The "Girls" At the Front Desk

You find them in any business, and I’m sure each industry boasts its own quirks, but in the radio business, the “girls” at the front desk are sometimes in a class by themselves.

These ladies were chosen for the job for a variety of reason, often with no consideration of their abilities. That’s what made life interesting for the rest of the people who worked at the station.

At one small market operation, the “receptionist” was having occasional flings with the chief engineer, and an on-going fling with the sales director, who just happened to be married to the station owner’s daughter. The sales manager’s desk was next to hers in the front office area, which made for an unpredictable environment.

Another small market employed a woman who was so large that she required a special office chair, but she had worked at the local newspaper and knew everything about everybody in town. No one had ever explained personal hygiene to her, so most of us avoided the front area of the building, electing instead to call her on the intercom.

In yet another small market, the owner hired a woman who had just gone through a nasty divorce. She was so desperate for a source of income that she took the job the day she was interviewed, and the owner ended up getting a very competent worker for minimum wage.

Then there was the small market where the owner decided to save a few bucks and do without a receptionist. People would wander into the building and usually end up walking into the control room when the mike was live.

There was one woman who stood out among all those I encountered. Her name was Bette Sue, and she was the resident den mother at my first radio station in the smallest-of-the-small markets.

Bette Sue was a very strong-willed woman with an infectious laugh that could be heard clear across the building. She did all the logs, the billing and affidavits, correspondence, took news and obituaries over the phone, and still had time for not one – but two – daily shows. She paired up with the station’s “star” for the Ron and Bette Sue show in the mornings, and in the afternoon she became “Aunt Rhoda Rabbit” to host a half-hour children’s show.

She was amazing, although I didn’t appreciate it then because I’d never worked anywhere else. Fortunately, our friendship continued in the ensuing years until she passed away. Bette Sue was unequaled, and I was fortunate enough to work with her.\

Discuss on the STL Media Message Board. (Registration required)