In broadcasting school, students recorded mock radio shifts that an instructor critiqued. It always puzzled me, during group critique sessions, when students would mumble their way through their tapes and give excuses while we all listened. Excuses given would include, "I had a lot to do this morning," "I was up late last night," or "I just wasn't in the mood to do this today."
One instructor, after hearing a student give such excuses during multiple sessions, said, "You know, you won't be able to do this if you get on the air for real."
Even when that student didn't offer an excuse, however, his tapes tended to sound tossed off. His approach to mock radio shifts reminded me of supposed authors who haven't written anything yet "but have it all in mind."
I always want to say to those so-called writers, "If you haven't put the goods on the page, though, you aren't really a writer."
So it is with broadcasting. If you haven't been on the air or taken it seriously when you've been on the air, you aren't really a broadcaster.
