Randi West
The road to Randi West’s arrival at WDCG in 2004 reads like a tour of the Midwest of sorts. From her beginnings at WYMG/Springfield, Randi then moved on to WLRW/Champaign, before landing at WVKS/Toledo. Throw in some time spent in Cincinnati at WFKS and WVMX and during the apex of her cyberjocking career, West could be heard in eighteen markets including Chicago, Cleveland, Des Moines, Louisville and Rochester. Nowadays, you can find her fully entrenched in the PD/afternoon role at G105, while additionally cyberjocking on WAKS/Cleveland, WVKS/Toledo, KKDM/Des Moines and handling voiceover work for WISX (My106.1)/Philadelphia and WVMX/Cleveland.
The road to Randi West’s arrival at WDCG in 2004 reads like a tour of the Midwest of sorts. From her beginnings at WYMG/Springfield, Randi then moved on to WLRW/Champaign, before landing at WVKS/Toledo. Throw in some time spent in Cincinnati at WFKS and WVMX and during the apex of her cyberjocking career, West could be heard in eighteen markets including Chicago, Cleveland, Des Moines, Louisville and Rochester. Nowadays, you can find her fully entrenched in the PD/afternoon role at G105, while additionally cyberjocking on WAKS/Cleveland, WVKS/Toledo, KKDM/Des Moines and handling voiceover work for WISX (My106.1)/Philadelphia and WVMX/Cleveland.
eQB presents excerpts from the FMQB October Magazine CHR Up Close featuring WDCG (G105)/Raleigh PD Randi West
On what valuable lessons she has learned along the way that has made her a better programmer…
Change is always happening. Embrace it. Make it your own. Find new ways to do things. Ask questions. Learn everyday. Listen. Repeat weekly.
On programmers’ biggest challenges today…
Making time for the things that REALLY matter. Plain and simple.
On her management style and philosophy…
I work for them…they don’t work for me. I’ve always said that we all wouldn’t be here if we didn’t love it. Let people do what they love and it will show. We work hard and we play hard. No one person can make your product better, but all of us can. Everyone is responsible for his or her contribution to the radio station.
On how involved she gets in the marketing and imaging areas of the radio station…
I am very involved. I always hate to say it, but “Chicks are control freaks” and while I wouldn’t say that I am, I also have to be involved so everyone knows the vision in my head, and what we are trying to achieve. I would say that the imaging aspect of the radio station was one of the things I didn’t think was one of my strong points. I think I have gotten better and it is something I enjoy being involved in.
On how much integration of on-air and on-line is incorporated into her programming practice…
On-air and on-line are the same thing to me. Our product on the air should always match our product on-line. That partnership allows for great content on the air but even more in depth content about any artist, promotion or current event you could ever want to know about.
On what CHR radio isn’t doing today that it should be to assure a burgeoning future…
I wish I knew the answer to this. If I did, I would do it! I will say that we have evolved in our thinking to become competitive and lead the way in changes happening in new technologies of information, music and content.
On her experience working within the Clear Channel operating system…
I am thankful to have the resources I have available to me. There’s nothing like having talented people that have a commitment to bigger and better things working along side you and helping you to grow and learn.
On how G105 positioned musically…
We are in the truest sense, a mainstream CHR. Our history and heritage allows for more Pop/Rock leaning material, but it’s really about playing great songs. Granted, everyone wants to play great music, but I think the perception is that we can’t play records outside of our genre, and that is simply not true. A good song is a good song. We are the ones who lump them into categories.
On what are her music rules when assessing new music…
There are none. Every song is different. Some you hear right away and some you may never hear. Listen, and listen to what your audience is telling you, but most of all trust yourself. You are the expert at your product and you will be wrong sometimes. The person who is wrong the fewest amount of times wins.
On what role research plays in music decisions and how much of it is gut…
Research is a tool – a valuable one. It can be used in many ways and many PD’s all use it differently. A hit is a hit is a hit. I don’t need research to tell me what my gut has already told me, before it ever even hit the charts. I have a live airshift every afternoon and get a chance to spend quality time with my audience. I listen to them and the information they give me is valuable.
On the G105 morning show’s (Bob & The Showgram) keys to success…
Bob Dumas is one of the most talented people in this business today. He knows who he is and what his “people” like. I tried to explain it and analyze it before, but there is simply no explanation. The show is like having three friends in the car with you. You either love Bob or you hate him, but either way you listen to him.
** QB Content by Mark LaSpina **
| Also in the October Issue: |
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Q&A: KHKS APD/MD Billy The Kidd Hot Shots |
