work blog question

frosty_hut — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:14:15 -0800

How big a deal should I be? Do I deserve my own work-related web page? I work at a radio station (classical format) as a backup on-air host. I don't have a regular show or set hours. But the listeners seem to like me, and people have asked me if I'm going to be on the air more, am I ever going to get my own show, etc. etc.

I keep having to say no, because all of this is out of my hands. But I would like to be able to say something affirmative about myself when listeners ask. One of them asked me if I have a web site, and it got me thinking.

Our station has its own web site, where each of the on-air hosts--except me--contribue to the daily blog feature. I think it's dumb because it's collective. Something like twenty people contribute to it. I think a blog should be personal, and if it were me, I'd have each host have their own blog. And the blog entries would have something about the music, of course, but would also include personal stories. For some reason everyone shies away from that, but when I tell stories on the air related to my experience of the music, the response from listeners and management alike is super positive.

For some reason I'm not allowed to be one of the blog contributors. It might have something to do with my hour cap--I'm not permitted to work more than 29 hours a week. In any case, I've got the idea to start my own music-related blog and link to the station's own web site. I can only go forward with this if my manager approves, and I haven't floated the idea yet, so this whole thing may be premature.

But I wanted to ask mefites first: Would it look like I'm trying to toot my own horn or get managerial attention by starting my own blog? I don't want to seem as if I'm trying to outdo the other on-air people. But I suspect that if listeners like my blog, the other hosts will follow suit. I think we should all have blogs.

I am only part-time, though. I'm not alone in that--two of the most popular hosts are also part-timers. But I'm unique in that I alone have no regular time slot. I fill in when others are on vacation, and that may be all I ever do for this station.

In short: I'm trying to determine the appropriateness of starting my own "personality" blog, the sole raison d'etre of which would be to connect to our listeners and give them somewhere to go when they say they like me and want to hear more from me and about me, as well as my reactions to the music. The blog would feature trivia about the music on the program or composer information, and would also have elements of the personal. Music is personal after all, and I think this is lacking in general in the approach that our station is currently taking. But they seem to like it when I move in that direction...

I just don't want to seem like I'm making a bid to become a "big" personality, when I don't even have a regular gig on their air yet. I just want to find a way to connect more with the listeners.

Anyway, your ideas would be welcome.

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