The reality of dating a radio announcer

Matt Ambrose can’t keep a girlfriend.

Did you read the story about dating an airline pilot?

Well I stole that concept and focused on our wonderful industry.

From an outsiders point of view it might appear exciting and fun to date a radio announcer. I can tell you from the perspective of my ex-girlfriends – all two of them – it isn’t!

This might have more to do with me being a massive jerk than a proper insight into the industry but I thought I’d run through some things you can expect when dating a radio person.

Buzz words and Phrases

Radio announcers are tight clicks who have their own language for which they feel no need to explain to anyone.

For some reason, radio announcers like to use a lot of two letter words. OB, VT, PD and CD are some of the annoying acronyms for which you will have no idea what they are talking about.

Privacy

Be prepared to have none. Every intimate conversation you have had has probably been talked about in a planning meeting.  If you have a serious issue that you are confiding in with your partner, it might seem like they are listening, but the most likely scenario is that they are pondering….. “How can I turn this into a phone topic?” Or they might even be secretly recording you. Radio announcers will film or record anything. Never trust a radio announcer holding a smartphone.

Money

We don’t make any. A common misconception is that all radio announcers make bucket loads of cash but to use the words of Neville Bartos “There’s no cash here. Here there’s no cash”

A little known fact, Hamish & Andy and Kyle & Jackie O make up 95% of the total salaries of all radio announcers. The rest of us scrap in a ring like battle reminiscent of Russell Crowe in Gladiator for the remaining 5%.

Loyalty

Radio announcers have none. Checking daily what jobs other companies have to offer. If you are in a relationship with a radio announcer no matter how in love you might be they will leave you tomorrow if offered a sweet gig near the coast.

Some announcers even avoid a commitment by telling lovers they may move at any time.  It is radios version of a get out of jail free card.

Author Matthew Ambrose can be heard weekdays 6am-10am on Magic FM’s Magic Morning Show in Port Augusta. Surprisingly he is currently single.