Passion for broadcasting? Wanna be a deejay?

"I have a passion for broadcasting!"

If I had a dollar for everytime that someone told me that, I would be one of the richest people on Earth. There are those I have said this to who look at me in stunned disbelief, but take 'passion' and stick it!

When we fall in love with someone, get engaged and get married, we define this as an act of 'passion' (although in some cases it might be also be referred to as 'madness'). After the honeymoon, the reality check called 'being married' kicks in and it's not long before you're picking up his dirty socks and underwear or he's trying to take a shower with your stockings and bras hanging up to dry over the shower curtain rail... Where's the 'passion' now?

I would be on the front cover of Forbes Richest even more so if I had a further dollar for every time someone said to me... "I wanna b da DJ!"

What the hell is a DJ? (aka. Deejay)

DJ is the acronym for 'disc jockey' and the terminology is best suited for one who spins records, plays CD's or MP3's etc in a night club environment. No disrespect to deejays; they do a grand job and I'm not sure I would be able to do what they do or with the energy associated therewith. Radio Midrand 93.8FM is not looking for 'DJ's', and that's because there is a huge difference between deejays and... 'Presenters'.

The next time you "...wanna b da dj", ask yourself this question... If, as will happen, a representative member of parliament was put on your show, or a specialist in the field of neuro surgery, or a clinical psycologist, a Ward Councillor...

Would you be able to hold down an intelligent conversation on air without embarressing yourself or the station?

The New Yardbirds are recognised as one of the greatest rock music groups of our times, but no one has ever heard of them. Be that the case, how can they be one of the greatest!? That's because the New Yardbirds was simply one of the first names of better known Led Zeppelin.

What's the point here?

Music knowledge. Plain and simple. Without it, please don't waste your time trying to get into radio.

Can't hold down a conversation? Again, please don't waste your time trying to get into radio.

Radio Midrand 93.8FM is a community broadcast service. Allow me to emphasize... "Community". How much do you really know about what's happening right on your own doorstep that you feel you can talk about that would appeal to a 'Community'? Not just the youth, or the rate payers, or the Bafana Bafana fans, or the social groups, or the elderly or the Eskom haters (like me). No... The 'Community'.

Still wanna b da dj?

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten 'Passion'. Let me get back to that now.

Using the marriage example again and 'passion' being the reason we got into it in the first place (don't get me wrong, I love being married and I adore my wife and family), what do we do when passion dies?

Come forth Lazarus!

That's right. In marriage, passion can be resurrected by...

...Creativity!

Radio is exactly the same thing! Passion dies but creativity lasts forever and like the same creativity that rekindles passion in marriage, it's the element that ensures that no one day is the same as the previous or the next. It's the substance that makes you want to stay on air day in and day out and enjoy every second of every minute that the opportunity allows.

Think, and change the word 'passion' in your vocabulary to 'creative'.

"Times up! Send in the next dj wannabe...!"