This month’s Back in My Day is about Radio, not the movie, but actually local AM/FM Radio. When I was growing up you did not have XM Satellite or I-Tunes. You bought your music on records. Remember the 45rpms or the albums you bought at Infingers, or you recorded your music off the radio. With shows like American Top 40, Dick Clark’s Rock Roll and Remember, or American Country Countdown you could listen and record your favorite song. You could also so call the station and request your song from the local DJ.
One of the great things about local radio is that you were actually able to meet them at remotes held at local businesses and events. They would give away bumper stickers, music, and maybe the coveted T-Shirt if you were lucky. Today, most of the shows are voice tracked, which means the DJ is not actually located at the radio station, they track for a number of stations at a central location. The days of local radio went away with corporate takeovers.
I had the privilege in working in local radio in college and for 30 years professionally. I started in the Charlotte, NC market and went on to work at WCHY, Kix 96 and River 98.7 in the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire. Radio in the 80’s, 90’s, and into the 2000’s was a great career. In the early years you had to really work in the studio, there were no computers to keep the music playing. Every song, commercial, jingle had to be played by the manual push of a button. You also had a couple of panic song when you needed to leave the studio for a few minutes. American Pie, Band on the Run, Freebird were all songs you could count on to make it down the hall and back during your shift. And of course you had your request line, each shift you had your callers to win contest and request their favorite songs. They felt like they knew you and were always very excited to see you at parades and remote appearances.
Local radio also was there in case of an emergency, whether it was a snowstorm, hurricane, or other situation that needed attention the local DJ’s were the calming voice with information for the listener. You could always count on the radio station to keep you informed during emergencies.
My first job after returning to Walterboro was at 98.7 Kiss FM, now known as River 98.7. Mark Robertson the Program Director and Morning Show host hired me to work afternoon drive. Mark passed away last week after a long illness. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he came to the area and was on the air in the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire since 1977. His boyhood dream was to be a DJ. He signed off and retired in April of 2025. That is 48 years at one station, unheard of in the broadcast business, but Mark did it. He worked his way up from Announcer to Program Director/Morning Drive DJ by talent. He knew his music and he knew his listeners and he knew the area he was broadcasting too. This was his home and even though he could have gone on to bigger markets he stayed because he cared about his audience. His morning show was entertaining with interview and interesting tidbits, and he kept it live, not voice tracked. He pulled on the heartstrings by reading the Christmas Wish Program letters at Christmas, many of them left him and his listeners in tears. He made appearances for countless charities in his listening area. He especially liked the animal shelters, donating time to events in the area.
Mark’s voice may be silent now as he closed the mic for a final time, but he made a difference is so many people’s lives that he will live on in the hearts of many. That is called making a difference. Thank You Mark.
