The Sales Department at KAAY

Even though I have mentioned various sales people at KAAY, and rate cards, I have never devoted a post to the sales department which is really dumb.

I worked in the sales department. I was a D.J. first, then program director, then a salesman. At most stations and KAAY, there seems to be a real divide between sales and programming. Pat Walsh, long time manager, was from a sales background, never programming. However, he did have a good understanding of programming and it's people.
Len Carl the second manager, had programming and sales background. (read previous posts about Len) Len also voice commercials, especially the PI's that ran after midnight, because no one else wanted to. Len still called on a few accounts after he became manager and knew first hand how to deal with programming.

Len and Pat both knew the real money in broadcast is in the sales department. You have to be a high rated jock to make what a freshman salesman will make. Unless corporate radio has changed that too.

Joe Dickey, one of the original team,was a salesman at KAAY who was also a character voice heard often on the air and on Ear on Arkansas. I have written about Joe previously. (search this blog to read more) Eddie Graham also part of the original team, started as studio engineer, then production manager, then into the sales department. Pat Walsh was part of the original crew, and became General Manager when Len Carl went to manage a new LIN Broadcasting purchased TV station WAND, Decatur IL. Len came to KAAY as a salesman and replaced Tom Bishop the first manager.
Ray Brown (now deceased)replaced me as a Doc Holiday and then moved into the sales department. He went from KAAY to KARK-TV and became local sales manager and then became owner of Bartercard of Arkansas.

The moral to all this, if there is one, sales offers opportunity for real money and advancement.