Tuesday was National Radio Day.  I have been doing this for 38 years, and this seems like a good time to pull the curtain back on this a bit.  Many people ask me what I call my job.  I don't like DJ, or Disc Jockey.  That is a very different and great skill set, that I don't have. That is very different than what I do. 

There are other names, but Morning Personality, or Morning Show Host is better.  But what I really am is a Storyteller.  I hopefully tell one every time I open the mic.  Some are not as compelling as others.  Some things must be simply said.  But in the content we do on Scott And Sarah In The Morning to hopefully entertain, we tell stories.  Putting a person (you) in a place (here), at a time (now).  Once I learned that as a young broadcaster back when the Earth was cooling, after a few years of not knowing that, things fell into place.

I learned this from a legendary Morning Personality named Dick Zipf (Ziff).  When I was 23 doing mornings at WRMZ in Columbus, he was on our AM station WMNI.  He taught me to story tell.  And he also introduced me something I am equally and forever thankful for.  That there are different and more colorful ways to say the ordinary.  Using different and inventive phrases and words, while making them a part of your everyday speech.  And finding the angle that no one else will in everything you say on air.  Those things have served me well.  And I am eternally thankful to him.

Dick Zipf -  Great Guy Great Pro

Years later one of my bosses, Nick Anthony, here at WQMX  reminded me through our continued friendship, that storytelling is compelling, as he is a great story teller.  And he also is a great example of using words to start a story or conversation and not to end one. Constant and definite facts that are spoken at someone, is not inviting.  Questions requested and answered with someone is, as the story can go on with an equal exchange of views.  The only way to learn anything is to listen, and the most compelling conversations spawn from asking questions, and listening to the answer.  Nick always reminds me of this in our talks. I am grateful again.

Nick Anthony -  Great Guy  -  Great Storyteller

The Beautiful Windy laughs with me for always asking questions in our personal life. But each one asked and answered helps me tell a new story somewhere up the road.

More tomorrow as I want to mention some other great people from this wonderful business   - Radio.