Thursday. It will be my fourth operation.

Radio Ink: Why do you keep working, why not relax?
Paul: Because I don’t want to relax. At the place I live there are about 200 people living there and they do lots of things to keep occupied like putt-putt golf, dances, they take people shopping or out to eat. They do lots of things to keep them interested, but me I am stuck on radio. I am glad to get out and mingle with people and see my friends.

By the way you many of your readers have probably heard of The Idea Bank. The Idea Bank started in 1961. There was a note in Broadcasting magazine from a guy that said, “I’m thinking about starting an exchange of ideas. If there is anyone who would like to participate, send me a note.” I was one of ones who responded. There were only about six or seven who responded, and three were from Canada. Now The Idea bank is limited to 100 members, most of whom are in the U.S. We used to exchange ideas once a month back when you had to mail them. Now it’s every other month. It’s a good exchange of information. It’s exclusive. We have about 12 people on the waiting list. I consider that one of the good things about radio today: exchanging information with 99 other radio stations who are in the trenches fighting the fight every day.

Radio Ink: Do you drive to the sales calls?
Paul: Unfortunately, the doctor where I live wanted me to take a driving test. I said okay. It included a computer test, a reaction test, and a couple other tests, plus a 15-mile drive. I flunked the driving test by driving 42 MPH on the interstate and not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign. I lost my license, so now I rely on the generosity of my friends at the radio station. I also have a driver where I live. I signed up for an Uber and make some of my calls that way. So that is my life.

Radio Ink: How much longer do you plan on doing this?
Paul: I think it depends on my physical condition. I really love what I am doing. I would hate what I would be doing otherwise. I am not a checker player or bridge or putt-putt. In any case, I would like to hang in here as long as I can.

Radio Ink: What do you want to say about radio in general?
Paul: It is tougher now than it used to be because there is so much competition. You have everybody selling things cheaper than they used to. Whatever it is, whether its digital applications or TV or billboards.

Congratulate Paul as he continues one of the longest radio careers ever at [email protected]

And a special thanks to Gordon Borrell for introducing us to Paul.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Just saw this. I worked for Paul in early 1964. He hired me away from WKNA to WCAW. I left to go to Hollywood that same year, but, returned in early 1966 to become News Director, going back and forth between WCAW and WKAZ. I went on to work in radio in Tucson, Phoenix, Denver, and Los Angeles, before turning to television as a writer/poroducer. Paul was one of the best people I’ve ever worked for. Straight-forward, genuine, talented guy. I’m so glad he has remained in radio. Radio is lucky to have had him this long.

  2. My first full time job in radio happened in 1989 in Charleston WV and I had the good fortune of working overnights on WVAF and then staying on from 6-9a to do morning traffic reports from both WVAF (with Steve Bishop and Jenny Murray) and WCAW-AM where Paul was co hosting mornings with Randy Dameron. I went on to work in radio all over the United States for the next 20+ years and anytime someone would compliment my technique, my professionalism, or my work ethic I quickly pointed out that, “I started with the best in this entire industry. There was no way I could fail”. Thank you Paul for your example, your smile & laughter, and for being someone we all can look up to in radio and in all of life.

  3. I worked almost 10 years next to Paul at WV Radio. In fact, when they rearranged our office setup in the mid-90s, I requested to be in the cubicle next to him. Even after I started my own company in 2002, he continued to be a mentor, friend, and role-model. Paul took the stress out of sales. He taught me that advertising was about relationships and taking care of your clients as if they were a friend. He is a treasure, and I hope he can see the number of lives and careers he has touched with his quiet leadership and wise advice. Cheers to Paul!

  4. Funny story about Paul… I work for a cluster of WV Radio stations in Morgantown. Occasionally we send scripts to our radio talent in other cities to be voiced. So we had a call for a “grandfatherly voice” in one of our scripts. I sent the script down to Paul (he was 89 or 90 at the time) and he tried to “disguise” his voice to sound like grandpa. LOL…. Paul… just read the line! Guess that tells you how Paul feels about age. Congrats, Paul.

  5. I would love to have a short conversation with this gentleman. How can that be arranged? A phone call would be sufficient. May I call him at work please or have him respond to my email address…

    Thank you very much”
    Sincerely
    Robert

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