Just got off the telephone with a reporter from one of the TV stations. Phone interview. You know what it means when TV questions come ‘round without a cameraman. Yep. She knew I had a Radio Face.
The kind of looks that go over better on FM car radio.
I answered her question, which was put to me as, “I wonder what your thoughts are on that.”
Since her call was not related to any breaking news event, I figure it pretty much amounted to stirring up some local gossip. I wanted to decline, but – many of you have been around me long enough to know – I have a hard time keeping the trap shut when someone asks for my ‘thoughts.’
Without a lead-in question put to me, I usually start with something like, “Well, you didn’t ask for my opinion, but…” and then I offer up a load o’ bunk. (Blarney, if you prefer…)
She asked, though.
I told her that I didn’t speak for anyone on Main Street but myself, and that others probably would disagree with me. The whole time I’m prattling along, I’m thinking – How can a phone interview benefit a TV reporter? She might be taping my voice, but what will she do? Put up a silhouette-head and a graphic at the bottom of the screen: By telephone. That’s what TV does when a phone update comes in from the reporter in Nicaragua. Put up a still-photo of the reporter and the words: By telephone (because, otherwise, we wouldn’t know how that voice was magically flying up from South America).
The phone interview made me think of Jim Goss at KRAV-FM when he headed up the New MIX-96 (it was ALWAYS new…for years). He was the news director who sat across from me at some convention/dinner, squeezed a lemon into his tea and bounced a seed off my forehead. (Never had THAT happen before. Or since.)
KRAV had shelled out to acquire the latest weather tool – Color Weather Radar – I think it was called. Those folks had a good news operation back in those days, and I was envious of their budget.
Didn’t understand the ‘color’ part on radio, though. During the forecast, in good weather, the newscaster might remark, “All clear on Color Weather Radar – fifty mile scan, showing up as scattered green ground-clutter on the radar screen.”
Rain might be described in vivid detail: “Showers are moving in to the Metro-area. Light to moderate rain. That’s blue on Color Weather Radar with touches of darker green showing up west of Skiatook.”
Unless the rain was coming down in darker-green-colored drops near Skiatook, I don’t think any of our listeners (I was working at a down-the-block competitor) – none of them gave a hoot about what color showed up on his expensive TV screen.
I was still envious. He had radar and I had Jim Giles giving forecasts from his home studio. I think it was located in his bedroom walk-in closet. He could have been in Nicaragua, for all I know. He sounded like he was standing next to me.
Technology.
Might have told Mr. Goss what I thought about his Color Weather Radar audio-radio-visuals, but he never “wondered what my thoughts were on it.”
The TV reporter did, as I mentioned. So, if you happen to catch the evening news and a report about Broken Arrow, look on the screen for blue in the lighter areas with touches of darker green.
That’ll be me, running my trap under the radar.
The sidewalk in front of the shop is still intact, so – Come Visit!
McHuston
Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 S. Main Street, Broken Arrow OK!
