the iconic pic that lured me into becoming a radio deejay |
There
is something magical about radio broadcasting. I first fell in love with radio
when the eldest in our family Marcel Gatal now Mrs. Tony Diego became Lady Love
of KISS 102.3 FM.
I
remember how I used to chaperon her especially during her evening shifts at the
radio station during those halcyon days of the early 80's.
Going
radio gaga was the rage then in sleepy Tagbilaran at a time when RPN 9 was the
only television channel that the entire city watched. Lovelorn teeners loved to
tune in to radio to listen to the Top 40 songs, to make requests and to greet
their friends and crushes on air.
FAST FORWARD TO 1988
I
was a transferee at the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR, Cebu City)
where I took up Mass Communications degree when my professor in Intro to Mass
Communications, the late Jess Vestil,
the prominent broadcast and print journalist in Cebu, encouraged me to audition
for a radio disc jockey's job in 93.1 Smash FM.
Of
course, my initial reaction was "Oh not not me, I don't think I'm cut out
to be a deejay" But Sir Jess Vestil persisted and God bless him for
singling me out along with a few others to audition. I still remember how
jittery I was that time. We were told to go inside the deejay's booth (one at a
time of course) and what I can recall was being asked a few standard questions
about myself and introduce a song.
After
what seemed like eternity, two of us were asked to stay behind. Archie
Modequillo, then the station manager informed us that we had been chosen and we
were to start our training the following week.
Offhand,
we were told that we were chosen on the basis of potential and not on
performance (Ouch!) Sir Archie furthered that if the basis for choosing the
disc jockey trainees was performance, then everybody would have failed the
muster. That statement made perfect sense and really had a great impact on me
so much so that it had always been my guide when holding auditions
SUMMER OF 1990
After
a few months, I made the transfer to KISS 102.3 FM. Who would have known that
19 years later, I would be co- hosting the legendary radio station's Golden
Anniversary Show?
ILOILO CITY 1992
Uncle
Reynald Gatal then the station manager of DYXT AM gave me a chance to spin
records and be a deejay that summer in 1990.Of course being the stickler for rules
and regulations, Uncle Rey had to let me take the accreditation exam for
broadcasters from KBP (Kapisananan ng Mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) which I took
and passed.
How
I loved playing all those songs and greeting my friends on air. It was like
living my childhood dream but of course I wasn't really that into the whole
deejay thing.
ILOILO CITY 1992
After
making a side trip to Iloilo City from a Boracay jaunt, I made a decision to
audition at Ramon Jacinto's RJ 98.3 FM radio station. That decision was a
turning point for me. I got the job, stayed in Iloilo City for a year and fell
in love with the beauty and charm of the place
From
radio disc jockey, I was promoted to Production Head whose job was to
conceptualize and produce the station's radio commercials and stingers and
related stuff.
On
weekends, I spun records at the turn tables of The Base Disco of Sarabia Manor
Hotel and that was broadcast live on the air
That
Iloilo episode of my life would always be treasured! I so miss the quaint
Ilonggo accent and La Paz batchoy too!
very nice, thanks for sharing brew!
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