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Transcript of practicum
Rubber City Radio
Rubber City Radio Practicum
Josh Cramer
Kent State University at Stark
Summer of 2014
1
Rubber City Radio
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
Rubber City Radio Practicum
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
Rubber City Radio Practicum
July 10, 2014
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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
Experiential Paper
Josh Cramer
Rubber City Radio Practicum
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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
Rubber City Radio Practicum
Figure 2 1964 The Beatles Tribute performing at Rock The Lock - Backstage Pass!
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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
Journal #5 Tuesday, June 17 (Week 3)
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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Rubber City Radio
Journal #7 Tuesday, June 24 (Week 4)
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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
Rubber City Radio Practicum
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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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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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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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
Organizational Communication
Event Planning
Rubber City Radio Practicum
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Rubber City Radio
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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Rubber City Radio
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.
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.
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).
5:30 PM: Marketer will arrive with prizes and let staff know of any other activities for the night.
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.
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 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.
5:30 PM: Marketer will arrive with prizes and let staff know of any other activities for the night.
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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Rubber City Radio
Visual Design
Advertisement Posters for WONE Remotes
Rubber City Radio Practicum
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Rubber City Radio
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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