April 5, 2025 • 16 mins
Ever wondered how a passion for radio could lead to the creation of a unique cross-cultural platform? Join us as Steve Warren, the visionary behind China America Radio Station, shares his fascinating journey. From early influences like his father and his high school radio days to founding MOR Media in 1987, Steve's story is one of innovation and cultural connection. His insights from Sirius XM Satellite Radio unveiled a market gap for Chinese pop music, leading to the launch of China America Radio in 2007. Broadcasting 24/7, this station brings vibrant Chinese pop music to New York and beyond, driven by Steve's mission to make these sounds accessible to everyone.
Discover the intricate tapestry of Chinese and Asian cultures through Steve's experiences. He draws lessons from past broadcasting missteps with Hispanic communities, emphasizing the need for cultural awareness and understanding. By showcasing music from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Chinese American artists, Steve champions diversity and education. His personal journey across states and countries has enriched his perspective, fueling a forward-thinking approach to radio. Learn how China America Radio bridges cultural gaps with features like a free music player offering translated song titles, ensuring that even non-Mandarin and non-Cantonese speakers can enjoy the lively world of Chinese pop music.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, YuhuanGodfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good morning and welcome to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
Are you in need of a Chinesepop radio station that operates
24-7 and is globally found?
Well, today in our studio, wehave Steve Warren, owner of
China America Radio Station.
Steve, welcome to our podcast.
(00:32):
We thank you for being with usthis morning.
How are you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I'm doing fine.
Thank you, Yolanda.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
Steve, we're thrilled to haveyou here and we're eager to
learn more about your business.
But before we dive in, I'd liketo share two important things
about the Good Neighbor podcast.
It launched during COVID-19 toshine a spotlight on local
business throughout the NorthShore community and help
reconnect them with theirtargeted audience.
(00:59):
Once again, we're reallyexcited to have you here with us
today.
Can you tell us about yourcompany, Steve?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Yes, my company, the parent company that I started
back in 1987, is called MORMedia, and we started because I
was a radio person on the airand program director at a lot of
different stations and citiesaround the country.
So we started MOR Media as aconsulting company to help radio
stations get off the ground orchange format or do whatever it
(01:28):
is they needed to do.
And the outgrowth of that isthat we started producing our
own programs and I ended upgoing to work for Sirius XM
Satellite Radio, which was a24-hour, seven-day-a-week
delivery system that got a lotof niche formats out into the
population that probablywouldn't have gotten to the
(01:49):
population had it just been onlocal stations, one by one
around the country.
So in 2007, just ahead of theBeijing Olympics Summer Olympics
we started China America Radiobecause we looked around and saw
that there really wasn't anyChinese radio stations except a
handful of little AM stations inthe Bay Area or even around
(02:09):
here in New York, and theyprimarily did not play any pop
music, they were basically talkshows and things that were done
in Cantonese or Mandarin.
So we started a 24-hourstreaming radio station along
with a partner that I found thatwas working here in New York
for a Chinese company.
He was very familiar with thepop culture and brought some of
his music CDs with him to keepcompany.
(02:32):
And I said that music's prettygood.
It's not the stuff that youthink about when you think about
Chinese music, like the guy inthe subway that plays a
one-stringed instrument, or thedrums and the horns and the
cymbals that you see in theparades, or the Monkey King, or
you know traditional Chinese,but there's a big pop culture in
both the Cantonese and Mandarinworlds that most people don't
(02:53):
know about.
But if you go to any majorChinese city or Taiwan, your
host will want to take you outto a karaoke club and sing along
, and these are the singers andthe songs that you would be
subjected to.
So we started it in 2007.
And here we are, this manyyears later, streaming, and New
York has got a lot of Chinesepeople in various pockets around
(03:16):
the city, whether it's Flushingor Brooklyn Sunset Park.
Those areas and those people,as generations have progressed,
have gravitated actually intoNassau County particularly, and
there are a number ofcommunities with large Chinese
populations throughout NassauCounty and it continues to grow.
So here we are.
(03:37):
So wherever you are, whetheryou're in Hempstead or whether
you're in Indianapolis, you canhear our station Wonderful.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Appreciate all that you just shared.
You've also shared with us howyou got into the business, but
can you expand a little bit morein terms of consultation and
service that you provide toother radio stations?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Well, there was a time that most radio stations
not only had their localmanagement team in place, their
program director, their manager,their salespeople, but a lot of
times they were not terriblyskilled at programming.
Local management team in place,their program director, their
manager, their salespeople, buta lot of times they were not
terribly skilled at programmingand reaching out to the audience
in an effective way.
So we started MOR Media, whichstood for Mature Oriented Radio,
(04:17):
working with stations that hadadult formats, and we did
country music, big band, we didjazz, we did talk programs and
that was our niche for helpingstations do that.
And actually because of ourconsulting company, we got
brought in to work with SiriusSatellite Radio and programmed
(04:38):
all of their country musicchannels and then they brought
me in full time on staff to bethe program manager.
Now many of the New York peopleand Long Island people might
remember hearing me on New YorkCity radio stations because I
was a DJ on all of the countrystations, back to WHN in the 70s
and then Kick FM and then WKHKand then also I was on WNBC and
(05:02):
a few other stations that peoplemay remember and we had a big
listenership in Long Island.
So I guess maybe some of thepeople of my demographic might
remember my name, but it's allI've ever done really.
I started in radio broadcastingback in Indiana in the early
60s.
My dad was actually a part-timeDJ in the Louisville Kentucky
(05:24):
area so I got dragged to workwith him from time to time and
my high school back in Indianahas the first FM station that
was ever in a high school in theUS, going back to 1948.
So it's kind of in my blood.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Okay, I appreciate that.
Now is this a one-man operation.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
No, actually we have.
Well, I'm kind of the puppeteer, the puppet master, but I have
about five or six other people,all of whom are Chinese, who do
various chores to help me selectthe music, help us.
We do a lot of promotions.
We go out in person and playmusic.
We go to parades, we go totrade shows, set up our booth,
(06:02):
we have a big inflatable panda,we play the music.
So I have people we can call ondepending on where we're going
to be and what we're going to do, and also people that speak a
variety of Chinese dialects.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Okay, by the way, do you speak Chinese?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Dui Dui Boishwa yi.
Diar potokwa, I speak a littlebadly.
Usually there's somebody aroundme who can pick up the slack.
I travel to China frequently.
I was just there this pastspring, in Taipei as well as
over in Beijing, so I've beenthere frequently enough to know
how to deal with day-to-daystuff.
(06:38):
I couldn't carry on any deepphilosophical conversation, but
I can check in and out of thehotel and order a meal and not
make a fool of myself.
Well, maybe I do make a fool ofmyself, but I'm unaware of it.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Okay, all right.
So, steve, are there anymisconceptions or myths about
China America radio station orradio station in general that
you partner with and help themthrough certain areas of
uncertainty?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Well, I think the biggest misconception and I get
asked this frequently is that Ithink most non-Asian people tend
to lump the Asian communitiesplural into one bundle.
People tend to lump the Asiancommunities plural into one
bundle.
They made the same mistake 30,40, 50 years ago with the
(07:28):
Hispanic population, thinkingthat the people from Mexico are
the same as the people from Cuba, are the same as the people
from Madrid.
So I think probably theeducation of people knowing that
there are different Chinesecultures and different languages
and different places in theworld where the people have
lived and come from, goes a longway toward helping people
explain that there aredifferences in the culture and
(07:51):
that you have to kind of want tolearn a little bit about people
.
You may have a family thatlives down the street from you.
They may appear physically tobe Asian, but do you know beyond
that who and what they are,where they came from, what their
background is?
It's a vast culture, it's thelargest ethnic population in the
world and you can't go to anycountry anywhere and not find a
(08:13):
Chinese community of some size.
And so I think those of us whodon't understand much about the
Chinese culture owe it toourselves to put on our learning
cap and try to be a little moreI guess, a little more educated
, and don't assume that Koreansand Filipinos and Chinese and
Japanese are all the same people, because it's totally different
(08:33):
.
As I mentioned, it's the samemistake that the Hispanic radio
broadcasters made back in the1950s and 60s.
They think anything Spanishwould fall on the same ears.
Now you can go anywhere in thecountry and find a multitude of
different Hispanic music radio.
So that's the biggestmisconception and it's a general
(08:55):
misconception, not specific toradio.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I love the comparison .
It gives more depth to how youexplain that.
Thank you, not just for myself,I'm sure for others.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Well, you have to think about it, but somebody has
to call it to your attention inthe first place, and that's
kind of what we try to do.
That's why we take our radiostation to trade shows and to
business expos and places, justto expose the fact that there is
a pop music culture and itvaries depending on where the
music comes from.
Most of the Mandarin musiccomes from Taiwan.
(09:26):
Most of the Cantonese musiccomes from Hong Kong and yet
there are still some ChineseAmerican artists that do very
well and many of the Chinesesingers come here to our
neighborhood and they willperform in Atlantic City or
Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun and sellout 5000 Seed Arena.
As I like to say, everybodyknows about those concerts
(09:49):
except white people, the blackpeople and the Spanish people,
but everybody else knows aboutthem and let's try and bring
more awareness to them,hopefully.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
So.
Steve, outside of work, what doyou do for fun?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
I'm kind of a foodie.
I like shopping for food, Ilike cooking food, I have a
decent wine collection and I'vetraveled to many countries in
the world I think something like19.
I used to teach at a radioschool in Switzerland.
I enjoy travel.
As I say, going to Asia now ona regular basis is pretty time
(10:22):
consuming just the travel itselfand exhausting.
But I have a garden so I plantstuff, and mostly herbs that I
go buy and pick.
Instead of going to Whole Foodsand spending $5 for a baggie of
basil, I can go to my gardenand pick up a handful free.
So that's one of my big things.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
You got to eat.
You know Absolutely, and youknow exactly how you grew those
fruits and vegetables.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, I know what's in them and I like to have
guests at my table and I'm happyto tell them.
This came from my garden andthis I.
You know, air dried last springand now I have it all winter.
So I picked up my Asian cookinga little bit more too, simply
because of the cultures that Ideal with.
I'd say 90 percent of mypersonal friends are from some
(11:11):
Asian culture, primarily Chinese, but but also Vietnamese and
Cambodian and everything inbetween.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Beautiful.
Let's change gears.
Can you describe one hardship,steve, or one of life's
challenge that you rose above,and can I say, because of it,
you're better, you're stronger,what comes to your mind.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
There was a time in the radio business that a
company could only own five, andthen later seven, and then
later 12 radio stations.
And now we have companies thatthen later 12 radio stations,
and now we have companies thatown hundreds of radio stations.
And during that transitionperiod from a small ownership to
big corporate ownership a lotof people lost their jobs.
A lot of consolidation, a lotof automation, a lot of
(11:54):
centralizing programming in oneplace and spreading it out.
So it was on 27 radio stationsacross the country.
Because of that and because ofthe fact that I've been around
forever, I've relocated ahandful of time and there's
always a hardship there.
But I think it taught me to beversatile and it made me learn
(12:14):
about different states,different cities, different
cultures, different backgrounds.
So I've lived in California andin Texas, in Florida and in New
York and in Ohio and in Indiana, and then I've worked in other
countries.
I was a teacher at a radioschool in Switzerland for a
couple of years.
So it's jarring to have tochange your lifestyle where you
live, get a new group of friends, learn a new job.
(12:36):
But I think that made mestretch a little bit.
I maybe hated it at the time,but when I look back on it as
I'm speaking to you, I think itwas a valuable experience.
It made me a lot less myopicthan some people are, who just
stay in one place forever.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Thank you.
So, steve, please tell ourlisteners one thing that they
should remember about ChinaAmerica Radios.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Well, one thing that we decided to do originally is
we understand that not everybodywill understand the language
the Mandarin or the Cantonesebut the music is really good.
It's very light FM sounding,it's boy bands and girl bands
and harmonies and rhythmic andall of that.
And we have a player on ourwebsite which you can click on
(13:19):
and hear the music and it's free.
We wanted to protect theprivacy, which is a big thing in
the Chinese culture, so wedidn't ask people to sign up for
anything.
It's just there.
We make our money based oncommercials and advertising, but
on our player on screen wetranslated the title of the song
into English and we put thesinger's name in English there
(13:41):
as well.
So if they like what thatsinger sounds like, they can go
on YouTube and put in thatperson's name in English and
their music videos and othersongs and stuff will pop up.
So we've sort of becomeone-stop shopping for people who
are curious about or interestedin the Chinese pop music world.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Okay, thank you.
And how can our listeners learnmore about China?
America Radio.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
They can learn more about it by visiting our website
, which is Chinamerica Radio.
All one long word China.
It's not China, america, it'sChinamerica.
One word radiocom.
And listen, live up in thecorner, click on it, turn on
your speakers, sit back, relax,enjoy.
We have video stories, audiointerviews, podcasts that you
can listen to.
We have pictures of our stationin action, at events, in places
(14:29):
.
I'll say, the name of the singerand the song displayed on the
screen so you can learn a littlebit more about them.
But I think by looking at ourwebsite and going to the various
pages.
Plus, we've archived all of ourvideo and audio interviews
going back to when we started in2007.
So we have a good collectionand we have a reporter that
works for us, who's mostly inthe Washington DC area, who's
(14:52):
done some really extraordinaryvideo stories and interviews,
and whenever I travel, I take myvideo camera with me and we
produce documentaries aboutwhatever.
Like.
I was in Taiwan this spring andwe went to a tea farm and showed
how tea is grown and processed.
So we went from tea farm toteacup and we went to a village,
(15:13):
a tiny little village north ofTaipei called the Cat Village
Hutong, and it's a villagevillage, a tiny little village
north of Taipei called the CatVillage Hutong, and it's a
village that was a coal miningtown and people moved out when
coal mining died and peoplemoved in because it was cheap
and most of those people hadcats, and now cats run the town.
There's like hundreds of catsand the city takes care of them.
So as soon as you get off thetrain.
There's cats in the trainstation waiting for you, and we
(15:33):
have a video on that as well.
Cats in the train stationwaiting for you, and we have a
video on that as well.
So interesting things you runinto when you're plopped down
into another culture.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Thank you, Stephen.
I also really appreciate youbeing on the show with us this
morning.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
We wish you and your business, China America Radio,
all the best moving forward.
Thanks, Yvonne.
I appreciate having you talk tome this early in the morning.
I don't normally see anotherperson until after lunch.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Well, we appreciate you Again, good luck, and we
thank you for joining us thismorning In.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Chinese, that would be xie xie ni, thank you.
And zai jian, which is goodbye,xie xie, ni.
Xie xie ni, thank you.
And zai jian, which is goodbye,xie xie, ni, xie xie, ni, xie
xie ni.
Yeah, that's thank you, or xiexie is just thanks, xie xie ni.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Okay, and then how do you say Zai jian is goodbye Zai
jian Zai jian Zai jian X.
You got it.
And for our listeners, if youwould like to promote your
business on the Good Neighborpodcast, please reach out to us.
We specialize in businessbranding and proudly publish
(16:47):
Swampskid Neighbors magazine,which reaches approximately 3000
homes in the Swampskid,Massachusetts area on a monthly
basis.
Thank you for listening.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPNorthshorecom.
That's GNPNorthshorecom, orcall 857-703-9406.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, YuhuanGodfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good morning and welcome to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
Are you in need of a Chinesepop radio station that operates
24-7 and is globally found?
Well, today in our studio, wehave Steve Warren, owner of
China America Radio Station.
Steve, welcome to our podcast.
(00:32):
We thank you for being with usthis morning.
How are you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I'm doing fine.
Thank you, Yolanda.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
Steve, we're thrilled to haveyou here and we're eager to
learn more about your business.
But before we dive in, I'd liketo share two important things
about the Good Neighbor podcast.
It launched during COVID-19 toshine a spotlight on local
business throughout the NorthShore community and help
reconnect them with theirtargeted audience.
(00:59):
Once again, we're reallyexcited to have you here with us
today.
Can you tell us about yourcompany, Steve?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Yes, my company, the parent company that I started
back in 1987, is called MORMedia, and we started because I
was a radio person on the airand program director at a lot of
different stations and citiesaround the country.
So we started MOR Media as aconsulting company to help radio
stations get off the ground orchange format or do whatever it
(01:28):
is they needed to do.
And the outgrowth of that isthat we started producing our
own programs and I ended upgoing to work for Sirius XM
Satellite Radio, which was a24-hour, seven-day-a-week
delivery system that got a lotof niche formats out into the
population that probablywouldn't have gotten to the
(01:49):
population had it just been onlocal stations, one by one
around the country.
So in 2007, just ahead of theBeijing Olympics Summer Olympics
we started China America Radiobecause we looked around and saw
that there really wasn't anyChinese radio stations except a
handful of little AM stations inthe Bay Area or even around
(02:09):
here in New York, and theyprimarily did not play any pop
music, they were basically talkshows and things that were done
in Cantonese or Mandarin.
So we started a 24-hourstreaming radio station along
with a partner that I found thatwas working here in New York
for a Chinese company.
He was very familiar with thepop culture and brought some of
his music CDs with him to keepcompany.
(02:32):
And I said that music's prettygood.
It's not the stuff that youthink about when you think about
Chinese music, like the guy inthe subway that plays a
one-stringed instrument, or thedrums and the horns and the
cymbals that you see in theparades, or the Monkey King, or
you know traditional Chinese,but there's a big pop culture in
both the Cantonese and Mandarinworlds that most people don't
(02:53):
know about.
But if you go to any majorChinese city or Taiwan, your
host will want to take you outto a karaoke club and sing along
, and these are the singers andthe songs that you would be
subjected to.
So we started it in 2007.
And here we are, this manyyears later, streaming, and New
York has got a lot of Chinesepeople in various pockets around
(03:16):
the city, whether it's Flushingor Brooklyn Sunset Park.
Those areas and those people,as generations have progressed,
have gravitated actually intoNassau County particularly, and
there are a number ofcommunities with large Chinese
populations throughout NassauCounty and it continues to grow.
So here we are.
(03:37):
So wherever you are, whetheryou're in Hempstead or whether
you're in Indianapolis, you canhear our station Wonderful.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Appreciate all that you just shared.
You've also shared with us howyou got into the business, but
can you expand a little bit morein terms of consultation and
service that you provide toother radio stations?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Well, there was a time that most radio stations
not only had their localmanagement team in place, their
program director, their manager,their salespeople, but a lot of
times they were not terriblyskilled at programming.
Local management team in place,their program director, their
manager, their salespeople, buta lot of times they were not
terribly skilled at programmingand reaching out to the audience
in an effective way.
So we started MOR Media, whichstood for Mature Oriented Radio,
(04:17):
working with stations that hadadult formats, and we did
country music, big band, we didjazz, we did talk programs and
that was our niche for helpingstations do that.
And actually because of ourconsulting company, we got
brought in to work with SiriusSatellite Radio and programmed
(04:38):
all of their country musicchannels and then they brought
me in full time on staff to bethe program manager.
Now many of the New York peopleand Long Island people might
remember hearing me on New YorkCity radio stations because I
was a DJ on all of the countrystations, back to WHN in the 70s
and then Kick FM and then WKHKand then also I was on WNBC and
(05:02):
a few other stations that peoplemay remember and we had a big
listenership in Long Island.
So I guess maybe some of thepeople of my demographic might
remember my name, but it's allI've ever done really.
I started in radio broadcastingback in Indiana in the early
60s.
My dad was actually a part-timeDJ in the Louisville Kentucky
(05:24):
area so I got dragged to workwith him from time to time and
my high school back in Indianahas the first FM station that
was ever in a high school in theUS, going back to 1948.
So it's kind of in my blood.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Okay, I appreciate that.
Now is this a one-man operation.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
No, actually we have.
Well, I'm kind of the puppeteer, the puppet master, but I have
about five or six other people,all of whom are Chinese, who do
various chores to help me selectthe music, help us.
We do a lot of promotions.
We go out in person and playmusic.
We go to parades, we go totrade shows, set up our booth,
(06:02):
we have a big inflatable panda,we play the music.
So I have people we can call ondepending on where we're going
to be and what we're going to do, and also people that speak a
variety of Chinese dialects.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Okay, by the way, do you speak Chinese?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Dui Dui Boishwa yi.
Diar potokwa, I speak a littlebadly.
Usually there's somebody aroundme who can pick up the slack.
I travel to China frequently.
I was just there this pastspring, in Taipei as well as
over in Beijing, so I've beenthere frequently enough to know
how to deal with day-to-daystuff.
(06:38):
I couldn't carry on any deepphilosophical conversation, but
I can check in and out of thehotel and order a meal and not
make a fool of myself.
Well, maybe I do make a fool ofmyself, but I'm unaware of it.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Okay, all right.
So, steve, are there anymisconceptions or myths about
China America radio station orradio station in general that
you partner with and help themthrough certain areas of
uncertainty?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Well, I think the biggest misconception and I get
asked this frequently is that Ithink most non-Asian people tend
to lump the Asian communitiesplural into one bundle.
People tend to lump the Asiancommunities plural into one
bundle.
They made the same mistake 30,40, 50 years ago with the
(07:28):
Hispanic population, thinkingthat the people from Mexico are
the same as the people from Cuba, are the same as the people
from Madrid.
So I think probably theeducation of people knowing that
there are different Chinesecultures and different languages
and different places in theworld where the people have
lived and come from, goes a longway toward helping people
explain that there aredifferences in the culture and
(07:51):
that you have to kind of want tolearn a little bit about people
.
You may have a family thatlives down the street from you.
They may appear physically tobe Asian, but do you know beyond
that who and what they are,where they came from, what their
background is?
It's a vast culture, it's thelargest ethnic population in the
world and you can't go to anycountry anywhere and not find a
(08:13):
Chinese community of some size.
And so I think those of us whodon't understand much about the
Chinese culture owe it toourselves to put on our learning
cap and try to be a little moreI guess, a little more educated
, and don't assume that Koreansand Filipinos and Chinese and
Japanese are all the same people, because it's totally different
(08:33):
.
As I mentioned, it's the samemistake that the Hispanic radio
broadcasters made back in the1950s and 60s.
They think anything Spanishwould fall on the same ears.
Now you can go anywhere in thecountry and find a multitude of
different Hispanic music radio.
So that's the biggestmisconception and it's a general
(08:55):
misconception, not specific toradio.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I love the comparison .
It gives more depth to how youexplain that.
Thank you, not just for myself,I'm sure for others.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Well, you have to think about it, but somebody has
to call it to your attention inthe first place, and that's
kind of what we try to do.
That's why we take our radiostation to trade shows and to
business expos and places, justto expose the fact that there is
a pop music culture and itvaries depending on where the
music comes from.
Most of the Mandarin musiccomes from Taiwan.
(09:26):
Most of the Cantonese musiccomes from Hong Kong and yet
there are still some ChineseAmerican artists that do very
well and many of the Chinesesingers come here to our
neighborhood and they willperform in Atlantic City or
Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun and sellout 5000 Seed Arena.
As I like to say, everybodyknows about those concerts
(09:49):
except white people, the blackpeople and the Spanish people,
but everybody else knows aboutthem and let's try and bring
more awareness to them,hopefully.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
So.
Steve, outside of work, what doyou do for fun?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
I'm kind of a foodie.
I like shopping for food, Ilike cooking food, I have a
decent wine collection and I'vetraveled to many countries in
the world I think something like19.
I used to teach at a radioschool in Switzerland.
I enjoy travel.
As I say, going to Asia now ona regular basis is pretty time
(10:22):
consuming just the travel itselfand exhausting.
But I have a garden so I plantstuff, and mostly herbs that I
go buy and pick.
Instead of going to Whole Foodsand spending $5 for a baggie of
basil, I can go to my gardenand pick up a handful free.
So that's one of my big things.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
You got to eat.
You know Absolutely, and youknow exactly how you grew those
fruits and vegetables.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, I know what's in them and I like to have
guests at my table and I'm happyto tell them.
This came from my garden andthis I.
You know, air dried last springand now I have it all winter.
So I picked up my Asian cookinga little bit more too, simply
because of the cultures that Ideal with.
I'd say 90 percent of mypersonal friends are from some
(11:11):
Asian culture, primarily Chinese, but but also Vietnamese and
Cambodian and everything inbetween.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Beautiful.
Let's change gears.
Can you describe one hardship,steve, or one of life's
challenge that you rose above,and can I say, because of it,
you're better, you're stronger,what comes to your mind.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
There was a time in the radio business that a
company could only own five, andthen later seven, and then
later 12 radio stations.
And now we have companies thatthen later 12 radio stations,
and now we have companies thatown hundreds of radio stations.
And during that transitionperiod from a small ownership to
big corporate ownership a lotof people lost their jobs.
A lot of consolidation, a lotof automation, a lot of
(11:54):
centralizing programming in oneplace and spreading it out.
So it was on 27 radio stationsacross the country.
Because of that and because ofthe fact that I've been around
forever, I've relocated ahandful of time and there's
always a hardship there.
But I think it taught me to beversatile and it made me learn
(12:14):
about different states,different cities, different
cultures, different backgrounds.
So I've lived in California andin Texas, in Florida and in New
York and in Ohio and in Indiana, and then I've worked in other
countries.
I was a teacher at a radioschool in Switzerland for a
couple of years.
So it's jarring to have tochange your lifestyle where you
live, get a new group of friends, learn a new job.
(12:36):
But I think that made mestretch a little bit.
I maybe hated it at the time,but when I look back on it as
I'm speaking to you, I think itwas a valuable experience.
It made me a lot less myopicthan some people are, who just
stay in one place forever.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Thank you.
So, steve, please tell ourlisteners one thing that they
should remember about ChinaAmerica Radios.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Well, one thing that we decided to do originally is
we understand that not everybodywill understand the language
the Mandarin or the Cantonesebut the music is really good.
It's very light FM sounding,it's boy bands and girl bands
and harmonies and rhythmic andall of that.
And we have a player on ourwebsite which you can click on
(13:19):
and hear the music and it's free.
We wanted to protect theprivacy, which is a big thing in
the Chinese culture, so wedidn't ask people to sign up for
anything.
It's just there.
We make our money based oncommercials and advertising, but
on our player on screen wetranslated the title of the song
into English and we put thesinger's name in English there
(13:41):
as well.
So if they like what thatsinger sounds like, they can go
on YouTube and put in thatperson's name in English and
their music videos and othersongs and stuff will pop up.
So we've sort of becomeone-stop shopping for people who
are curious about or interestedin the Chinese pop music world.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Okay, thank you.
And how can our listeners learnmore about China?
America Radio.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
They can learn more about it by visiting our website
, which is Chinamerica Radio.
All one long word China.
It's not China, america, it'sChinamerica.
One word radiocom.
And listen, live up in thecorner, click on it, turn on
your speakers, sit back, relax,enjoy.
We have video stories, audiointerviews, podcasts that you
can listen to.
We have pictures of our stationin action, at events, in places
(14:29):
.
I'll say, the name of the singerand the song displayed on the
screen so you can learn a littlebit more about them.
But I think by looking at ourwebsite and going to the various
pages.
Plus, we've archived all of ourvideo and audio interviews
going back to when we started in2007.
So we have a good collectionand we have a reporter that
works for us, who's mostly inthe Washington DC area, who's
(14:52):
done some really extraordinaryvideo stories and interviews,
and whenever I travel, I take myvideo camera with me and we
produce documentaries aboutwhatever.
Like.
I was in Taiwan this spring andwe went to a tea farm and showed
how tea is grown and processed.
So we went from tea farm toteacup and we went to a village,
(15:13):
a tiny little village north ofTaipei called the Cat Village
Hutong, and it's a villagevillage, a tiny little village
north of Taipei called the CatVillage Hutong, and it's a
village that was a coal miningtown and people moved out when
coal mining died and peoplemoved in because it was cheap
and most of those people hadcats, and now cats run the town.
There's like hundreds of catsand the city takes care of them.
So as soon as you get off thetrain.
There's cats in the trainstation waiting for you, and we
(15:33):
have a video on that as well.
Cats in the train stationwaiting for you, and we have a
video on that as well.
So interesting things you runinto when you're plopped down
into another culture.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Thank you, Stephen.
I also really appreciate youbeing on the show with us this
morning.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
We wish you and your business, China America Radio,
all the best moving forward.
Thanks, Yvonne.
I appreciate having you talk tome this early in the morning.
I don't normally see anotherperson until after lunch.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Well, we appreciate you Again, good luck, and we
thank you for joining us thismorning In.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Chinese, that would be xie xie ni, thank you.
And zai jian, which is goodbye,xie xie, ni.
Xie xie ni, thank you.
And zai jian, which is goodbye,xie xie, ni, xie xie, ni, xie
xie ni.
Yeah, that's thank you, or xiexie is just thanks, xie xie ni.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Okay, and then how do you say Zai jian is goodbye Zai
jian Zai jian Zai jian X.
You got it.
And for our listeners, if youwould like to promote your
business on the Good Neighborpodcast, please reach out to us.
We specialize in businessbranding and proudly publish
(16:47):
Swampskid Neighbors magazine,which reaches approximately 3000
homes in the Swampskid,Massachusetts area on a monthly
basis.
Thank you for listening.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPNorthshorecom.
That's GNPNorthshorecom, orcall 857-703-9406.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.