Utopian Dream Job
The last four weeks have been a mixture of stress, great fun and very hard work. In the run up to taking over as Utopia manager two weeks ago, I’ve been busy contacting various people with a view to getting members of the
As well as this I have held elections for the other management roles needed to run a radio station including a head of music, head of sales and a head of news. I’m really happy with the new team as they all seem enthusiastic and motivated. I’m looking forward to working with all of them over the summer and through the broadcast in September.
Perhaps the biggest chunk of my time has gone to the evening show which I have been doing four nights a week for the three weeks we have been on air. The Rory Auskerry Show has involved several of my friends and a great deal of time but has been thoroughly rewarding. Being on the air from 7pm allowed me to choose my own music rather than having to stick to the station’s play list, which was a real plus for me. I was also able to bring friends in to take part in the show. I recruited three of my flatmates as a co-host, a producer and a writer respectively. In addition; one of the Northern Hype team, Chris, who is also managing the station with me in September, did a live DJ set for an hour two nights a week. Caroline, a second year journalism student joined me on Thursdays to co-host, and another friend, George, took professional pictures of my guests and the team.
I suspect that having so many of my mates working on the show didn’t help the listening figures as they couldn’t be doing both, but it certainly hasn’t damaged my ego!
Every show across the week featured different voices and genres of music and I have really enjoyed the variety. However, the station has been incredibly badly promoted and as a result we have very few listeners. Although we have carried on as if we are being heard with a view to having fun and gaining experience, it’s difficult to maintain enthusiasm when you feel your efforts are falling on deaf ears.
On an established station, listener’s texts and emails provide the DJ’s with two important things. One is the encouragement which comes from knowing you are being heard and not simply sitting in a small room, with padded walls and no view of the outside world, like you were in a mental asylum.
The second is the fact that listener’s stories, jokes, opinions and requests provide an invaluable source of link material and feature ideas. It is also impossible to play games, run competitions or know if you are funny if nobody gets involved. Therefore the lack of listener interaction on Utopia has had a hugely detrimental effect on all the presents throughout this broadcast.
In an attempt to overcome this issue I will be making a huge effort to publicise and promote the station in September with things like a high profile launch event in the city centre.
I have also been very busy completing projects and assignments for my course. As hand in dates and deadlines for practical work approach, more and more people have been asking me for help and advice with their radio work. I actually love this and find it flattering that both my friends and people I barely know come to me for advice, or to get answers to technical questions. It only gets a bit difficult when I’m at home writing an essay or trying to edit my own work and the phone keeps going, but as I said, I really enjoy it. How much help I am is debatable!
May saw the end of another happy year of university, and many good times living in Flat 30. I’ve always found good times coming to and end a real wrench and this is no exception. I’ve spoken before about how important a good home from home is while studying away and the lads have done that for me for a second year. Andy and Phil are moving on with me to
One of the biggest issues both parents and students have with the idea of university is understandably the financial implications. I am aware that finding the money can be extremely difficult, and the idea of a huge debt may well be the icing on the cake to put some off it all together. However, having reached the end of my second year with a little money still in the bank, and without needing handouts, must be reasonable evidence that it is achievable. What I can say for certain is that the money which has so far been spent on my university education has been entirely worthwhile, apart from perhaps the odd lager perhaps! Aside from the obvious academic benefits, the experience has helped me to grow up, I am more confident than I was before and I will certainly not regret my decision to go to uni. Bring on next term!
However I am very much looking forward to being in Orkney this summer. As the weather improves and the days get longer, I find being confined to a city quite frustrating at times. I miss the opportunity to get out in a boat or use my push bike. I also find it hard to adjust to the different lifestyle in Orkney when I’m only home for short time, so having a three month run will be great. Cheers meantime.
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