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July 9, 2018 12:29 pm  #1


The Name Game

So this past weekend I hear a young lady doing the top-of-the-hour newscast on a big time radio station.
Her surname is Seaman.
I have no doubt she is a wonderful person.
I've met folks with the surname Kuntz
And I've met folks with the surname Dickout - that was a real eye-opener.
There is no doubt times have changed when it comes to a performers "handle"
Broadcasters are using their real names far more often than before.
So here's my question...
You've landed an air gig.
Your last name might be Kuntz or Dickout or perhaps Seaman.
Full speed ahead or would you massage that last name of yours?


  
 

July 9, 2018 12:41 pm  #2


Re: The Name Game

Oh how I  l o n g  for the glory days of Semin and Farginkle and 'The Dangling Conversation'.  Really fester?  None of these folks were teased growing up?  A name change is vital and should be expected.  THAT is 'the rule'.

The exception to 'the rule'?  Most of the 'men' on FOX Nooze should be named Dick.  The women?  Kuntz.  And they should ALL get OUT!!!

[Bobby Kuntz used to play for the Argos.  It's pronounced Koontz.]

 

 

July 9, 2018 1:40 pm  #3


Re: The Name Game

On a very serious note, if only speaking for myself, I have an opinion that it is very smart not to use your real name when working in radio or television no matter what your real name is. 
This separates those who actually know you from those who only claim to.



 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

July 9, 2018 2:01 pm  #4


Re: The Name Game

Radiowiz wrote:

On a very serious note,
This separates those who actually know you from those who only claim to. 

To what end?

While I have changed names a few times, what makes this industry unique? What about medical doctors? Say they keep changing names to "separates those who actually know you from those who only claim to"? To what end?

There was a long time, in the industry's infancy, that this was a given for a variety of reasons. But, now, I am finding multicultural and unique names are very in. (as an example that traffic reporter on RB that mumbles her 23 syllable indecipherable surname)
 

 

July 9, 2018 2:28 pm  #5


Re: The Name Game

cGrant wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

On a very serious note,
This separates those who actually know you from those who only claim to. 

To what end?

While I have changed names a few times, what makes this industry unique? What about medical doctors? Say they keep changing names to "separates those who actually know you from those who only claim to"? To what end?

There was a long time, in the industry's infancy, that this was a given for a variety of reasons. But, now, I am finding multicultural and unique names are very in. (as an example that traffic reporter on RB that mumbles her 23 syllable indecipherable surname)
 

It's actually very creepy when they KNOW you but you don't know them at all.
It's a good call to have a fake name, but not too fake. Real enough to be believable. (on air) 
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

July 9, 2018 2:45 pm  #6


Re: The Name Game

Radiowiz wrote:

It's actually very creepy when they KNOW you but you don't know them at all. 

Again, and NOT to be argumentative, how is that different than any other profession? Politicians and other professionals that have their name on a shingle don't seem to be bothered.

At my age, my memory is definitely not what it was, and I have plenty of people that know me and I don't recollect them at all. Why this difference in this profession?
 

 

July 9, 2018 3:04 pm  #7


Re: The Name Game

Many of my older colleagues use a variation or derivative or their names. They've mentioned their names sounded  too "ethnic", or was being used on air elsewhere. The younger ones don't care,and use their birth names proudly. BTW their names are not 'in', they always have been.

I've lived thru an era where "how's your whole...family" was hilarious and not offensive, and last name Hunt, first name Michael was comedic gold!

cGrant one need only Google the name of RB reporter, Adwoa. She speaks clearly and never 'mumbles'. Indecipherable? Turn up the volume. Belittling an ethnic name is so '80s.

 

July 9, 2018 3:58 pm  #8


Re: The Name Game

Sometimes it can work to your advantage. In the 90s, Moses Znaimer - then still the guy in charge at City TV - tried to put together a sort of "United Nations" of on-air people. There was the African-Canadian reporter, Jojo Chintoh, the Greek correspondent, Thalia Assuras, the Asian guy, Ben Chin, and on and on it went. 

Far from being racist, it was quite deliberate to try and represent every community in a diverse city like Toronto. And it came at a time when CFTO and Global's personalities were mostly all Caucasian. Slowly but surely, the idea spread and now different ethnicities are all over the local news. 

I bring it up because Moses was so dedicated to this idea, he actually tried to manipulate it even if it wasn't completely there. I recall hearing the story of Laura DiBattista. She was known to colleagues as "Lori" and DiBattista was her maiden name. Her married name sounded very ordinary. (I know what it is, but I won't leak it here, Suffice to say it was as bland as if her name was "Lori Smith.")

Not only did Moses insist she use "DiBattista" to capture the Italian segment of the audience, he ordered her to use the name "Laura" not "Lori" - and then just to drive the point home, had everyone on air say her name as "La-ooh-rah." In case you ever wondered about that odd pronunciation. 

Anne Mroczkowski was similarly discouraged from changing her name, even though it was impossible to spell and hard for others to pronounce. 

So  sometimes people are actually encouraged to use ethnic names, instead of changing them for broadcast.

 

July 9, 2018 4:24 pm  #9


Re: The Name Game

Lentil wrote:

cGrant one need only Google the name of RB reporter, Adwoa. She speaks clearly and never 'mumbles'. Indecipherable? Turn up the volume. Belittling an ethnic name is so '80s.

cGrant wrote:

(as an example that traffic reporter on RB that mumbles her 23 syllable indecipherable surname)

Well, Mr./Ms. Lentil, if you have to "google" her name, then clearly you can't decipher it when she says it on air.

Me pointing out that she "mumbles her 23 syllable indecipherable surname" hardly constitutes "belittling" in this case as, I too, cannot decipher what she is saying/mumbling, nor do I know how many actual syllables she has because of this. She, herself, is obviously used to her own name and probably isn't aware it doesn't came across well when she is under the element clock to contain her report in so many seconds. (Frankly, I'm rather surprised Brand Director Mike hasn't pointed this out to her.)

AND, there was a thread here a while ago where people were also unsure of her name with the very same complaints.

 

July 9, 2018 5:11 pm  #10


Re: The Name Game

RA I loved the days when names were stale, raunchy, ethnic, iconic. Anything you wanted them to be. Believe it or not, that is radio now. Don't like it? Netflix and chill.

cGrant I love you and your misguided ways. Don't change.

 

July 9, 2018 9:53 pm  #11


Re: The Name Game

I've mentioned this before, but there was a station in Western New York, called WNIA (it's now WECK) that used to have a policy of forcing a name on their jocks, depending on what shift they were working.

For example, the afternoon guy was always called "Mike Melody," regardless of who was behind the mic. 

The idea was pretty odious. It meant if the talent upped the ratings (already hard for a one lung local signal at 1230 on the AM dial) the jock couldn't ask for a raise or demand any benefits. If he did, he would be fired and another Mike Melody would simply take his place. 

It allowed management to keep a familiar name on air without costing them anything extra. And they hoped whatever audience they might have would never notice.   

 

July 9, 2018 9:59 pm  #12


Re: The Name Game

Oh and by the way, one year, CFTR - which was very fond of pulling off April Fool bits on that day during its time as a Top 40 station - had its news director, the great Robert Holiday, go on air using the name "Otis Spearmint."

For whatever that's worth. 

 

July 9, 2018 10:22 pm  #13


Re: The Name Game

RadioActive wrote:

I've mentioned this before, but there was a station in Western New York, called WNIA (it's now WECK) that used to have a policy of forcing a name on their jocks, depending on what shift they were working.

For example, the afternoon guy was always called "Mike Melody," regardless of who was behind the mic. 

The idea was pretty odious. It meant if the talent upped the ratings (already hard for a one lung local signal at 1230 on the AM dial) the jock couldn't ask for a raise or demand any benefits. If he did, he would be fired and another Mike Melody would simply take his place. 

It allowed management to keep a familiar name on air without costing them anything extra. And they hoped whatever audience they might have would never notice.   

Could also be that the station had a jingle package that they were too cheap to have re-recorded every time they exchanged their 'personalities'.  That was back in an era when talented people moved up the ladder and on and also when ratings sometimes called for change.  'Younger/cheaper/regardless of how shitty' wasn't part of the plan back when the product [and potential audience] actually mattered.