April 2, 2021
What have been some of the more meaningful experiences you’ve had, personal and/or career related?
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Toby Knapp, WASH: Having a daughter, becoming a father and co-parenting with Dana McKay to raise our daughter, Kyla, who just turned 17 this week and visited some colleges this week after skipping her JUNIOR year to graduate early, is by far the most meaningful experience of my life, hands down. Also, seeing the outpouring of love from people in and out of this business when faced with two brain surgeries in 36 hours, and, having Kane buy those 30 pizzas for delivery just before midnight at the hospital… that was pretty special, too. Career-wise, there are so many… from Philly to Tampa to DC to the National Channels for iHeartRadio, those are amazing, but it really is book-ended by getting hired by Kid Kelly at WBHT at the dawn of my career… and then, getting to fill in for him on the national Backtrax USA show for the first time. How far we’ve come. Also, every moment learning from Thea Mitchem. She puts the MITCHEM in MENTOR. Force of nature kind of life stuff. She’s amazing. Being Tommy Chuck’s friend rates up there, too. Oh, taking Mark Medina’s advice about the movie Moneyball… and absorbing what he was teaching me at the time… that was big. Ditto my time with Doubledown and coaching sessions with Dennis Clarke. This is starting to become a list of shoutouts so I better stop. I have verbal non-PPM diarrhea going on right now. Or it’s the Vodka. Going on the air in Dallas at KHKS for Patrick Davis… right after Kidd Kraddick In The Morning passed away… on the Monday after the weekend when God called Kidd home… those three days in Dallas changed me forever. Oh, one more thing… Getting to work on the same team with Kane x Kapugi… twice in one career… in Tampa and as part of our WIHT-FM team which really did some epic shit in DC… that doesn’t always happen in life. I’m thankful that it did. Lee Abrams, MediaVisions: Discovering spirituality and sobriety, being there at the beginning of music and radio revolutions, discovering pot in the 60s, hearing The Yes Album for the first time, skipping school and immersing myself in radio and music instead, seeing 2001 A Space Odyssey on its opening night, family, becoming a pilot. Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia: Personally, marrying my college sweetheart on the campus chapel where we met and watching the birth of my three children. Professionally, meeting Wolfman Jack on the NBC tour in third grade and deciding that radio was the career for me. Max Volume, KOZZ: Radio allows you to connect simultaneously with thousands upon thousands at a single moment. It’s very Vonnegut. Nice, nice, very nice. |
R Dub! Z90: Too many to name, but a few big ones: 1) Moving to Brazil at 30 years old 2) Appearing on Shark Tank with Brian McKnight 3) Attending a celebration in rural Uganda to turn on the new clean-water well that my listeners constructed.
Buster Satterfield, WIOQ: The first time I was involved in and creating a record setting sold-out radio show from concept to vision with WiredFest in Philly. Orlando, WLLD: Losing large pieces of our family, such as Vince Pellegrino, Dave McKay, Tom Rivers, Tedd Webb, just last week, is the most meaningful because those losses affected career and personal. Other lighter experiences have been interviewing Obama, before his election and after, where he thanked us for delivering the 18-34 vote. That felt special. Erik Bradley, B96: Getting the call to be Todd Cavanah‘s replacement as MD at B96 in 1993. Watching UNC win multiple NCAA championships. Watching the Chicago Bulls win multiple championships. Watching the Atlanta Braves win the World Series in 1995. And ALL things with Mariah Carey. Java Joel, Javajoelmurphy@gmail.com: Introducing Run-DMC at the PXY Summer Jam in 2001 was something special. If my 10-year-old self could have seen me!
Adam Rivers, WKCI: Going to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Park. |
Jana Sutter, WXXL: Personally, the birth of my daughter was a highly meaningful moment because suddenly it’s not all about you, it’s very much about someone else. Professionally, what we’ve gone through this past year. The way we’ve had to shift and adjust, and absorb more responsibilities than ever before and being able to successfully pull that off in this environment. It was like, wow, we can do this and come out alright. Jammer, WEZB: Meeting Taylor Swift four times. We would talk Philly and the Jersey Shore. Randi West, WRMF: Probably too many to mention, but I do remember VERY early in my career getting a hand written note from Randy Michaels. Something he didn’t have to do but did and that was cool. Another would be when my team in Raleigh finished #1 in every single cell. I mean EVERY single demo. I got a phone call from the market president of our competitor and their director of programming (the great Lisa McKay) to say congrats as it was something that had not been done before (at least for a very long time). Very classy of them to call.
Josh Wolff, WAEB: Professionally, the most meaningful experiences I’ve had are with the great mentors I’ve worked with throughout my career. Buzz Knight, Buzz Knight Media: Great experiences come from interacting and collaborating with great people. Gaining insights from smart people while getting to know them along the way can be some of the best experiences. Collaboration builds a spirit that can’t be replaced. Currently, part of a group that is working on short and long-term planning for the NAB and enjoying that collaboration. Kevin Kash, WWEG/WIYY: Just celebrated my 20th wedding anniversary, my children. Also, I guess 32 years in radio ain’t bad. Minus two trips on the beach. |
Rich Davis, KDWB: Personally, when I went through cancer in the late 90’s. That was a pretty big deal. Not that I was ever a guy to take anything for granted, but that takes on a higher meaning after that incident. Professionally, I’ve had many meaningful experiences, but one of the most meaningful was the annual radiothon we did for Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital when I was in Nashville. There are a lot of favorite things I do in this business, but nothing beats affecting people’s lives in positive ways, whether it’s as small as making somebody smile or laugh because of what you said on the radio, or whether it’s raising $250,000 for the kids at the hospital.
Bartel, WKTU: Going to Olympics in Japan in 1998. Getting the call to come to KTU in 2004. Being at the Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Series and the parade. Being at Philadelphia Eagles 2017 Super Bowl win and parade.
Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: Personally, birth of my child has to be at the top of the list. My wife and I went through literal hell getting to that point, but it made that day so much more incredible. Professionally, I think our first #LiveLifeLove concert in Nashville will always hold a special place for me. We only sold about 700 tickets, but hearing artists stop down their sets to be real and personal about their own struggles with mental health, and connecting with an audience on a really intimate level…I stood there that night and knew that we had created a really incredible safe space to talk about something that at the time was still swept under the rug a little.
Mike McVay, McVay Media: The friendships I’ve developed with managers, Program Directors and talent, outlasting the term of a consulting agreement, has meant the most to me. I have friends from 1984 when McVay Media first became a full-time entity.
Mike “OD” O’Donnell, WKRZ: Personally, and on a spiritual level, my mission trip to Haiti. It was life-changing for me and helped me prioritize what really is important in life. Professionally, it’s more of a collective thing. I learned at an early time that it’s important to take everything you’ve learned along your career path to your next gig, but use it as wisdom not the bible, because it’s different wherever you go. It makes you a stronger leader along the way.
Dom Theodore, Radio Animal Media Strategies: For me, the meaningful experiences happen every day when I see talent in somebody, many times before they see it in themselves. When I help them get started, and watch them go on to have big careers and accomplish the success I knew was in them, that’s where I find meaning and purpose.Next Week’s Question Of The Week:
What consistent traits do you feel higher performing stations need to possess?
e-Mail your responses to: jodorisio@deanemediasolutions.com or bburke@deanemediasolutions.com
