practicum

Rubber City Radio

Rubber City Radio Practicum

Josh Cramer

Kent State University at Stark

Summer of 2014

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Table of Contents

Introduction … 3

Reflective Self Analysis … 7

Experiential Paper … 14

Journal Entries … 22

Resume … 31

Cover Letter … 35

Journalism & Mass Communication … 35

Organizational Communication … 40

Visual Design… 45

Time Log … 50

Figure 1 Lock 3 in Akron for Rock The Lock

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Rubber City Radio

Josh Cramer

Introduction


June 30, 2014

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Rubber City Radio

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to work in a field that I have loved

all of my life: music. My field experience was with Rubber City Radio Group, in Akron,

Ohio, which consists of the popular stations 97.5 WONE and 94.9 WQMX. While most

radio stations are part of a large corporation known as Clear Channel, I learned during my

experience that Rubber City Radio is privately owned and independent, and is one of the

last stations in northeast Ohio to be completely independent.

I am a senior at Kent State University and will be graduating in the spring of

2015. Since my graduation is coming up so quickly, I decided to do my practicum over

the summer so I don’t have classes to worry about. I would periodically look at

organizations throughout the spring of 2014, but nothing really jumped out at me and felt

like it was the right fit. It was towards the end of May, when I was scrolling through my

e-mail, that I saw an internship opportunity with Rubber City Radio. This immediately

caught my interest and I responded to Justina Bucceri, who had sent the email. I set up an

interview date with her via email, and went in for my interview the following week.

At my interview on Wednesday of the following week, she asked me a lot about

my personality and what I wanted to do within this career. I explained I was a

Communication major and felt that I could benefit from this internship because it

involves advertising, communicating with listeners, and public relations work with the

station. It also didn’t hurt that I am a huge fan of 97.5 WONE, the home of rock n’ roll. I

interviewed well, and she said I would receive a follow-up email, notifying me if I was

hired into the internship. I received the email on Friday, in which it explained that the

station believed my hard work ethic and goals would align with theirs, and that I would

start work the following week.

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Rubber City Radio

My main duties with the station are going to the events (called “remotes” by the

station staff), helping with the set-up, and communicating with listeners and making sure

they are having a good time as well as getting them signed up for the nightly prizes. I

have worked Legends Pub in Green, Dietz Landing in Portage Lakes, Rock The Lock at

Lock 3 in Akron, and The Galaxy Restaurant in Wadsworth, to name a few of the

remotes.

One of the most exciting parts about the remotes is that there is a DJ from the

station at each and every one of them. I feel like I am working side-by-side with a mini

celebrity, at least to the listeners of rock n’ roll in northeastern Ohio. Rock the Lock is

one of their largest remotes, and I have gotten to go on stage with the DJ in front of a

thousand or so people. I was announced as an intern from Kent State and then I picked

the winner for our nightly drawing. It was truly an amazing experience.

There is a dozen or so other interns and I have worked with the majority of them.

Everyone is very nice and willing to “show me the ropes” at the beginning and I quickly

learned what to do. I became friends with my site supervisor, Josh Rohler, and he is

always very helpful and willing to answer my questions. His official title with Rubber

City Radio is Promotions Assistant.

I like working with Rubber City Radio because there is always something new

and exciting. I love that we work different areas and I am not stuck doing the same tasks

every day. The station has a dedicated and loyal fan base. Many of the listeners come to

each event and get to know you on a personal level, which is very cool. I am so thankful

for this opportunity and it is certainly a field I could see myself taking on as a career.

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Rubber City Radio 6

Rubber City Radio

Reflective Self Analysis

Josh Cramer


July 10, 2014

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When I got out of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I

knew that I had to do something, and do it fast. I enrolled at Kent the fall of 2010, a mere

three months after finishing high school. I took a variety of classes my first year, from

Psychology to Sociology to Law to Communication. I had no real direction and took

classes that interested me. When I became a student in Principles of Advertising, I really

enjoyed it and felt it was the right “fit” for me. It offered the flexibility, creativity and

constant change that I wanted in a career. I can’t stand monotony and have always feared

a job where I am required to do the same, repetitive task, over and over again. I find the

advertising field interesting because there is always something new and fast-paced.

After deciding I wanted to work in the marketing and advertising field, I met with

an advisor to talk about roadmap options, career outlooks, and other important decisions

that needed to be made. I chose the Applied Communication major based on his

recommendation. He told me that since I didn’t have a directly specific career choice in

mind, the Applied Communication degree was broad enough to cover the majority of my

career choice interests.

On a website called bigfuture.collegeboard.org, I found a great quote about this

career choice by Thomas A. Bowers, Senior Associate Dean, School of Journalism and

Mass Communication, at the University of North Carolina.

“People considering this major should have an innate curiosity about everything.”

I feel this describes me perfectly. It fits my characteristics and what I want out of

a career. I am always asking “why” and trying to push the envelope.

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I have always felt that I am great with people and easy to engage. I consider

myself to be flexible and open-minded, especially to new ideas and changes. After

researching this career choice over the past few years, I understand that plans in this type

of field would change almost on a day-by-day basis, and I am willing to accept that

challenge. I know that this career requires hard work, dedication, and ‘thick skin’. I have

always been able to maintain a good sense of responsibility and time management. This

career is full of pressure and deadlines as well as challenges, and I think this would

balance with my personal characteristics well.

I have maintained a good reputation with my grades and would like to think this

carries over into my career. At my current job, I have never had any reprimands or issues.

I have always maintained a good work ethic and never had any conflict with my

supervisors. I have worked in customer service for almost four years, so I have plenty of

experience with people and learning to maintain a sense of peace and patience with them.

I understand the communication and advertising field would need these characteristics

and they are essentially the bread and butter of the field. By applying what I have learned

at Kent Stark and my job, I feel better prepared to enter into this field.

I have always enjoyed music and film. This career choice allows me to be creative

with all forms of media and products. I feel very fortunate to be working with 97.5

WONE for my practicum because it wraps all of my interests up into one package. When

we are at our remotes, we are the face of the radio. We are there to do promotions and

advertising for the radio as well as to interact with the listeners and make them feel good.

It’s never dull because I always meet interesting, friendly people who love to talk about

their own experiences, musical tastes and interests. We are required to know information

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about the band that plays at the remote, and I love to hear the listeners’ reactions to the

bands. The groups are local bands that usually cover a particular artist or genre.

I would enjoy designing an ad for a company or perhaps even a new slogan for one. I

strongly feel that advertising is often misleading and considered shady, so I want to

change the game up and try to make a difference, even if it is a small one. I want to use

my creativity in a positive way and especially one that allows me to express myself.

Classes such as Multimedia Techniques and Visual Design have helped me polish my

skills for these areas and I have enjoyed taking them.

Although my interest is in advertising and it may be funny that I am focusing on

that instead of Communication (as that is my degree), it is important to note that

communication is the foundation for advertising and almost every career choice. I feel I

have gained skills and experiences in my Communication courses at Kent that you will

not find in any other classroom setting. Mathematics, science, history and other courses

may be considered more difficult, but you gain something different, something more, in

Communication classes- real life experiences. The appealing part of any Communication

class is that it is not by-the-book and offers real life scenarios. In my opinion, you can

have the best GPA and look great on paper, but if you fail to offer good communication

skills, you are not going to last long in any job setting.

High Impact of Professional Speaking was one of the most exciting but scary

classes I have taken so far in my college career. When I first entered the class, I was

extremely nervous, but Professor Waite provided such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere

that it was impossible to not lighten up. I learned valuable skills in this class that I

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consider the most important. Since I want to enter the world of advertising and

communication, public speaking will almost be a given, whether it is in front of an

audience or a conference meeting. I feel I was able to greatly improve myself after giving

my speeches in these classes.

There is another type of experience I would like to talk about and I think it is one

of the most important ones I have had in my college career. Through elementary school,

middle school, and high school, you know the majority of your classmates. You have

grown with them, gotten to know them, and can relate to them because you live in the

same type of area, go to the same school, and are the same age. Basically, what you have

experienced, they have experienced.

In college, this is not the same because you have people who are fresh out of high

school as well as those returning to school after many years of being out of it. For me,

this was a huge learning experience because I was able to meet people from all different

ages, races, religions and backgrounds. Some of the closest friends I’ve made in my four

years at Kent Stark are 10 to 15 years older than me. A few years ago, this would have

seemed very abnormal to me, but now I barely even notice the difference. Many have

offered advice from their own experiences that have helped me with something I was

going through and it is great to get a perspective from someone else in this way.

I feel I have learned almost as much outside of the classroom as I have inside just

by getting to know my fellow students and befriending them. I have spent so many hours

at the university between classes, sometimes even after, just talking about different topics

and experiences we have had. It is truly a learning experience you will not quite get in

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any other setting. I am very thankful for the friends I have made at Kent and feel they

have helped me grow into a better person. I started at Kent four years ago but it doesn’t

feel that long ago at all. It actually surprises me, (and frightens me a bit), when I think of

how quickly these last few years have flown by.

So when I reflect and look back on myself, I see a scared 18-year-old teenager

who knew nothing about life outside of a classroom that was full of peers his own age. I

look at myself now and see that I’ve gained a sense of diversity, from the classes at Kent,

the subjects we’ve covered, the topics we’ve discussed, the professors I’ve grown to love,

and the unique people I now can call some of my closest friends. I hope this gives you

just a small insight into how much Kent State has impacted me. I plan to take what

knowledge I’ve gained and run with it. The skills I’ve mastered will last me a lifetime

and will transfer over into any career I choose to pursue.

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References

Big Future: By The College Board. (2014). bigfuture.collegeboard.org. Major:

advertising. 10 July 2014. Retrieved from

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors/communication-journalism-advertising

Career Test. (2014). www.careertest.net. Type descriptions. 10 July 2014. Retrieved from

http://www.careertest.net/types/descriptions/index.htm

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https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors/communication-journalism-advertising

Rubber City Radio

Experiential Paper

Josh Cramer


Kent State University Stark

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Abstract

The purpose of this research paper is to apply the knowledge I have gained in the

classroom to my field experience. In this paper, I explore different scenarios I have

encountered and different experiences I have had during my field experience. I explain

some theories and how I find them relevant to life in the real, working world. The

purpose of the classroom and the knowledge found within these theories is to develop

skills that can better my chances in a competitive job market in the not too distant future;

to be able to apply the knowledge, skills and experience I have obtained and run with it.

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Communication is a skill that is needed in virtually every job, situation or

relationship. Communication is the key to persuasiveness and being informative. The

advertising field is built around communication: with your employees, your clients, and

the general public. The classes that I have taken at Kent Stark have provided me with

plenty of knowledge and examples that I can apply in the real world with my career. As

an Applied Communication major, I have taken several key communication classes, such

as Communication Theory, Gender, Nonverbal, Intercultural and Interpersonal. I cite

these classes in particular because they all involve a specific aspect of communication

and all remain important. Learning about nonverbal behavior, gestures and facial

expressions can really help when working with clients and especially the demographic

they are targeting. By understanding people, I can work more efficiently to meet their

wants and needs.

Communication skills are important to a radio station (or any work environment,

really) because it allows everyone to be on the same page and understand what is going

on. Goals are more easily explained and reached with good communication and the whole

system is optimized. In my opinion, communication is the most essential tool that an

organization needs, like the glue that keeps the entire foundation together. If there is a

group of talented, creative individuals but they do not communicate regularly, they will

not be working to the best of their ability as a team.

In the article Social Communication In Advertising, it discusses

advertising as a form of social communication (Social Communication In Advertising,

Leiss, pg. 4). This is because all goods, services and products are advertised through this

media and advertisers communicate through these messages about their product to the

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general public. Knowing how to effectively communicate in this respect is an incredibly

important skill to acquire in the world of radio.

The marketers for the radio station meet with different locations. These locations

can range from bars, restaurants, fundraisers, banks or mattress warehouses. They set up

deals with the locations and the station will make an appearance on a given day. The

station will also advertise for the location and announce any deals or specials they may be

running. This can be incredibly hard work for the marketers because they have to find

locations that the listeners of the station will enjoy coming to and still be able to turn a

profit for the station. What I’ve learned from this internship is that in radio, advertising is

everything.

The article also mentions advertising as a means of persuasion in the

marketplace. Persuasion is an important aspect of communication, advertising and radio.

To know how to effectively persuade the audience that your product is better (or in this

case, your station) than the next is an essential business staple (Social Communication In

Advertising, Leiss, pg. 6).

I was looking through my Communication Theory book for theories that I can

relate to my internship and ones that will help me reflect on my classes. A theory that I

can apply to my internship is groupthink. Communication Theory defines groupthink as a

way of group deliberation that minimalizes conflict and emphasizes the need for

unanimity (Introducing Communication Theory, West & Turner, pg. 240). The main

ideas of groupthink are preserving group harmony, problem solving and making

appropriate decisions. When the station staff arrives and sets up for an event, we must be

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on the same page and have effective communication. If a problem comes up, like the

band is running late or we have an issue with the drawings, we can quickly resolve issues

by keeping everyone on the same page. When everyone in a group is on the same

wavelength, it just makes the night so much easier.

There is nothing I hate more than feeling “out of the loop” when working a shift.

When I arrive, I make sure to ask my supervisor for every detail that I need to know. If I

arrive before the other interns, I fill them in with what is going on. This makes the shift

run more efficiently and helps us maintain our professionalism. I like to take charge and

use my organizational communication skills I have learned in the classroom. By applying

my skills in this internship, I feel I am practicing for later jobs in the communication

field.

Other concepts I can apply are the task-oriented groups theory, which says the

sets of individuals whose man goal is to work toward completing jobs assigned to them

(Introducing Communication Theory, West & Turner, pg. 242). At the remotes, every

single staff member has a specific duty they are supposed to fulfill. The interns, for

example, set up the remote and organize the prizes that will be given away at the different

points during the remote. The structure of this can be considered the most efficient when

cohesiveness is found. This is the extent to which group members are willing to work

together (Introducing Communication Theory, West & Turner, pg. 243). If the event is

not properly organized, internal and external stress can be high. This is pressure exerted

on the group by issues and events both inside and outside of the group (Introducing

Communication Theory, West & Turner, pg. 247). An example of internal stress would

be if the marketer forgot the prizes at the radio station. This would make our entire night

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pointless and cause severe amounts of stress on everybody, especially the marketer

because they are going to leave a bad impression with the manager of the location where

the remote is happening. An example of external stress would be the manager being upset

with the radio station and not wanting to pay for anymore advertising. This would be very

bad and can quickly create a bad reputation for the station and all involved with the

remote.

A real life example of this external stress would be when an intern did not pay for

their food one night at Legends. This was stressful for our supervisor for several reasons.

One, he had to cover her bill that she walked out on. Two, the manager was furious and

this hurt the bond between the station and Legends (client and agency). One mistake

could have cost a huge amount of revenue lost for the station because Bike Night at

Legends is one of our main summer events. Luckily, the manager was reasonable with

my supervisor and accepted his apology as well as his payment for the meal.

Another theory I can apply is the Organizational Culture Theory. This theory

states that organizations can best be understood using a cultural lens and believes that

researchers are limited in their understanding of organizations when they follow the

scientific method (Introducing Communication Theory, West & Turner, pg. 275). I feel

this theory relates to my field experience because we always play it by ear no matter how

hard we try to follow a set schedule. Something always comes up to the point where the

remote does not go exactly the way it was planned, but this is okay because we have

learned to adapt and go with the flow. I find this skill to be very important because

flexibility is a desirable trait in an employee and in an organizational setting of a

workplace.

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Our listeners best represent the organization and they are the most important part

of it in my opinion. I consider them to be the “cultural lens” spoken of in this theory.

Since 97.5 WONE focuses on rock n’ roll music, it’s important to embrace the rock n’

roll culture and lifestyle that many of the listeners have. If the station did not connect

with the listeners then they would not stick around. This theory is so essential here

because of this very reason. The organization has to look into the culture and make sure

they are relevant to it in order to stay relevant to their audience. The same can be said for

94.9 WQMX and the “country” lifestyle and culture that the music and listeners

represent.

My field experience has been very rewarding and I have enjoyed it very much. I

have met so many people that have given me advice about sharpening my career skills

and applying myself for the future. The skills I have learned in the classroom have been

helpful in the real world in a lot of ways and it’s kind of funny to me because I never

thought I’d say that. Communication courses and theories are probably the closest you

will get to real life situations and I am satisfied with what I have learned throughout my

college career. I know everything is a build to make myself a better candidate for future

job opportunities and I know I will succeed as long as I focus on my strengths while

working on my weaknesses.

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References

Botteril, J., Leiss, W., Kline, S., Jhally, S. (2012). Social communication in advertising:

Consumption in the mediated marketplace 3rd Edition. Page 6. Retrieved from

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=2cyATks76vEC&oi=fnd&pg=PR

2&dq=communication+in+advertising&ots=4xtFORA1vh&sig=J5E0JDNYu2N9

8CpAmdYDCgd96o#v=onepage&q=communication%20in%20advertising&f=false

Turner, L.H., West, R. (2010). Introducing communication theory: Analysis and

application 4th Edition. New York, NY. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

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Journal Entries

Josh Cramer

June 3, 2014


Figure 2 1964 The Beatles Tribute performing at Rock The Lock - Backstage Pass!

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Journal #1 – Tuesday, June 3 (Week 1)

I sat around all day being nervous for my first day with Rubber City Radio. I didn’t know

what to expect and of course was scared out of my mind, but for no reason- my first night

went great! The remote was at Legends Sports Pub. We set up the booth, get the shirts

ready for sale and make sure all the prizes are in order. The role of communication is

incredibly high here because it takes all of us working together to make sure

everything runs smoothly. It’s one complete unit, a system where we all make up

working parts. We discussed organizations like this in

Organizational Communication and I was able to

apply what I learned here.

Journal #2 Saturday, June 7 (Week 1)

This was a really exciting event. The radio station at a

booth set up for the Pet Expo at Hardesty Park in Akron. Visitors signed up their pets for

the cutest pet contest and won prizes. The weatherman Dick Goddard was there and I got

to take a picture with him! There were also a few important “big leagues” from the radio

station there. I made sure to give them handshakes and make eye contact with them

for a good first impression. I learned these techniques in my Nonverbal

Communication class last spring.

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Journal #3 Tuesday, June 10 (Week 2)

This was my second night at Bike Night. Legends Pub was especially packed this night,

probably because it was so nice out and the bikers love the nice weather.

I got to go on stage tonight and draw the names of the winners for Sandra

Miller, the DJ from WONE, to announce. Throughout the night, many

people would come up to me and strike up conversation with me. I

maintained a sense of friendliness and helped them feel apart of the

event because this is one of our main jobs as interns- keeping the

listeners happy. Good communication and listening skills that I

picked up in High Impact of Professional Speaking came

in handy here. Maintaining a sense of professionalism while

still having a good time is what I am getting at!

Journal #4 Wednesday, June 11 (Week 2)

Tonight I worked at The Galaxy in Wadsworth. It is a REALLY nice place and you see a

lot of classy folks here. I don’t even want to know how much a steak costs. The band that

was scheduled to play tonight was an hour late with setting up, so there was a bit of time

restraint for the WONE workers, especially for our DJ of the night TK O’Grady. I was

skimming through my Communication Theory book this evening and saw a chapter

about internal and external stress. This applies here because we were under a lot of

pressure to maintain our schedule (when we give out the prizes to the listeners) but had to

make adjustments because of the band being so late. I tried to maintain a sense of

organization and communication and listened to the directions my supervisors gave.

107.3 The Wave is a partnering station with Rubber City Radio that I worked with.

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A Pink Floyd band played at Bike Night tonight and they were really good. We were not

as busy as we were previous nights. I helped organize the table and directed listeners on

what they were signing up for and how they sign

up. I applied leadership skills that I have

learned in class and did a successful job.

Journal #6 Saturday, June 21 (Week 3)

This remote took place at Klaben Ford in Kent. It

was pretty boring because not many listeners

showed up. The few that did come were rewarded with prizes. I was talking with some of

the salesmen about how the station partners with the car dealership. The dealership pays

the station to come to their location and then we advertise them on the air. This interests

me because I want to pursue the advertising and public relations career fields. The station

(particularly, the DJ who is present at the remote) talks up the company that is paying for

the airtime and is basically a PR representative. I learned about this type of

relationship in my Public Relations course and it was great to see it live in action.

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Legends Sports and Grille is becoming my favorite remote to work. It is a very lively

place and the people are awesome. Tonight I handed out fliers and free gifts to the guests.

Basically, advertising, communication and public relations work. What I love about this

internship is that I am able to combine all three fields in some shape or another. After

getting to know many of the listeners, I can accommodate them more efficiently now

because I know what they like and want to win. In my Communication Theory book

and class, social psychology was discussed and I am applying it here.

Journal #8 Thursday, June 26 (Week 4)

I worked a new remote tonight at Infinity of Akron,

where is a very nice, very expensive car dealership. I

had to dress in a button up and slacks for this event. I

signed people up for the drawing, but instead of it

being free, tonight they had to pay. The entry cost was $25 or 5 tickets for $100. All

profits went to one of Rubber City Radio’s partnering charities. What was really great

about tonight was that I got to meet people from 107.9 The Wave, a Cleveland-based

radio station that is associated with Rubber City Radio. I introduced myself as a Kent

State intern to all of the new people I met. I used my networking skills that I have

learned in Interpersonal Communication, High Impact and Interviewing courses.

Listeners participate at Raintree Country Club and putt for prizes.

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Journal #9 Monday, June 30 (Week 5)

Tonight’s remote was at Raintree Golf Club. Listeners signed up for prizes as usual but

we also had a golf themed event going on. If they made one of three putts, they were

given a prize. If they made three of three putts, they were given a grand prize. It was my

job to organize all of the contestants and keep the system running smoothly. I made sure

to communicate with my supervisor and listened attentively, all skills that I have

picked up in my communication classes, especially Organizational Communication.

Journal #10 Saturday, July 5 (Week 5)

Tonight was amazing! Rock the Lock at Lock 3 in downtown Akron. WONE had a booth

set up and I worked the “prize wheel”. Guests pay a dollar per spin and whatever the

spinner lands on, they win. All the profits go to a charity donation. This event was really

busy, probably the busiest one I’ve worked so far. It is awesome being the “face” of the

radio station and gives me a sense of importance. I love it. Contestants who landed on the

Vegas slot on the wheel were able to sign up for the Vegas trip that the station is giving

away in August. At the end of the night, I got to go on stage with TK O’Grady in front of

a thousand people or so. I picked the winner! It was the coolest thing ever. High Impact

really helped here because I have had plenty of practice being in front of people

thanks to that class.

Journal #11 Thursday, July 10 (Week 6)

The remote tonight was at Dietz Landing in Portage Lakes. It is a great location because

it is right on the lake. The band that played tonight was excellent as well. They played a

variety of music. I set up the posters and fliers all around the bar when we first set up.

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This advertising lets customers know that WONE is there for an event. I talked with

listeners, made them feel good, and got them signed up in our prize box for tonight’s

prizes. It was a great time. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol, but a lot of the listeners are

very open and personal with me, a theory called “stranger-on-the-train” in my

Communication Theory book. They are normally the regular listeners who come to

every single event.

Journal #12 Friday, July 11 (Week 6)

Tonight was at Lock 3 for the Italian-American Festival. We didn’t have the prize wheel

tonight, so we just signed up people for prizes to give away later in the night on stage.

There were 5 people at our tent, so we really had to maintain our organizational skills and

keep our communication channels open to keep the evening running smoothly. These

skills are the most important part of my internship, which is great since so many of

my communication courses focus heavily on them. I have been able to take away a

lot from the classroom and apply it to the “real world” with this internship.

Journal #13 Tuesday, July 15 (Week 7)

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Bike Night tonight was the largest turnout I have seen so far with WONE. We had over

150 people sign up for the prizes tonight. It was a very successful evening. Many guests

ask questions about the station, about the prizes or other general information. A theory

by Weick in my Communication Theory book, called General Systems Theory,

explains how organizations manage information in an external environment. I often

write down all of the upcoming events and station related news for the listeners and I can

relate this theory to my work tonight.

Journal #14 Friday, July 18 (Week 7)

Today I worked a remote at Portage Community Bank in Kent. It was a great day to be

outside and they even had free food. I helped set up the tent, the sound system (received

some cool information on PA’s and other stuff about sound booths) and prepared our

prize giveaways. I met a very nice gentleman who spent a good 20 minutes talking to me

about his musical career as a guitar teacher. Later on, I talked with one of our salesman,

Phil, about what I wanted to do after I graduate and he gave me some great advice about

breaking into the marketing and advertising fields. When I told him I was a

communication major, his response was, “Great! Communication is always a positive

thing to have.” Networking is the most important skill I have taken away from the

classroom, and I am meeting new connections every day with people at the radio

station.

Journal #15 Tuesday, July 22 (Week 8)

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Tonight I worked at Blossom Music Centre with WONE for the Lynard Skynard Concert.

It was incredibly hot. We arrived early and set up our tent. We raffled off a pair of tickets

for pavilion seats at the concert. Part of my job was to talk to the crowd as they came by

their booth. I had to use effective communication skills to grab their attention and create a

“need” for them to want to sign up for the raffle. By maintaining good eye contact,

smiling and coming off as friendly and genuine, I was able to do so with most people. I

picked up these skills in my nonverbal communications course and effectively

applied them tonight.

Journal #16 Thursday, July 24 (Week 8)

When the marketer arrived at the remote, he handed me the prizes and I had to organize

them for both giveaway rounds. We had about 13 prizes and I organized them so that

there were gift cards, concert tickets and shirts in each round. I wrote down the order in

which we would give away the prizes on stage for the DJ to read off. This made the night

run so much smoother than trying to organize the prizes right before each drawing and

giving them away randomly. I used effective organizational communication skills to

keep our system running efficiently and my courses at Kent State really helped me

to hone my skills.

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Resume

Josh Cramer

July 8, 2014

Rubber City Practicum

Josh Cramer1450 Algona Drive

North Canton OH 44720

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Rubber City Radio

(330)[email protected]

Education

Kent State University - Fall ’10 – Present

Honor Roll – Fall 2012 to Spring 2014

Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society (National Communication Association)

Green High School - Fall ’06 - Spring ’10

Portage Lakes Career Center - Fall ’06 - Spring ’10

High School Diploma, Career Passport, Certified in Visual Design and Imaging

Experience

Rubber City Radio Group – WONE/WQMXAkron, OhioJune 2014 – August 2014Intern

Promotions - Marketing - Public RelationsEvent Planning – Communicating with listeners

Arby’sGreen, OhioMay 2010 - Present

Crew - Crew TrainerTrain new employees, clean and stock, take orders, make sandwiches, clean bathrooms, dishes Employee of the Month

Cici’s PizzaGreen, OhioSeptember 2009 - December 2009

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Crew - DishwasherCleaned dishes, swept floors, stocked items

Career Summary

A challenging, responsible position that will utilize my experience and proven capabilities. A position that would provide opportunities for continuing professional growth in an environment where individual effort and contribution is recognized.

SkillsI have worked with music and video equipment in multimedia classes- I have created multiple videos for classroom projects using Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premier Pro. I consider myself good with communications and building relationships with people. I also have good leadership skills.

Friendly, understanding, patient, willing to work and quickly solve problems, good with drawing conclusions.

Have taken classes that involve my interest and career interest such as advertising, public relations, communication and visual design.

Goals

To graduate with my Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Communications. I also plan to minor in Public Relations. I want to use my degree to build relationships with companies while helping myself grow and gain experience.

I would like to use my degree to make a difference in the world of marketing and put my creative drive to work. I feel that I will be able to make a difference in this field. Areas of interest are: music, video, commercials, television, films and scores. Finding a job that ties in with my interests would be very rewarding.

References

Dylan Kuntz - Manager - Arby’s - (330)-212-9459Kris Cusick - Manager - Arby’s - (330)-329-9207Kirk Raymond - Educator - Portage Lakes Career Center - (330)-701-0967

Josh Cramer1450 Algona Dr.North Canton OH 44720330-703-7536

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[email protected]

July 20, 2014

Insomniac Games7806 NC Highway 751Suite 300Durham, NC 27713

Dear Ted Price,

I am applying for the junior marketing specialist position at Insomniac Games as advertised on Monster.com. I am aware of the growth and success your company has seen over the past 20 years. I am incredibly impressed with the benefits and perks, such as 100% employer paid Medical, Dental and vision benefits, 401(k) with up to a 4% match, and Long Term Care Insurance. The awards given to Insomniac Games by Human Resource Associations, Trade Organizations and Media Outlets for your outstanding organizational culture are incredibly impressive as well.

I was browsing your company website when I saw the careers section and I feel I am a perfect fit with Insomniac. I am a creative person and strive to achieve the best in any given task. I am flexible and always willing to learn something new. I am confident I have the talent and drive to join your marketing team and contribute to the growing success of your business.

After carefully reading over the requirements you seek in an applicant, I strongly feel I have the skills to join your marketing team. I understand you want to recruit young and personable talent to effectively market your new games. I have the required communication and marketing skills needed to meet your target goals efficiently, the patience to learn and adapt, and the drive to succeed.

Thank you for considering me for the position. I have included my email and phone number and hope to hear from you.

Respectfully yours,

Josh Cramer

Enclosure: Resume

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Rubber City Radio

Journalism and Mass Communication

Radio Promotions and Advertising for Remotes


When the DJ arrives at the remote, the marketer will hand them a paper with key ideas

and notes that they will read off at the event as well as call the station and record a plug-

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in for airtime. I am acting as the coordinator who would write these advertising plug-ins

and these three projects are airtime plugs for the DJ to read.

1Lunch on the Lot at Portage Community Bank

1 This particular piece was written based off the Portage County Bank notes given to me courtesy of TK O’Grady.

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Portage Community Bank is celebrating their 16th year of “Neighbors Serving

Neighbors”! Stop by today at South Water in Kent from 11 and 2 to enjoy delicious hot

dogs, barbequed chips and drinks. It is their way to say “thank you” to their community

for all their support throughout the years.

Portage Community Bank has earned a 5-star rating through Bauer Financial as being one

of the strongest banks in the nation. Stop by their website and see for yourself at

www.pcbbank.com.

Portage Community Bank is a full service bank, offering a variety of Checking, Savings

and Money Market Accounts to meet your needs.

So stop by on your lunch break and share a delicious dog and bag of chips with me today

until 2, and maybe even stop in and see what Loan Officers can do for you today. I’m TK

O’Grady for 97.5 WONE, the Home of Rock n’ Roll.

Legends Sports Pub in Green for Bike Night

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http://www.pcbbank.com/

Rubber City Radio

It’s Bike Night at Legends Sports Pub in Green and it is a beautiful day to come out and

ride. I’m Tim Daugherty, the Rock N’ Roll Authority, and I want you to win some prizes

tonight.

We have some great summer fun giveaways tonight. Kennywood Amusement Park

tickets, Waldemeer Resort, Jet Express to Put-In-Bay passes and so much more. I will be

here from 6 until 9 PM, with two drawings tonight for these great prizes.

We’re also giving away our “Treat Me Like A Rockstar” t-shirts here tonight. Don’t

know the deal with these? Wear them to any of our events and automatically be entered

into Vegas drawing- a three-day, two-night all expenses paid trip to get you treated like a

rockstar.

Also while you’re here, why not try a Bulldog Burger and a Yuengling draft starting at

only $2.00? Legends Sports Pub always has you covered, and speaking of covers- Dark

Side of the Moon, a Pink Floyd tribute, will be performing tonight as well. So grab your

bike and get out here, for 97.5 WONE, The Home of Rock n’ Roll, I’m Tim Daugherty.

Rock The Lock – Italian-American Festival – Lock 3

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Tonight kick’s off the first night of Akron’s Italian-American Festival! There are so

many great vendors here with the best type of pizza you can eat. I’m Sandra Miller for

WONE, so come out tonight and make your way to our prize booth! 1964 The Beatles

Tribute is taking the stage tonight at 8:30 and, man, I swear I saw John Lennon!

Tonight we have the prize wheel. A dollar per spin and you win what it lands on. All the

proceeds go towards our charity partner, One-In-Six Foundation, for prostate cancer

research.

We have great prizes tonight, including burger king coupons, Spaghetti Warehouse gift

certificate, and of course, our WONE “Treat Me Like A Rockstar” t-shirts.

Wear your “Treat Me Like A Rockstar” t-shirt tonight and be automatically entered into

our Vegas drawing- an all expenses paid trip for three-days, two-nights in Las Vegas!

You can also win concert tickets, gas cards and other great prizes just for wearing your

WONE pride tonight.

We hope to see you here, winning some great prizes and rocking out to 1964 The Beatles

Tribute. I’m Sandra Miller for 97.5 WONE, The Home of Rock n’ Roll.

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Organizational Communication

Event Planning


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I will be explaining the organization in which the remotes were done. The event planning can vary from remote to remote, but the general function of what we do is the same. I will give three examples of events for each organizational project.

For these projects, I will act as the event coordinator and this would be the event planner the staff would receive for the events. Each one include the staff that will be there, the duties of each staff member, and the schedule for the remote.

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STAFF: DJ

Supervisor

Marketer

Interns (will vary based on size of event): 2

LOCATION: Legends Sports Pub in Green

DUTIES: Supervisor will pick up the company logo van, which has WONE or WQMX advertising on the side of it, depending on which station is at the remote. Supervisor will assist the interns with setting up the event and maintaining a smooth night.

Interns: based on location, will meet at the station to ride with supervisor or will drive directly to the remote. Interns will be the “face” of the station at the event, will help with set-up, talking with listeners, getting them signed up for prizes, and other activities at the remote. Interns will prepare the prizes for the DJ to give away on stage and organize them in a sensible fashion. For example, we will not give away all of the amusement park tickets in one drawing and only have shirts left over in the next.

Marketer: assists with sales of shirts at event and talk with the owner of the location and make sure their needs are being met. Look for new connections and advertising for the radio station.

DJ: the “voice” of the station. Will socialize with the listeners and go on stage with the interns to give away the prizes. Announce the band and advertise any type of specials or deals that the specific location is running.

Legends schedule breakdown:

4:30 PM: Supervisor will pick up the company van.

5:00 PM: Interns will arrive and assist with the set up of the remote and get the night prepared.

5:30 PM: Marketer will arrive with prizes and let staff know of any other activities for the night.

6:00 PM: event will begin, DJ will arrive and make announcements for the night.

7:45 PM: The first drawing will take place on stage. Interns will hand out the prizes.

8:45 PM: The second drawing will take place on stage. Interns will hand out the prizes.

9:00 PM: Event will end and the remote can be broken down.

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Rubber City Radio

STAFF: DJ Supervisor

Marketer Interns (will vary based on size of event): 3LOCATION: Rock The Lock at Lock 3

DUTIES: Supervisor will pick up the company logo van, which has WONE or WQMX advertising on the side of it, depending on which station is at the remote. Supervisor will assist the interns with setting up the event and maintaining a smooth night.

Interns: based on location, will meet at the station to ride with supervisor or will drive directly to the remote. Interns will be the “face” of the station at the event, will help with set-up, talking with listeners, getting them signed up for prizes, and other activities at the remote. Interns will prepare the prizes for the DJ to give away on stage and organize them in a sensible fashion. For example, we will not give away all of the amusement park tickets in one drawing and only have shirts left over in the next.

Interns will have the listeners pay $1 to spin the prize wheel. What they land on is what they will receive- no negotiations! Contestants can only spin up to 5 times before being sent to the back of the line.


DJ: the “voice” of the station. Will socialize with the listeners and go on stage with the interns to give away the prizes. Announce the band and advertise any type of specials or deals that the specific location is running.

Rock The Lock schedule breakdown:

4:30 PM: Supervisor will pick up the company van.

5:00 PM: Interns will arrive and assist with the set up of the remote and get the night prepared (hanging up banners on stage, in the booth, and getting the prize wheel ready).


6:30 PM: event will begin and contestants can start spinning the wheel. DJ will arrive and make announcements on main stage for the night (WONE activities and band name).

9:00 PM: DJ will take an intern on stage to pick the winner for the Vegas drawing. Event will end and the remote can be broken down.

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Rubber City Radio

STAFF: DJ

Supervisor

Marketer

Interns (will vary based on size of event): 1

LOCATION: The Galaxy in Wadsworth

DUTIES: Interns: based on location, will meet at the station to ride with supervisor or will drive directly to the remote. Interns will be the “face” of the station at the event, will help with set-up, talking with listeners, getting them signed up for prizes, and other activities at the remote. Interns will prepare the prizes for the DJ to give away and organize them in a sensible fashion. For example, we will not give away all of the amusement park tickets in one drawing and only have shirts left over in the next.


DJ: the “voice” of the station. Will socialize with the listeners and go on stage with the interns to give away the prizes. Announce and advertise any type of specials or deals that the specific location is running.

The Galaxy schedule breakdown:

5:00 PM: Intern will arrive and assist with the set up of the remote and get the night prepared: setting up the booth and table, hanging banners, preparing prizes and other set-up.


6:30 PM: Event will begin and listeners can begin signing up. DJ will arrive and make announcements for the night (WONE activities, Galaxy specials, and band name).

7:30 PM: First drawing. The DJ will draw names and the intern will take the prizes to the winners.

8:30 PM: Second drawing. The DJ will draw the final names and the final prizes will be given out to the winners.

9:00 PM: Event will begin to end and the remote can be broken down.

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Visual Design

Advertisement Posters for WONE Remotes


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I used Photoshop to design flyers for three of the events that I worked at with 97.5 WONE. The purpose of these flyers is show off the prizes that we will be giving away at the remote. If there is something that the location wants advertised, that will sometimes go on the flyer too. The pictures and information are taken from notes I received from station staff.

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practicum

Documents

rubber city radio group

radio stations

listeners of rock n

station staff

following week

home of rock n roll

internship opportunity

largest remotes