I've felt right at home handling several different formats as a radio announcer--eclectic rock, smooth jazz, new age, Classical, and big band with a dash of oldies. I've never worked at or aspired to work at a Top 40/contemporary hit radio station, however, because shouting with manic enthusiasm on the air for hours has never come naturally to me. In the late '80s, I won two prizes from a Top 40 station by being the specified caller. The on-air replay of my victory went like this:
DJ: You're our winner! Congratulations!
ME: Thank you.
DJ: You've won a compilation CD of top 40 hits!
ME: Oh, good. Thanks.
DJ: You've also won a set of colored pencils from our sponsor!
ME: Sounds good. Thank you.
DJ: Feel free to show enthusiasm any time now.
ME: That's not really in my nature, but thank you for the prizes.
DJ: Well, OK, then.
Looking back, I'm surprised the station didn't just name me as the winner on-air and leave it at that.
