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.



 

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) 
 

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.

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.

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.   

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.