Here’s the real meat of this FAQ, b/c in here we are going to break down all the do’s and don’ts and general philosophy of what it means to be a SYF DJ, and just what’s expected of you and how we expect you to do it. (the music, and its selection is covered in the next FAQ)

BASIC INFO

1. What is a SYF DJ?
2. How do I become a SYF DJ?
3. What materials do I need?
4. When should I arrive for my shift?
5. What powers does the SYF staffhead have?
6. What info will my staffhead & the LION-Officers@psu.edu need?
7. What’s the deal with an email signature?
8. When are meetings?
9. What’s the staff listserv about?
10. What’s the recruiting process?
11. What do I do if the computers crash?
12. What do I do for other technical problems?

TRAINING PROCESS:

ON-AIR PRESENTATION:

1. How do I know what to play?
2. What are playlists, and what do I need to do with them?
3. How should I announce the station?
4. How often should I identify the station?
5. How long should talk breaks be?
6. What should I talk about in talk breaks?
7. How should I inter-mingle talk with songs?
8. What is Bed Music and how do I use it?
9. What should I not comment on?
10. What is the “promo philosophy”?
11. Should I take requests?
12. How do I handle phoners?
13. What is “delay”?

LEGAL OBLIGATIONS:

1. What legal obligations do I have as a WKPS DJ?
2. What are the station requirements?
3. What is prohibited?

BASIC INFO:

1. What is a SYF DJ?

A SYF DJ is a stone cold motherfucker, a Fender powered Mozart with stax of Marshall amps and a ’66 GTO twin cam turbo convertible.

A SYF DJ is a master of the universe, a galaxian pimp, a titan of the nuclear age. Fearing no evil and laying waste to bullshit machine made muzix across the land.

Most importantly, a SYF DJ is someone with good taste in music, a rare commodity these days. Its also someone with a good sense of SUBVERSIVE humor, who can appreciate a movie like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Blazing Saddles, and similar off color humor.

You have to know the history of rock & roll, and be willing to learn what you don’t know.

And while I describe a cartoonish-like person above, it is important that you CONVEY YOURSELF across the mic, your own personality. U can be soft-spoken, but you can’t be timid. Just pretend the mic is your best friend and make it your bitch. People want to be entertained and learn what you can teach them, as a master of the SYF universe.

2. How do I become a SYF DJ?

Please see under the “Training Process” section later in this FAQ for that answer.

3. What materials do I need?

Please see under the “Training Process” section later in this FAQ for that answer.

4. When should I arrive for my shift?

You should always arrive 15 minutes prior to when your show begins. This is most important for the first show of the day. DO NOT BE LATE EVER. Arriving late is the quickest way for SYF to lose time to another show on the grid, and for you to lose your shift to a rookie.

5. What powers does the SYF staffhead have?

The SYF staffhead is the final authority on all issues regarding SYF. They make the schedules, pull tapes, perform air checks, critique staff performance, control and manage the computerized SYF library, and do oh so much more… It is up to the staffhead to make sure that the show maintains its spot as the #1 show at kps, and to that end the staffhead can do whatever necessary to and with the staffers to achieve that goal, (within common sense).

It is also up to the staffhead to delegate duties out to the staff such as promotions, reviewing new music, and bringing in live guests such as bands for interviews and the like.

6. What information will my staffhead & the LION-Officers@psu.edu need?

They need to know a lot about you:

a. Full Name
b. staff you’re on
c. official psu userid & all email addresses
d. phone number / alt # / cell # / pager
e. year in / expected graduation date [BOTH things]
f. local physical address
g. major
h. all availabilities for a possible shift / current shift
i. full psu ID+ card #
j. aim SN or other chat names

You should email this info to both parties as soon as possible.

Also, the LION Officers require other paperwork, (such as an application, resume, and cover letter) to be printed out and turned in to them on paper. (a hardcopy) Info regarding this is made available by the officers on the station web site, www.LION-Radio.org

7. What’s the deal with an email signature?

Every email program, and most webmail services allow you the option to add an “email signature” to your outgoing emails automatically.

SYF DJs are required to mention that they are a SYF DJ, and put the station website in their email signatures.

Eg.
--
MrSinatra SYF
The LION @ 90.7fm!
www.LION-Radio.org

8. When are meetings?

We need to have a staff meeting every few weeks. Please check your email for when they will be. The station officers will probably attend them.

9. What’s the staff listserv about?

State Your Face has a single email address that reaches everyone on the staff. It is:

LION-SYF@psu.edu

This allows the staffhead, and other members of the staff, to communicate with all the other members of the staff. This is an endlessly useful tool.

Also, this list is part of a greater station staff list that the officers of WKPS can use to communicate with the entire station.

Because the authority figures of SYF/WKPS need to reach everyone on occasion, it is REQUIRED to be subscribed on the listserv via your psu userid, (NOT an alias)

This is station policy, no exceptions will be made.

10. What’s the recruiting process?

We always need to recruit more people for our timeslots. At SYF we like to have at least TWO DJs for each show. It’s funner, and more entertaining for the listeners. We like to try to recruit from people we personally know, but failing that we will put out on-air mentions or website ads to see who might be interested. For people who are leaving soon, whether in Dec, or the spring, there IS some pressure on you to recruit replacements.

However, WE DON'T JUST WANT BODIES OR BUMS, we want people who know the music and who have a passion for it. SYF is strong and dominates b/c of the quality of our staff, but we are only as strong as our weakest link.

11. What do I do if the computers crash?

It depends. Try to determine which computer is having the issue. If you can’t, restart them both while playing a CD. At the time of this writing, there are two computers and a router used for on-air.

The automation computer [to the far right] is a good computer, and it is also the computer that houses all the music. All the songs and station trax are on a HD inside it. The screen for it is located above the DAT machine.

The quick pix computer meanwhile [in the middle] is a crappy flakey computer. It’s not very stable, and somewhat difficult to restart. It uses the router to access all the music and trax housed in the automation computer. (you should be very familiar by now with its “touch screen”)

If you suspect the automation computer, you simply need to recycle the power on it. It will reboot, load itself into windows, and start Op Log, (the automation program), all by itself. All you need to do is start the process by holding in the front power button for a few seconds, and then releasing it. This starts the “power cycle.” The rest is automatic.

If you suspect the quick pix machine, its slightly more complex. First try to exit the quick pix program, then restart the program. If that doesn’t work, you will probably have to recycle the power on the q.pix machine.

You can try the power button method above, but you will eventually be challenged for login. (hopefully that changes soon) To use the keyboard and mouse for the q.pix machine, you need to find the KVM switch behind the internet computer (to the far left) and switch it to control the Q.pix machine. Login and start windows, then start Q.pix.

If you have to restart both, (which is recommended most times) begin the process with the Q.pix machine then power cycle the automation computer. The automation computer will finish far ahead of the Q.pix machine in terms of how fast it restarts, so that’s why you restart it second.

Also be sure to follow up with an officer regarding the issue as explained in the next question.

12. What do I do for other technical problems?

If you experience any technical difficulties during your show, (such as a pot doesn’t work, a channel loses sound, a cd player doesn’t work, a computer crashes) you are required to contact an officer, all of whom have their cell phone numbers pasted up all around the station. Call the operations officer first, and then any officer after that till you reach someone.

You ALSO must send an email to LION-Officers@psu.edu documenting the problem in detail.

TRAINING PROCESS:

1. How do I become a SYF DJ?

It’s easy to become a SYF DJ, if you’re committed to classic rock, and the idea of learning “the craft of radio.”

Let’s revisit the short answer given in the General FAQ Q8:

Also, be sure to carefully read over all 5 of the SYF FAQ’s as it’s required in order for you to have your own SYF show.

YOU WILL BE TESTED ON ALL THESE MATERIALS, both orally and written. Don’t fret, this really isn’t hard, it’s just a matter of learning how we do things, and how you’re expected to do them. We want you to understand the context in which you will operate.

And as anyone on staff will tell you, doing a show is really fun, and more addictive than crack.

Continuing on fresh now here: You should also know that just becoming qualified as far as the station is concerned to be on the air is not enough. You also have to become qualified to the satisfaction of the SYF staffhead, the cruel dictator who does not know about democracy. The SYF staffhead is your final judge and jury.

You need to complete all the requirements that both the station and SYF staffhead have. The station requirements are listed at: www.LION-Radio.org Check with the SYF staffhead to see what you need to do to qualify for SYF airtime.

2. What materials do I need?

Every DJ should have their own headphones that work with a quarter inch plug, and blank tapes in order to record themselves. Also, membership dues $ may be collected by the officers.

3. What tests are there?

The station has its own battery of tests which it covers in its training manual and related documents.

The SYF staffhead meanwhile will test you both via an oral and written quiz on your knowledge of both station materials and the info in all the SYF FAQs.

Also, the SYF staffhead will judge your on-air abilities as well. You don’t need to be perfect from the get go, but you have to have a solid grasp on running the board and doing a show as it is taught to you via sit-ins.

4. What are sit-ins?

A sit-in is when a trainee physically sits in with an already qualified DJ so they can learn “on the job.”

Three sit-ins are required b4 a trainee is qualified to run their own show, and sign off on the log.

ON-AIR PRESENTATION:

1. How do I know what to play?

The music portion of this question will be covered in the next FAQ.

The structure of your show however is provided by the board Op Log which is printed daily. How to do the log is covered in the station training manual and also the legal obligations portion of this FAQ.

It is important to note here that the log will impact the presentation of your show. You need to learn via experience how to seamlessly incorporate the requirements of the log into your show.

YOU MUST FULFILL THE LOG OBLIGATIONS.

If you can not find the day’s log, contact an officer immediately.

2. What are “playlists,” and what do I need to do with them?

A playlist is simply a listing of what songs you played during your shift. Using the internet computer in the on air studio, bring up a webmail screen and put in the songs ONE PER LINE as you go. When you’re finished your shift, email the playlist to the current SYF staffhead.

It is not necessary to include log obligations in your playlist email.

Be sure to mark any requests with an asterix. “ * “

3. How should I announce the station?

When referring to the station, always do so as "THE LION, 90.7fm!" That is the ONLY acceptable way to do it. NOT "90.7 the lion fm" or ANY other way. THE LION, 90.7fm!

Futhermore, only say "WKPS, State College" ONCE an hour. It’s our legal ID. Better yet would be to just play one of the computer’s legal ID liners.

NEVER say "wkps" UNLESS it’s the once an hour legal id; with the only other acceptable exception being if you're giving out the request number. eg. "865-9577, 865-WKPS"

4. How often should I identify the station?

PLAY A LINER / SWEEPER AFTER EVERY TWO SONGS. Eg. liner, song, song, liner, song, song, liner, etc… NEVER PLAY MORE THAN 3 SONGS IN A ROW without identifying the station or the show.

You can also do so vocally.

5. How long should talk breaks be?

Generally the answer is fairly short. We are a music show first, and frankly it’s not often that a DJ is more entertaining to the listener than the music, (which is why most listeners tune in)

However, it is ok to go on a little bit longer if it seems like the talk break is sustaining itself. Don’t cut it off if it’s flowing really well just because of the clock.

But it takes a lot of experience to know if a longer than normal [short] talk break [TB] is working; the only way you can learn if its working is to review your TB’s that you record to cassette.

(in other words, after your show is over, at night you should review your shows recording, listen to the talk breaks on it, and decide for yourself if you would find the TB to be funny or interesting. This is really the only way to learn and improve. Don’t do a year’s worth of shows only to find out randomly reviewing a TB one night that you’ve sounded like a dork the whole time; and u thought you were so goddamn funny…)

6. What should I talk about in talk breaks?

Basically, anything you want to talk about. But try not to be too long or boring. If you do politics, don’t do straight politics, no cares what your honest opinion is on SYF. Political satire and parody however are ok. Remember, the TB should be entertaining.

Also, it’s ok to do TBs that are based on being informative about the music or artists of SYF. Eg. You could do bits about Hendrix’s birthdate or death, or talk about some piece of trivia regarding the engineering of Dark Side of the Moon.

7. How should I inter-mingle talk with songs?

DO NOT TALK OVER SONGS! DO NOT CUT SONGS OFF! We are not the Bus or other commercial radio. We distinguish ourselves within the market by being much more respectful to the music. Its encouraged to have bed music, and you can talk over the last second or two of the end of a song that is fading off, but at the very least do NOT talk over a song that has not yet begun to fade.

8. What is Bed Music and how do I use it?

Bed music is usually an instrumental that is kind of quiet or groovin’ that you play underneath of a talk break. The music is very welcome to the ears of a listener and makes talk breaks much more palatable.

It can also be comedic or otherwise accent the subject of what the talk break is about.

Look for the SYF category containing trax named “Bed Music” as the first part of the artist name.

9. What should I not comment on?

There’s probably a huge list of things you shouldn’t talk about, but here we’re just going to list a few:

a. Don’t ramble on about any technical difficulties, and if possible try not to mention them at all.
b. Don’t discuss internal matters to SYF, especially any disputes, on the air.
c. Don’t discuss any internal matters to WKPS, especially any conflicts or disputes on the air.

This doesn’t mean you can discuss ANYTHING not on this list, so use your common sense.

Ultimately you are responsible for what goes over the air. Use your judgment, and don’t be the person who’s remembered for bringing down the whole station.

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