Hi-Ho Steve-o

My involvement in radio began at age fifteen and continued, in various forms, until I was thirty‑four. During that time, I worked at WRRR in Rockford, Illinois; KCLN in Clinton, Iowa; KIOA in Des Moines, Iowa; and WTSO in Madison, Wisconsin. These experiences shaped my communication skills and ultimately influenced my decision to pursue a career in education.

Early Inspiration and WRRR

I asked Ed if I could host a program for teenagers. For several months he asked me to call back, later explaining that he was testing my perseverance. Eventually, I was given a half‑hour time slot. The program featured popular music selections and conversations with students from local high schools about school events. Within a few months, the show was expanded to an hour, and I was hired to manage the station’s record library, cataloging new releases and maintaining records for the on‑air staff.

By my senior year of high school, I was promoted to Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, four hours each day. WRRR, known as “Triple R,” was a music and news station that allowed disc jockeys to select their own music and read news when a newsman was not on duty.

College Years and Expanding Roles

In 1955, while working as a yard and pool boy, I regularly listened to WRRR, an AM station licensed to broadcast only from sunrise to sunset. The daytime disc jockey, Ed Rickter, ran a contest that I entered and won. As part of the prize, I appeared on his show, discussed my interests, and toured the station. That visit sparked my fascination with broadcasting.

After returning from army boot camp and enrolling part‑time at Rockford College, I resumed my work at WRRR. For two months, I even hosted a prime‑time drive‑time program while management searched for a replacement for Ed Rickter.

The owners of WRRR also operated KCLN in Clinton, Iowa, where I worked full‑time on weekends for two months while continuing record library duties in Rockford. Balancing both jobs proved difficult, and my academic performance suffered, so I returned to weekend work at WRRR.

During summer breaks from Drake University, I worked full‑time at WRRR, filling in for vacationing disc jockeys. These positions allowed me to select my own music, improve my commercial announcing, and gain experience with live remote broadcasts, including reports from the county fair.

At Drake, my radio‑television professor, Jim Duncan, played a significant role in my development as an announcer. Through his encouragement, I worked on several projects, including announcing for non‑profit organizations, serving as a floor technician at an educational television station, and working a news shift at KIOA‑AM. KIOA devoted brief segments each half hour to news, and I worked from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. After four months, the combination of late hours and early classes led me to leave the position.

Professional Broadcasting at WTSO

After graduating and accepting a teaching position in Madison, Wisconsin, I applied for a weekend job at WKOW‑AM, later renamed WTSO. I was hired and, to avoid recognition by my students, worked under the on‑air name Jay Butler.

During my time there, WTSO cycled through several formats, including music from the 1940s and 1950s, country western, and eventually soft rock. Format radio imposed structured guidelines: a limited, pre‑approved music library; regular station identification; frequent time and weather checks; restrictions on song repetition; and detailed logging of playlists. While these rules may seem restrictive, I never felt constrained. The format balanced music, commercials, and brief commentary, and the consultant‑designed structure proved effective as ratings improved.

I handled my weekend shifts successfully and was frequently asked to fill in for full‑time staff during summer vacations. In 1974, the station owner offered me a full‑time position. Accepting would have required leaving teaching, a profession I deeply enjoyed. I chose to remain in education, bringing my broadcasting career to an end.

Reflections and Regrets

Although I have no regrets about leaving radio, there are paths I did not pursue. I might have devoted more energy to news reporting, explored opportunities in television, or considered sales as a route to greater financial stability. A part‑time arrangement combining teaching and broadcasting would also have been appealing, had it been possible.

My decision was influenced by the uncertainty of the station’s long‑term direction. Today, WTSO is an all‑sports station, FM radio has largely replaced AM for music broadcasting, and online streaming has transformed the industry.

Although I left broadcasting, radio shaped my voice, my confidence, and my appreciation for clear communication—skills that proved invaluable throughout my teaching career.