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SO After College I went out in the world bright eyed and bushy tailed full of hopes and dreams…. That ended with in a year.
I pounded the pavement went to every TV Station I could find dropped of my resume’s by the handful. But no one would hire me. To young, no experience was the general consensus. I had people in Northern ID so I moved back there and got a job cooking. I had been there a month when I heard about a new local TV station just starting up. So I went and applied for Master Control Operator. I interviewed with the Chief Engineer and got the MCO job, a week later I was given the hat of Edit Bay Master the Chiefs Assistant and Camera man. The station format was old 70’s and 80’s TV shows, Magnum PI, A-Team, MacGyver, Bewitched, I Dream of Genie ect ect. We had local Commercials we mostly made in house for the feed and grain store, used car dealerships, banks, ect ect. I was having the time of my life, running around getting the shots editing them together. It was cool. Then they decided to start a News format in the evenings. The issue is they were competing against the ABC affiliate. Now that same ABC Affiliate had turned me down so I was cool with trying to stick it to them and get the news Scoops.
Sadly our “News Crew” was a 43 Year old bi-polar racist homophobic asshole (Gumby) and a 16 year old intern (Kiddo) from the local High School. On more than one occasion I caught Gumby cornering Kiddo in the edit bay in some vile rant. I would intervene and eventually I told her anytime she is in the building let me know so I can make sure to keep an eye out and keep her safe. (Gumby was unhinged at best)
One day we are informed that the local LGBT community is having a get together and the Station wanted to cover it. Now please keep in mind this is in the 90’s in Northern Rural Idaho…. Not a place known for its forward thinking. The year before the LGBT community was literally chased out of town.
So I am given directions to where they are having their get together (Go on Hyw 45 min, get on back road for 10 min go on gravel road for 10 min go down dirt path for 5 min) I thought I was in the Middle of know where before… This place was 50 miles past nowhere.
Kiddo and I load up the gear in my old 81 Mustang and roll out like Autobots, When we arrive I break out the Camera’s and we do Interviews, take to the people involved, get lots and lots of tape. After an Hour of that we start to wrap up, I am doing some b roll to use in the edit bay when two Pickup trucks roll up full of… (Well let’s just say I think there is a lot if inbreeding with people that shave their heads and like a certain dead dictator) People. Kiddo tells me I should roll tape and film what’s happening. The LGBT group is all on the move to their cabins to lock themselves in. I look at Kiddo and tell her get in the car we are gone!!! She argues the point for all of a Nano sec then we peel out of there as fast as possible.
Now keep in mind Cell phones were not available like they are today. No GPS, Internet was in its infancy. SOOO When we arrived back at the Station and Gumby comes RUNNING!!! out to meet us asking “What happened? Did you get tape?” I pulled up short and asked him what he was talking about. He said “nothing… I um just thought something might have happened”
Yep that Asshole had called the local Skin heads and told them when and where to go. They wanted press for yelling / harassing at the LGBT kids / people, Gumby wanted a scoop story.
I filed my complaints with the station they didn’t fire him so I told Kiddo learn from this and get out of that place, then I quit.
I learned that the News is no longer reported but manufactured. Keep in mind when the reporter says “Our Next Story is” Ask yourself what is a story? Is it fact or is it entertainment.
I went back to cooking and did that and a few other things till I started working for Uncle
I heard a year later they were shut down between the FCC fining them and not paying for their licensing use of the TV shows they owed big bucks.
I pounded the pavement went to every TV Station I could find dropped of my resume’s by the handful. But no one would hire me. To young, no experience was the general consensus. I had people in Northern ID so I moved back there and got a job cooking. I had been there a month when I heard about a new local TV station just starting up. So I went and applied for Master Control Operator. I interviewed with the Chief Engineer and got the MCO job, a week later I was given the hat of Edit Bay Master the Chiefs Assistant and Camera man. The station format was old 70’s and 80’s TV shows, Magnum PI, A-Team, MacGyver, Bewitched, I Dream of Genie ect ect. We had local Commercials we mostly made in house for the feed and grain store, used car dealerships, banks, ect ect. I was having the time of my life, running around getting the shots editing them together. It was cool. Then they decided to start a News format in the evenings. The issue is they were competing against the ABC affiliate. Now that same ABC Affiliate had turned me down so I was cool with trying to stick it to them and get the news Scoops.
Sadly our “News Crew” was a 43 Year old bi-polar racist homophobic asshole (Gumby) and a 16 year old intern (Kiddo) from the local High School. On more than one occasion I caught Gumby cornering Kiddo in the edit bay in some vile rant. I would intervene and eventually I told her anytime she is in the building let me know so I can make sure to keep an eye out and keep her safe. (Gumby was unhinged at best)
One day we are informed that the local LGBT community is having a get together and the Station wanted to cover it. Now please keep in mind this is in the 90’s in Northern Rural Idaho…. Not a place known for its forward thinking. The year before the LGBT community was literally chased out of town.
So I am given directions to where they are having their get together (Go on Hyw 45 min, get on back road for 10 min go on gravel road for 10 min go down dirt path for 5 min) I thought I was in the Middle of know where before… This place was 50 miles past nowhere.
Kiddo and I load up the gear in my old 81 Mustang and roll out like Autobots, When we arrive I break out the Camera’s and we do Interviews, take to the people involved, get lots and lots of tape. After an Hour of that we start to wrap up, I am doing some b roll to use in the edit bay when two Pickup trucks roll up full of… (Well let’s just say I think there is a lot if inbreeding with people that shave their heads and like a certain dead dictator) People. Kiddo tells me I should roll tape and film what’s happening. The LGBT group is all on the move to their cabins to lock themselves in. I look at Kiddo and tell her get in the car we are gone!!! She argues the point for all of a Nano sec then we peel out of there as fast as possible.
Now keep in mind Cell phones were not available like they are today. No GPS, Internet was in its infancy. SOOO When we arrived back at the Station and Gumby comes RUNNING!!! out to meet us asking “What happened? Did you get tape?” I pulled up short and asked him what he was talking about. He said “nothing… I um just thought something might have happened”
Yep that Asshole had called the local Skin heads and told them when and where to go. They wanted press for yelling / harassing at the LGBT kids / people, Gumby wanted a scoop story.
I filed my complaints with the station they didn’t fire him so I told Kiddo learn from this and get out of that place, then I quit.
I learned that the News is no longer reported but manufactured. Keep in mind when the reporter says “Our Next Story is” Ask yourself what is a story? Is it fact or is it entertainment.
I went back to cooking and did that and a few other things till I started working for Uncle
I heard a year later they were shut down between the FCC fining them and not paying for their licensing use of the TV shows they owed big bucks.
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