ogw e lcm s
In Thirty-Five
"Specs Howard" has made a major mark
in Detroit broadcasting, on both sides of
the microphone.
ALAN ABRAMS
Special to the Jewish News
W
hen Jerry Liebman opened
the Specs Howard School of
Broadcast Arts in January
1970, the longtime Cleveland and
Detroit radio personality started out
with two students, one classroom and
600 square feet in a converted saddlery
on Schoolcraft and Beech Daly in
Redford Township.
"I had a kitchen back there and used
it to interview students," recalls
Liebman, who first used the Specs
Howard name on the air in 1956.
"There was a little stove and a refrigera-
tor, both disconnected. I couldn't afford
a filing cabinet, so I used one [of the
appliances] for accounts payable and
the other for accounts receivable."
Which file went into the stove?
"Accounts payable. Although both stu-
dents still haven't paid their tuition, I
never had to burn it," quips Liebman.
Six months later, Liebman moved the
school to One Northland Drive, a then-
new building west of Eight Mile and
Greenfield roads in Southfield. "With
2,400 square feet, we now had four
times as much space. WXYZ was
remodeling, so we got a second-hand
studio for probably the same write off
they would have received for a charita-
ble donation.
"After 24 years at that location, we
had 19,000 square feet but still needed
more classroom space. So we moved to
West Nine Mile and Evergreen in 1994.
We eventually bought the building and
now have more than 36,000 square feet
— 60 times as much space as when we
started," says Liebman.
During those 35 years, more than
10,000 students have graduated from
the Specs Howard school, the largest of
its kind in the country, and have gone
on to find jobs across the world. "We
have a lot of success stories. We've
done fairly well and we're proud of
what we've done," says Liebman.
The school has 57 employees,
including four who specialize in job
placement. "There's a whole wide
spectrum of jobs out there." says
Liebman. "We've come a long way
from when we only turned out radio
disc jockeys. Our graduates have gone
on to careers as producers, directors,
videographers and editors. Many of
them are working in sports. Others
are with advertising agencies or pro-
duction houses.
"We have people working in ani-
mation and graphics. We're training
erry Liebman has been "in control" for 35 years.
people for jobs that were not even
invented 10 years ago."
home town. "At that time, the radio sta-
Alisa is with Metro Traffic. Liebman's
One stellar graduate is Sari Zalesin,
tion sold commercial spots for 'a dollar
son-in-law,
Randy
Zdrojewski,
is
the
who grew up in Southfield. She is cur-
a holler.' If you sold 10 spots, that was
school's
director
of
continuing
educa-
rently music director and on-air person-
good money.
tion.
ality at QM satellite radio in
"The gas station owner, knowing his
Liebman
was
born
in
Kittanning,
Pa.
Washington, D.C.
spot
would air at 4 p.m., would put on
His
parents
came
to
the
U.S.
from
"I've had an amazing career making
extra attendants to handle all the busi-
Lithuania and settled in western
national history as the first female pub-
ness he expected to flock to the station.
Pennsylvania. "My father was a peddler.
lic address announcer in the NHL
Obviously, that didn't happen. So not
We
had
an
old
truck
and
every
night
[National Hockey League] and covering
only did the gas station owner never
he'd
load
it
up
with
produce
and
leave
red-carpet events like the Grammy
buy any more spots, you couldn't collect
at
3
a.m.
to
drive
40
miles
to
Pittsburgh
Awards. It all started with the support
the $10 from him. I knew that this was
where
he
could
sell
it,"
recalls
Liebman.
and confidence Specs Howard gave
not going to provide a long-term liv-
His
parents
wanted
better
for
me," says Zalesin, who graduated from
ing." says Liebman.
Liebman and so he set his sights on
the school in 1986.
He left Kittanning to take a job at
becoming a lawyer. A counselor at
The school had 600 students last year
radio
station WPIC in Sharon, Pa.,
Allegheny
College
in
Meadville,
Pa.,
and 450 this year. Training lasts eight
about
75 miles away on the Ohio-
suggested
that
radio,
speech
and
dra-
months, with tuition at $9,995, or 12
Pennsylvania
border. Liebman worked
matics
training
might
aid
Liebman
in
months at $12,995, covering all aspects
there
for
three
years and met his future
the
courtroom.
After
writing
a
15-
of radio, television and audio visual.
wife,
Celia,
when
she came to the sta-
minute
radio
drama,
he
made
up
his
Liebman, who lives in Southfield and
tion to do a segment for a Hadassah
mind for good.
turns 79 on April 8, still comes into the
show. They started dating in 1952 and
He graduated from Allegheny in
school every day although he has passed
were
married in January 1954.
1948
with
a
degree
in
radio,
speech
and
the president and CEO reins to his son,
A
few
months later, NBC's national
dramatics,
and
began
his
radio
career
Jonathan. Another son, Marty, runs
program
director, later known to late-
that
year.
Media Power, an AVID digital editing
night
Detroit
television viewers as Sir
Borrowing
$15,000
from
college
training center with studios above the
Graves
Ghastly,
hired Liebman as a staff
friends,
family
and
"people
I
didn't
even
school.
know," Liebman launched radio station
Daughter Shelli Liebman Doifinan is
IN THIRTY-FIVE on page 32
WKIN, a low-wattage daytimer in his
a Jewish News staff writer, and daughter
3/3
2005
31