[BC] How we got our first break in radio....

[Thomas G. Osenkowsky]

In one word: accidental. I was a Senior at Brookfield (CT)
High School. We had two elective periods each week called
X Block. They had community volunteers visit the school to
teach their crafts. I, of course, took Electronics. In the lab
there was a Radio Broadcasting course taught by the late
Tony Napolean of local station WINE. Space had to be
shared because there weren't enough rooms to hold all of
the different electives.

I overheard Tony saying that the group was going on a field
trip to the WINE transmitter site. Even though I was not part
of the group I asked the Electronics teacher if I could go. He
said as long as I had a permission slip I could. I did. I had never
given radio stations a second thought up to that time. At Tony's
invitation I started hanging out at WINE during his PM drive
slot.

When the News Director learned I was on Student Council he
asked if I'd be interested in being a news stringer. It was a paid
job so I started covering town meetings, etc. I'd compose my
story and actualities and hera myself on the radio in the morning.

The Chief Engineer had a Saturday night air shift on (then) WINE-FM.
He asked if I'd be interested in going on the air after 8 or 9 pm so
he could hang out with his friends. After a few weeks I'd bring in
my box of 45's and "Smokin' Tom Gary" was born. I helped him
install a new RCA FM tx and that is how I got my start....

Tom Osenkowsky, CPBE