I'VE CALLED AN AUDIBLE
- October 11, 2024
In football, an audible is a last minute change to a planned offensive or defensive play, and that's what I've decided to do in regard to the Radio Espionage Underground podcast and my digital book, Mark Elliott's On Air, The Good, The Bad and The Fugly. However, in typical Mark Elliott fashion, I am about to over communicate why I've called an audible.
The hardest decision you'll make professionally is when to walk away from something you've dedicated the one life you were given to. In April of 1979, I embarked on a broadcasting career I never imagined. A short 43 years later in June of 2022, I decided enough was enough and semi-retired, meaning I'd work on a few projects here and there while I did my own thing which was to venture into new media. During my career, I was never out of a gig and the business consumed me seven days a week. Just about every waking moment was spent with radio on my mind. When I was coming up in the 80's and 90's, most radio pros chose to either program stations or to be an on air personality. I on the other hand was given the opportunity to do both rising to not only program multiple stations but also to thrive in morning drive. As time went on I took on even more challenges. If you read my bio, you'll get a sense for how consumed I was with radio.
What nobody prepares you for is life after career or maybe I've been reading the wrong books. My 43 year career was the definition of going balls to the wall and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I got what I wanted out of my career and was paid well enough to do it so I could walk away when the time came, hopefully with no regrets. Guess what...there are always regrets but you have no choice but to be satisfied with what you accomplished and I am. The challenge is coming down from the high of being busier than a one legged cat trying to bury shit on a frozen pond for 43 years straight. Imagine going the speed of light and slamming on the breaks coming to a complete stop. Almost immediately, the silence is deafening. Going from running airport to airport knowing when you get to a hotel there are deadlines to meet so sleep isn't an option was more fun for me than I can explain. Then there were the back to back meetings, the conference calls and the regular one on one meetings plus hours of writing reports and creating strategic plans. Through all the ups and downs, it was worth every fucking last minute of it.
The challenge is attempting to ramp back up to where you're burning the candle at both ends again so you feel like you're still relevant in the industry and to yourself. Unfortunately, as we get older, trying to serve to many masters isn't an option or is it a good idea. As I've discovered, there is something to be said for stopping to smell the roses. In short, I simply do not have the desire to continue to write or talk about radio anymore. At 65, I've been there and done that. Initially, the idea of sharing my experience and words of wisdom seemed like a cool way to wrap up a long and rewarding career but I'm going to allow myself the option of calling an audible and scrapping the book project. I think you'll have more fun figuring out on your own anyway.
CHANGE IS INEVITABLE
-October 11, 2024
I have to admit I never thought podcasting would be fun but it's cool as hell. Interacting with people from all of the world and watching a digital audience develop is fulfilling in ways I never experienced with traditional radio.
I have to admit I never thought podcasting would be fun but it's cool as hell. Interacting with people from all of the world and watching a digital audience develop is fulfilling in ways I never experienced with traditional radio.
A few days ago I put the Radio Espionage Underground podcast on hiatus because I've never been thrilled with how I executed it. After listening to previous podcasts, it occurred to me how scripted and formulated they sounded plus I've became disenchanted with talking about radio programming the same why I became discontented with writing a book about radio. I know by experience if I'm not engaged, the audience isn't going to feel engaged and with over 3 million podcasts, if I'm going to have any level of success, this podcast needs to be ultra engaging.
When I resume the Radio Espionage Underground podcast, I am simply going to open the mic and let it rip freeform with no boundaries. I'll discuss what's top of mind that day based on what's happening in the moment. The one thing I've never been short on is an opinion on just about everything but now it's time to toss out all of the fundamentals I used executing a radio show and be more organic and real. This will more than likely rekindle my desire to do this podcast.
I have two other podcasts that are more topic focused and formulated. One is called the Rat's Ass Podcast, and it's pure lunacy. The other is the Big 4 Sports No Autopsy, No Foul podcast which is nothing more than reacting to current sports news. Both are showing tremendous growth and it's because I feel more invested and engaged in them. Hopefully, this new direction I want to take the Radio Espionage Underground podcast will continue to grow but at a more rapid pace. We shall find out when I start posting new episodes the week of October 21st.
Since I have scrapped the idea of writing a book on radio programming, the least I can do is to offer a best of feature where I post an article I've written in the past for your viewing pleasure. I will kick this off on Monday, November 4th. - ME
E: mem@markelliottmedia.com
P: (818) 259-0091
Copyright 2024
P: (818) 259-0091
Copyright 2024
