MENTORSHIP

ON THE AIR The Connection Between Educational Broadcasting and the Debate World by Paul L. Gaba

(above) Pete Bowers, the author’s radio teacher and mentor at WBFH-FM in Michigan

UIZ TIME: Who among required courses. It offered an opportunity And I can say, unequivocally, the biggest these is not like the others? to speak into a microphone and spin positive influences in my life include Q Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brokaw, tunes—for a grade! And to wear cool Bowers, who helped guide me to a focus Jane Pauley, Paul L. Gaba. shades and sign autographs—for groupies! on broadcasting and journalism as an That last guy? That would be me. And to emulate the cool cats on WKRP in undergrad at Central Michigan University, Yes, putting myself in the same sentence Cincinnati (a staple of early 1980s air aces). and later into teaching. with three iconic broadcasters might But beyond these perks were numerous “Even though most of my students seem narcissistic and vain. But I do have life skills, which are universally applicable didn’t go into broadcasting, it’s still one of significant broadcasting training and to those taught in debate. Both hone the best classes someone can take because experience. I’m just using that training critical thinking, researching, writing, of the life skills they learn,” Bowers says. differently—in a career called speech and and oral communication abilities. Both “You keep hearing, ‘People need better debate. involve mentorship of students from an communication skills.’ Well, I hope that’s I’ve been coaching speech and debate adult supervisor, and of newer students what they learn here.” in Florida since 2000, and hundreds of by program veterans. Both utilize real Great teachers like Pete Bowers make students have enrolled in my class the world knowledge. Both are comprised of a difference. And he cared, passionately, past 17 years. Many have inquired about close-knit groups of highly intelligent and about the product being put on the air, my own debating experiences. Sadly, my motivated young adults, many of whom and—more importantly—for the students high school offered no such program. remain friends long after graduation. Both under his guidance. However, “radio broadcasting” was an teach management, teamwork, confidence, Practical application of life skills is option, and I spent two-and-a-half years and important “people skills.” And both common to both debate and radio. “You as a DJ and newscaster in Michigan at give youth a purpose. can read a book on how to be an on-air the Bloomfield Hills School District’s At the time, I didn’t realize this; but one personality 30 times, but you’ll never be educational radio station, WBFH-FM. And of the great things about education is its good until you actually do it,” Bowers says. while “radio broadcasting” and “debate” impact is measured futuristically. Looking “And every time you do something, the might seem as alike as chalk and cheese, back, I see the powerful foundation better you will be. I had [the students] do the skills I learned at “The Biff” prepared radio provided me scholastically and show prep, so they knew what ‘hot topics’ me for all of my professional experiences. professionally. were out there to talk about. I mean, for While yearbook, newspaper, and My radio teacher and mentor was the school musical, you have three months marketing were available, I quickly caught Pete Bowers, who was the only general to prepare for a few shows; in radio, you the radio bug. It was exciting, a chance manager WBFH knew from its inception have three minutes to prepare for each to do something beyond the mundane in 1976 until his retirement in June 2017. performance.”

I brought my radio background into the debate classroom. I incorporate many of‘‘ the lessons Pete Bowers provided over four decades as a model.” ­­— Paul L. Gaba

ROSTRUM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 Frank Novak, WBFH alum and current digital recording equipment, writing out my passion for a career in radio at all.” Marketing Manager for the Detroit Lions, news copy, or airing phone calls live. “High school radio made me a better says, “The exercise of on-air prep, such Students also need to be able to conduct conversationalist and made me well-read,” as compiling news stories, sports scores, interviews, do sports broadcasts and adds Christopher Grindrod, a WOVI alum and writing on-air commercials, provided remotes from news events, and handle from Michigan who spent several years in as much useful real-world experience as other “professional” broadcast duties, in Bonaire (an island in the Leeward Antilles) any college course would.” He continues, between studying for exams and doing with the international broadcast ministry “The skills I learned played a huge role in homework for other classes. Trans World Radio. not only building that first resume, but “It’s fun to see advanced students Since 2003, WBFH has been recognized providing me with the background and work with the newer staff to learn these as the best high school radio station in experience I could take into the ‘real things,” Bowers says. “I could go in there the nation six times, and the top high world.’” and do that, but it’s way better when school station in Michigan 11 times, with Along with “live” impromptu and one of your advanced students engineer numerous students earning honors in extemp moments (quick, how does the shows and teaches them how to be an various individual state and national DJ handle dead air when the song doesn’t air personality—how to run the board, broadcasting categories. Fourteen students play on cue?), radio and debate go hand- have attended the S.I. Newhouse School in-hand in myriad ways. Morning shows of Public Communication at Syracuse are full of humorous (and often team) “The crux is helping young University—the top broadcast/journalism interpretations as part of the schtick. school in the nation. Sportscasting requires “setting the scene” adults learn how to harness “It’s nice to be recognized, but we don’t for listeners. Newscasting or hosting their inner voice. In some do what we do to win state and national a talk show mandates being on top of awards,” Bowers says. “However, it is a nice current events, locally and globally, as cases, their voices were motivator for younger students.” well as solid oration and interviewing Yet another parallel with debate. skills. And radio is, of course, “theatre of already there, but needed Looking back, some of the coolest the mind,” with no costumes or props— to be fine-tuned; in others, things about being in high school radio just like many interpretation events. were the variety of unique experiences it “In radio, you have to be compelling they didn’t even realize they provided—like playing a charity basketball and interesting, because there’s game against DJs from a professional nowhere to hide. It’s up to you to had a voice.” Detroit-area rock and roll station, or the engage the audience, and I learned annual marathon to raise money for the that in educational radio,” says another March of Dimes, which involved seeking WBFH alum, Matt Friedman, founder find things they need to play, read the pledges for songs or goofy stunts. of the Tanner Friedman Strategic weather live. They learn what it’s like to The irony is Bowers never planned to Communications public relations firm in be the teacher. go into education. “When I was at Central Detroit. “You are on the spot at some “And as they progress as a student Michigan University, I’d sit around the point, and you have to figure out a way broadcaster, when I listen to them, I can radio station with my broadcasting peers to deliver.” tell if it’s an improvement, and make sure and we’d talk about, after we’ve been in There’s also management skills. to mention it to them the next time I the business for a long time, how nice it “Regardless of what you may go into see them,” Bowers says. “I think that’s would be to buy our own radio stations, as a career, you will most likely have important for an educator, to provide that to program what we wanted, to hire who people working underneath you,” Bowers kind of feedback.” we wanted,” Bowers says. “Well, that explains. “You have to handle those kinds Both debate and radio provide happened to me at age 23. I remember the of responsibilities at a high school radio confidence to young adults. “My high job posting said ‘radio station manager,’ and station.” Radio students manage and work school radio teacher gave me the I said, ‘Sounds good to me!’ in various departments, such as news, confidence and knowledge to make it “Teaching wasn’t part of it. Then [the sales, and promotions. Debate offers happen,” says Cara Carriveau, afternoon district] said, ‘By the way, at some point similar leadership as interp, congress, or drive host at WSHE in Chicago, who we’ll be offering classes,’” Bowers says. debate events captains, among other started at West Bloomfield High School’s “I told them, ‘I don’t have a teaching options. And both programs usually have WBLD in Michigan. “His belief in my certificate.’ So they worked to get me a student president to coordinate and abilities was so amazing, I can’t even vocationally certified. I had never done lead by example. imagine how my life would have turned any student teaching, or even taken an As with debate, high school radio out had I not taken that radio class. I education course. And they said, ‘Well, it’s veterans work with newer students certainly would have struggled in college, just like any other class, except you’re in to learn the ropes, whether in using and in fact, may never have even figured the front.’”

ROSTRUM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 In some ways, this parallels the world Keeping the attention of teens for 90 station gave me the foundational skills of high school debate coaches—the minutes isn’t easy.” I’ve built upon for the past 30 years.” difference being we become educators Looking back, I spent nearly 20 years So while Oprah, Tom, and Jane used with the intent of teaching, and then in communications prior to becoming their debate experiences to foster careers administration swoops in and entices an educator. I took my experience in broadcasting, I brought my radio us into coaching. This usually happens at WBFH and scored a mid-week background into the debate classroom. I when we are new to the profession, graveyard shift at the college FM incorporate many of the lessons Bowers meaning we (a) have time and (b) need station—a rarity for a freshman. While provided over four decades as a model. the financial stipend to (c) help pay those still in college, I landed employment at The crux is helping young adults learn impending college loans. WWJ, Detroit’s all-news radio station. how to harness their inner voice and Trial by fire. Many debate coaches After graduation, I worked a variety make it shine. In some cases, their voices (and novices) have been there. of newspaper jobs across Michigan, were already there, but needed to be Bowers literally built the station from covering everything from local high fine-tuned; in others, they didn’t even scratch. There were no “Introduction to school sports to corruption in county realize they had a voice. I can only hope Radio” textbooks, so he used the Federal government. And in the mid-1990s, to be as positive an influence for my Communication Commission licensing while I was free-lancing for The Detroit students as Pete Bowers was for his. guidelines as source material. He created News, Bowers offered me the WBFH Take that, Oprah! 40 “minimum objectives” for students to assistant manager position, which led achieve every semester, showing basic me back to college, a teaching degree, You can watch Pete Bowers’ retirement ceremony video, proficiency in a variety of areas such as and a move to Florida in 1999. where the author and other alumni recording promotions and writing news I’m not alone in following that paid tribute, at www.youtube.com/ copy. He incorporated “old time radio” kind of career path. “My experience watch?v=Xwf6O0maTx4. programs from the 1930s into teaching at WSDP set the trajectory of my the history of radio broadcasting. career at the age of 16,” says Central Bowers may have started out focusing Michigan University associate broadcast on management, but he’d turned 180 professor Patty Williamson, an alum degrees by the time he retired. “I got to of the Plymouth station in Michigan. love teaching,” Bowers says. “It was like “I chose my college based on the being a stand-up comic wanna-be. I had strength of their broadcasting program, the microphone, with which I walked worked in commercial radio for a around the classroom. I used props. I had decade, and then decided to go back lots of stories [from my college radio to school for advanced degrees in the Paul L. Gaba is a three-diamond coach at career], and I always tried to relate them same field. Now I teach young aspiring Wellington High School. Prior to coaching to the topics we talked about, to try broadcasters and filmmakers. The debate in Florida, he was the assistant and pass along my experiences to them. experiences I had at my high school manager of WBFH-FM from 1995-1999.

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ROSTRUM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017