This past Tuesday, I received an email on our station's website. It was rather critical about some of the aspects of our programming and how it affected our Afternoon Personality, D.J. E-Feezy. It was especially critical of me. I checked it out Yesterday when I came in to work. Here's part of it:
"Is it because he was stealing Mark Gunn's shine...what little he did have?!? Mark Gunn is by far the worst radio personality to EVER be on radio, and he is even worse in person! He should of been silenced a long time ago. Handcuffing the best personality B96 has had in a long time is doing a disservice to the station and the city of Louisville. Somebody is trippin!"
xburrell@...
I withheld the email address out of common decency.
Radio is something I have a real passion for and it's been that passion that's kept me in the game for all of these years. It's also that passion that makes me somewhat vulnerable to these types of emails. I guess that's because that everyday I go on the air, I share a lot of who I am as a person. What I do is not an act and so what you hear with me is who I really am.
I can admit that this email pissed me off because I take attacks on my professionalism very personally, although I know it comes with the territory.
I've taken great pride in every accomplishment I've made, large or small over the last 31 years and regard my career as a reflection of those that came before me. I remained somewhat annoyed until about 11:30 last night when for some random reason, I checked my email again and got this:
"After reading your profile on the B 96.5 website. I just wanted to let you know that I am truly inspired.
I am louisville native who grew up listening to b96.5, and always dreamed of growing up and being on the station. I must say that B 96 has truly evolved in a good way.
I recently left Louisville about six months ago and enrolled in a broadcast school called Specs Howard located about 15 minutes outside of Detroit. The program is truly remarkable and is very hands on. In the four months that I have been in the program I have learned how to run a board, write and edit my own commercials through adobe, and also land an internship with cbs radio.
I am so excited about getting into the radio industry, not just because of the fame that comes with it, but because I want to eventually come back to Louisville and help my community by starting a non profit organization for young minority girls.
Being a young woman that grew up in the west end I have witnessed that there are so many young kids with out adequate roll models now, and I just want to show our young women what they are really worth, or what they really can do or be if they are placed around the right people and in the right enviroment.
Well, I just wanted to tell you that you are doing a wonderful job, and that I am very inspired. If you have any words of wisdom, or advice as to how I can advance in the business please email me back if it isn't too much trouble. it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and keep up the good work!"
Jordan H.
It was at that moment that I realized that Jordan was an angel whose words I needed to read at that very moment and I remembered why I do this in the first place. People like Jordan make my work worthwhile and so do the many of you I happen to meet on the streets. Being able to actually see you, shake your hand or give you a hug is more exciting for me than it probably is for you. That's a mindset I learned from Michael Jackson, who was always more fascinated by what other people did for a living than his own career.
At any rate, I wanted to use this as a chance to thank you all for the positive feedback. Everything from "you guys do a great job in the community" to "thank you for what you do. don't stop doing it." justifies the passion and the hard work that I and everyone else at Mainline Broadcasting put in. I've often said that it's always been about more than just the music and luckily, I work with people that feel the same way. We try to make a difference in our small way.
I know that there are people in this community that don't like me for one reason or another, and that's fine. I'm sure emails like xburell's will continue to piss me off and I'll continue to get over it.
I'll also continue to give you a little bit of myself every time I crack the mic and live by the professional standards I set for my career. You would expect nothing less from me.
Blessed Be and thank you for all of my success !!
Mark Gunn
WGZB - FM
B-96.5
Louisville, Ky.
