Just thinking about how much he has loved broadcasting, Max Armstrong (WGN, Chicago, Illinois) offered his reflections about this business and how grateful he is for his various opportunities.
The pursuit of a dream. “I’m not sure the studio visitors believed me when I told them I really have been living a dream throughout my career. I wanted so badly as a boy to be on the radio, and better yet, I wanted to be on the radio in Chicago. My voice was heard on the air there just this morning, as it has been nearly every week for 42 years. In those days, it was an intensely competitive business. How would I be able to do it? When deep voices mattered, there were so many voices that were better for broadcast than mine. And knowledge? There were (and are) so many bright, well-educated people in radio and television. It would be hard to stand out in the crowd. But while I never realized it at the time, I now understand that my passion for what I do for a living has been second-to-none. I have long had this excitement for what I do. I have been absolutely awed, thrilled, and forever grateful for the opportunities I have had on the air. I was thinking just this week, as I unlocked the studio door at 3:30 a.m., that an enthusiasm, a genuine excitement, and the passion for one’s work are so crucial. In my case, the ‘fire in the belly’ has partially offset my many talent shortcomings. There’s no doubt that if you have that ‘fire’ for what you do, it can lead to fulfilled dreams.
I think my farm ethic has served me well (maybe to a fault, Mrs. Armstrong might say), but I always was so radio-crazy that I arrived at work early and left late. I know nothing else. Teamed with Orion and Lottie, of course, that was just the way we worked. I remember those early years at WGN. I was reluctant to leave on vacation: I was afraid I was going to miss something important or some high-profile guest who would come to the studio.”
Thanks to Max for sharing his passion for farm broadcasting.
