19

Today is the 19th anniversary of the Northern Alliance Radio Network.

I’ll probably save the whole “waxing philosophical about it” thing for (God willing) next year – and for those of you who like that sort of thing, I have a hunch it’ll be a doozy.

But like this blog, that two hours a week has been a steady, constant thing over the course of a couple of mind-warpingly turbulent decades, personally and for the nation.

Back in October of 2003, asking Chad the Elder, John Hinderaker, Brian “Saint Paul” Ward, Ed Morrissey, Scott Johnson, Atomizer, King Banaian and JB Doubtless (and eventually Michael Brodkorb) if they wanted to do a radio show was a little like making a burger with four patties; you realize it’s probably going nowhere, and the world will not change if it fails completely, but that’s no reason not to try.

And the fact that it worked – of which more below – is further evidence of what may be the biggest axiom of my life: the things that start as jokes, whimsical experiments or drunken pranks on myself, tend to be the things that are the most rewarding. I’m going to have to do a post on that phenomenon sometime in the next year.

Of course, for that little flight of fancy to become what it did has taken the connivance of a lot of people. Three generations of general managers (John Hunt, who originally OKed the idea along with Ron Stone and current GM Nik Anderson), and four of operations managers (Patrick Campion, the first person I talked, along with his successors, Nick Novak, Lee Michaels and John “Consigliere” Berg, no relation) had to agree to put us on the air, schedule staff to keep us on, and take the risk of having a bunch of noobs on their air.

How many generations of producers did it take to make us sound passable? The late, unforgotten, great Joe “The Jackal” Hanson, Tommy “The HBomb” Huynh, Matt Reynolds, Irina Malanina, The Consigliere, Terminator N, Megan Fatale, G-Money, and a whole bunch of Brad and King’s producers I can’t even begin to remember…

…and of course Brad Carlson ,King Banaian and Jack “The New Guy” Tomczak.

Not to mention the audience.

Not sure who or what I’d be today without the result of the – not sure what to call it, joke or prank or unhinged scheme – that got hatched 20 years ago this coming fall. But I do know I doubt I could navigate the insanity of today’s world without it – not to mention the blog that started it.

Anyway – thanks!

9 thoughts on “19

  1. Nice! I’ve only been listening off and on for the last four or five years, but every show was excellent.

  2. You have been greatly blessed. You have also bestowed many blessings to all of us. Thank you, Mitch.

  3. I remember the Scotch egg eating contest at the fair. It was fun to mingle with all the NARN stars and regulars.

  4. I don’t listen to NARN as much as I used to (too busy Saturday Am’s) but kudos to MBerg for his tenacity.

  5. Mr. Berg,

    Thanks for sharing your insights and wisdom with us over the years on both this blog and NARN. They are highlights of my (and so many others) week. Wishing you 19+ more years of battles, frustrations, and victories.

  6. Pingback: In The Mailbox: 03.06.23 : The Other McCain

  7. One of the few actual old school radio programs I still listen to.

    Been listening since the start. Thanks.

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