May 13, 2025 • 19 mins
Radio jobs, on-air & traffic controller
Adam Schartoff shares his journey from traffic director to on-air personality at independent radio station WKZE, talking about the creative aspects of connecting with listeners through music and conversation. With good advice about breaking into the industry. Give it a listen!
Topics
0:00 Meeting Adam Shartoff from WKZE
1:31 The Role of a Traffic Director
2:48 On-Air Responsibilities and Features
5:23 Breaking into Radio as a Career
9:13 Human Connection vs. AI in Radio
14:25 Film Wax Podcast and Closing Advice
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Music credit: Kate Pierson & Monica Nation
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
because it is kind of a coveted thing, right, people
love the idea of being on theair.
It's a it's a special way ofconnecting hi, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'm a curious journalist that always want to
know what people do for a livingand how much they can earn.
So here we are.
If you're ever interested ingetting into radio, this is the
one to listen to.
So so we are here with AdamShartoff from WKZE, which is a
station I listen to all the time.
I love their music, I lovetheir programs.
(00:33):
They're fantastic.
So welcome.
Thank you very much for yourtime.
Thank you, murav.
Thank you for inviting me.
Of course, let's start bytelling us what is it that you
do here at the radio station?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
We're a very small operation, wkze that is, so I do
a number of things, but I washired to be the traffic director
.
And what the traffic directordoes?
We have salespeople who getadvertisers to buy ads on our
station.
They have a contract.
You know the advertiser, sothey may want a certain number
(01:13):
of ads to run at certain timesof the week or day, so I am the
person who is responsible formaking sure that those contracts
are fulfilled correctly.
So let's say, you want toadvertise with us and you want
to buy 10 spots and you wantthem to run throughout the week
and you want them to run just inthe morning, during the morning
drive period.
Right, with the software I useas the traffic director, I make
sure that they go into thoseplaces and then it gets combined
with the music and you know,and that's how it works.
(01:35):
So it's called traffic.
It's a lot more involved thanI'm making it sound, but that's
the in a nutshell.
That's who they, what theyneeded when they hired me, and
but it turns out that prettymuch anybody that works here can
be on the air.
It may not be like a whole bigshift from, you know, in the
middle of the day, but they'llfind a shift for you if you want
(01:56):
to do it.
So it may be on, let's say, aSaturday afternoon for a couple
of hours.
But it so happened thatsomebody left shortly after I
came here who was in the middle,you know the middle shift of
the day, so from 10 to 3weekdays.
So I got that shift and I'vebeen doing it for a few years
now, I guess so what, what kindof things you do on air?
(02:16):
uh well, one thing is you.
You let people know the songsthey just heard.
That's called for thoselistening.
This is inside term backselling.
So you know, if we're comingout of like four songs that
played in a row, then I theyjust heard, that's called for
those listening.
This is inside term backselling.
So you know, if we're comingout of like four songs that
played in a row, then I wouldcome on and say you just heard,
and I would tell people the songthey just heard.
And then work my way backward tothe last break.
(02:36):
I may do the weather.
I might talk about one of ouradvertisers, because that's part
of a contract.
It might be not just a recordedadvertisement, but you may also
, as an advertiser, you also maywant the host to also talk
about your business on the airas well.
That could be part of thecontract.
And then I have some featuresthat I do.
(02:58):
One I introduced called theFilm Club, which is every week.
This is just my own invention,but I choose because I have a
lot of film knowledge.
So I bring every week adifferent film or theme at one
o'clock every day and I'll playa song from the soundtrack, a
different song, each of the fivedays of that week and then tell
(03:19):
an anecdote about the film.
People seem to like it.
One way you know that it'sgrowing in popularity is that
one of our advertisers, or morethan one of them, will sponsor
it.
So that's also part of acontract, so they may sponsor a
feature.
We have lots of differentfeatures, not just the film club
.
There's all sorts of otherfeatures.
Rick, who you just met in themornings, he has something
(03:40):
called Good News where he talksabout something back in the past
on the same day that happened.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
With a, you know, a positive slant typically, and
that's a feature.
And then, like MK, who's ourafternoon drive she's after me
she has one I'm just mentioningone feature called Vinyl Vault,
where she plays something youknow from the past.
You may not typically hear onKZE.
Or she has one called the SkiTrail Report, which is talking
(04:10):
about what's going on with theweather and the mountains and
the ski.
You know, if you're a skier youwant to kind of know how good
the skiing might be.
So she talks about that.
And those are sponsored by.
We have two ski resort sponsors.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
So that's nice.
Do you have total freedom tochoose what you want to talk
about in your shows?
Speaker 1 (04:29):
That's a great question, marav.
Yes and no, we're anon-political station and I
would love to be able to.
That's why I like your station,okay, yeah, it's a break from
that, it's true.
I mean, at my impulses, I wouldlove to be able to talk about
what's bothering me or what'smaking me feel positive about,
you know, things going on in theworld right these days.
It seems to be more the formerthan the latter.
(04:50):
It's more of what's botheringme.
There's a lot to talk about, butthat's not our station.
We're a music station.
You know, we have a very goodgeneral manager here and he said
let your music, your choices ofsongs, speak for you.
So I try to do that.
So I'll play songs, obviouslynot every song, only a small
portion, but I'll choose somesongs which speak for my morals,
(05:12):
my values, my politics.
So we have to keep it more orless to the music side of things
.
However, I can certainly talkabout what's going on in my life
.
I can talk about things thatare on in my life, you know.
I can talk about, you know,things that are on my mind, as I
do.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Is the on-air your favorite thing to do here?
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yes, it has been, but it's sort of evolving.
I loved being on the air.
You know I'm still relativelynew to it.
I mean, I've only been doing itfor about two or three years
three close to three years sothat I'm finding I'm getting to
a place that I'm really enjoying, finding a very gratifying.
On the other hand, anotherthing that I do here you know
(05:55):
I've talked about the trafficresponsibility and then I'm on
there, but there's also a oneother area that I am primarily
responsible for, which isscheduling the interviews for
everybody, not just me.
I try to bring as manymusicians that are playing in
the community, you know, aroundthe Hudson Valley and Berkshires
, as much as I can.
What I've really grown to loveis the relationships that I have
(06:18):
created.
It's such an opportunity for meto support musicians in the
community and that has reallyrecently become something that I
really love to do and realizewhat a gift it is.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yeah, do you remember the first time you were on
there?
Were you excited, were younervous?
I was nervous wreck.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Yeah, I don't know what the heck I was doing, and
then I went home because Ipre-recorded it.
What?
was the show about oh it wasjust music, I mean, but I just
introduced songs and I just Iremember going home that night
and turning it on and reallybeing, wow, this is surreal.
It's like you know.
It was like who's listening?
I have no idea.
Like, are people listening tothis?
(06:56):
How many people?
I have no idea.
I still really don't know.
Yeah, there's not really a wayto know.
No, no, we don't only have theFM airways, we stream to
countless people all over theplace.
I mean, people listeninternationally and anybody with
an internet can, of course,listen.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So if somebody wants to break into radio, what would
be the best way for them tobreak in?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Well, if you're young and you are high school even, I
would say you can reach out toyou, know whatever radio
stations there are in your areaand let them know that you would
be interested in an internship.
I think that's the best way fora young person who is either
high school or college age tobreak into radio.
That is for any job, but ifsomebody is dreaming of being an
on-air talent or DJ, like yousaid, well, there's very few DJ
jobs, you know, I mean, and muchof the radio industry is
(07:49):
corporate now, so it's not aneasy business to break into, but
that should not be a deterrentto anybody if there's something
that they really want to do.
I fell into it very late inlife, not that I wasn't
appropriate with my background.
I have a lot of mediabackground and I talk into
microphones.
Historically quite a lot that'sthe name of my memoir.
I talk into microphones.
(08:10):
You know, don't be shy to reachout to radio stations, no
matter what your age.
If you're at a college age, byall means worm your way into the
college station that so manycolleges have, and that's a
perfect place to start.
But you know, even podcasting,you get used to the microphone.
You get used to how to talkinto a microphone.
(08:30):
You learn how to develop youron-air personality, which should
be an extension of yourauthentic self.
If you're clever and if you aremotivated, just reach out to
your local radio station and letthem know that if there's
anything that you can do to beof help and connect, just start
showing up.
If they have events andsometimes it could be, for
(08:52):
instance, at WKZE, where I workwe have sales jobs that we need
salespeople.
Now, that's not an easy job.
Sales is not easy.
We support salespeople.
They don't have to necessarilycome, in our case here with lots
of experience in sales.
It helps, but it's not required, because we actually like the
idea of training somebody fromscratch.
(09:13):
That's not a bad thing ifthey're really motivated.
The difficult thing is that it'sa basically like any sales job,
a commission based type of job,right?
So it's hard for somebody who'sgot a family, for instance, to
transition into a sales jobunless they have other sources
of income.
Right, it's better for somebodywho's young and who still has
some support system or retireeor something like that.
(09:35):
However, if you have other waysof making money, maybe you do a
part time, but what a greatopportunity to be a salesperson
here, because there are so manyindependent businesses and then
if you're a salesperson here,you would get a shift.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Right, so you come in in any which way you can, yeah,
and then you get to know thepeople you can, yeah, and then
you get to know the people.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Yeah, sometimes it's a matter of just being open to
and being more imaginative or orclever about how you break into
a business you're interested in.
It's not always like, just Iwant to be a dj because it's.
It is kind of a coveted thing,right, people love the idea of
being on the air.
It's a, it is a special way ofconnecting.
But I I let your listeners knowI'm I'm 60, know plus, years
old, and I only got startedworking in my 50s and so I was
(10:20):
not a young spring chicken.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So I thought you were going to say that, in order to
be a DJ, you need to have a goodvoice.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh well, it helps.
You know things have changed alot too and that way.
You know there is that thinghistorically called the voice of
God, that baritone.
You know things have changed alot too in that way.
You know there is that thinghistorically called the voice of
God, that baritone, you know,and that whole style, but
nobody's interested.
People aren't really interested.
Nobody talks that way.
I never thought that was coolmyself.
I like a voice with character,don't you?
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Yeah, yeah, I think listeners like voice with
character definitely.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
I think listeners like voice with character.
Definitely I think so.
I think we've evolved as aculture and people now kind of
want to be able to relate to aDJ and that's why they connect
to a station, because they likethe personalities of the DJs
Right and they can relate tothem on some level.
When you're inside somebody'shead, that's not a subtle thing,
that's a big deal, and a lot ofpeople really form
relationships with DJs and it'sagain a gift.
(11:17):
You know, it's a really lovelything to be able to do, so I try
to honor that.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
How much money can a DJ?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
make.
I'm afraid I don't have a greatanswer.
I would Google something likethat.
I could be serious because Idon't know.
I think there must be a really,really broad range.
It's a good business to get inon the younger end only because
it's not a big paying jobnecessarily.
You know you can build a careerand then if you're young you
can move on to other stations Ifyou're kind of more ambitious
(11:43):
and where there might be moremoney.
There is a huge range.
We're a little.
We are a very small independentstation.
We just happen to connect to alarge audience because this area
of the country is really intomusic, like it's a big thing up
here.
There's a history of it here,so we're very fortunate.
I don't know that thisoperation would work just
anywhere in the country, but itcan work here and maybe a couple
(12:04):
of other places.
So I'm not sure.
But you know you can.
Once you're inside I'm sure youcan make a living, but you may
not get rich.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
You mentioned streaming.
How did streaming hurt or helpradio it?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
only helped.
It's a benefit because, well,first of all, you're now, as
audio content goes, we'recompeting now with podcasts,
we're competing with audio books.
Audio has just gotten so big inthe last 10 years.
But my sense and I don't knowthat, I'm an expert on this, but
my sense is that streaming hasonly been help, it's broadened
the audience and, yeah, it canonly to me, be a help I suspect
(12:41):
you're right.
Anyway, I'd like to know what isthe challenge you run into
mostly well, I mean, I have justtechnical things, like I'm very
detail-oriented person, uh, andit's it's the whole parts of
traffic and also the there's anassociated billing process that
I am responsible for.
Oh, that's a headache.
It's a headache for me.
(13:02):
I don't, I'm not an accountant.
It's so detail oriented andevery contract is different, so
every billing can be slightlydifferent, and keeping on top of
all that is a it's a real jobfor somebody who, you know, is
really good at it, and I justhappen to be detail-oriented.
So I'm not bad at it and I'vegotten much better over the
years doing it.
But you know, if I wasn't doingit tomorrow, I wouldn't miss it
(13:24):
.
So, but that's probably thebiggest challenge of the job.
Yeah, and what's the biggestreward?
Well, I said, uh, myrelationship with the community
of musicians is probably thebiggest reward, I think.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You know, many times I listen to articles that are
read by AI.
Newspaper articles areavailable.
Is this coming to radio?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
too, will you think, oh, I'm sure that there are
companies trying to figure thatout or have, or you know.
But and there may be a way AIcan support what we even do at a
place like this, but that's notgoing to play a role at this
radio station because,specifically, what we're
offering is human beings.
It's not like I'm against AI onsome, just on a central level
(14:07):
of some sort, I'm not.
I mean, you know, I think we'rein such an early stage of
learning how to create arelationship with AI, so I think
that we could get there.
What we're doing here.
We're not going to employ AIanytime soon.
For that we have human beingsand that's what people like
about our station.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Yeah, that's what I like about it.
I want to talk about yourpodcast, Film Wax.
When exactly did you start it?
You have lots of episodes.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I was an early podcaster.
In a sense.
I started in 2011.
You know, at the time nobodyknew how to do a podcast.
I had to figure it out on myown.
Tell us what the podcast isabout.
It's an interview-based show.
Well, it's there to supportindependent film primarily.
You know, whether it's adirector or an actor or a
cinematographer or an editor, ormaybe it's a film festival
(14:55):
director, you know, it might bea producer or it could be an
author of film book, of a filmbook, or there's all sorts of
people in the film industry andit's but it's primarily non
Hollywood, non studio filmpeople that I have on.
There have been exceptions.
I also can't occasionally bringon a musician, not just a film
(15:17):
score or somebody who's writtenmusic, for I'm talking about
just a musician I like or I'minterested in talking to, or an
author or somebody, an artist Ijust want to like, occasionally
talk to somebody outside of thefilm world, but it's primarily
film people.
I mean, you know, if you reallylisten to like dipped into my
show, you could.
It's like going to film school.
You know, if you really listento like dipped into the my show,
you could.
It's like going to film school.
You learn, like I have.
(15:38):
Like when I started I knew somethings, but through doing the
show I'm like you know, I haveexpertise, you know, on film.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
It's all into you.
What is your favorite interviewso far?
Oh my God, You're off.
That's a hard.
That is so hard, if you checkout my podcast.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
There's like really getting 800.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah, 900,.
I think I read.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
It's getting there.
No, it's not at 900 yet, butit's at 840 or something.
And then often there's multipleinterviews.
It's insane.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I saw you have some really good people on your, oh
yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
So you asked me what my favorites.
I mean you know I've had onsome real heroes.
You know I always bring up likeWerner Herzog.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Oh, that was great I listened to that.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
No, you did.
And you know as prepared as I'dlike to be, you really have to
ramp it up for Werner Herzog,and I wasn't quite prepared that
he had as much time as he had,and so I was like just asking
questions I wasn, he said hewasn't.
I'm not in that I should ask mesomething.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
And then but I thought, oh, no, oh my God,
you're imitating him Great.
Yes, I can do a little bit.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
And oh my God, I mean I don't even know where to
start with in terms of.
And then you know, justsometimes it's a first time
filmmaker who you know, nobody'sheard of per se.
But it's a special conversationyou know I just had on the
actor Griffin Dunn.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yes, I saw that yes.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Which is such a nice thing to be able to have that
kind of relationship with peopleand to support their careers.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah, okay.
So if you're a music lover,listen to WKZ.
It's a fantastic station.
It really is.
They play great music.
By the way, I love Women ofNote on Sunday.
Oh yeah, what a show.
Therese.
Therese Baptiste, she's great,she's fantastic.
And her husband after that isalso very good.
Ex-husband.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Oh, ex-husband.
But yes, Paul, he's gotNightshade.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
So if you're a music lover, listen to Wkze and if you
want to get into film,interested in indie films, you
should definitely listen to filmwax.
That's the podcast.
You can find it anywhere.
Podcasted broadcast.
That's right, all right wow,thank you adam, thank you so
much, that was so interesting.
I'm glad you, glad you reach outnow, when I will listen to kze,
(17:57):
I'll have a picture in mind.
Yeah, but just you know againmy, my last words, I want to say
to people again who want to getinto Now, when I will listen to
KZ, I'll have a picture in mindof what the place is like, yeah
, but just you know.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
again, my last words I want to say to people again
who want to get into radio,because it's not an easy
business to get into, but peopleare generally friendly and
willing to talk to you.
So don't be shy.
Whatever you want to get into,you have to get over being shy,
you know, that's my last bit ofadvice.
It's not easy because so manypeople wanting to be on air
(18:26):
talent, you think.
I think so.
I think that everybody thinksthey're, you know, got the
greatest taste, that they're andthat they're entertaining and,
um, and many people are.
You know, it's just a veryromantic kind of job, isn't it?
I mean, yeah, just to talk andtalk about music and I mean it's
a great job.
Again.
I mean, you know, it wouldnwouldn't hurt if my salary was a
little higher.
So yes, I'll be doing this whenI'm 90 years old.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
All right, thank you.
Thank you so much.
Okay, that's a wrap for today.
If you have a comment orquestion or would like us to
cover a certain job, please letus know.
Visit our website athowmuchcanimakeinfo.
We would love to hear from you.
And, on your way out, don'tforget to subscribe and share
(19:09):
this episode with anyone who iscurious about their next job.
See you next time.
because it is kind of a coveted thing, right, people
love the idea of being on theair.
It's a it's a special way ofconnecting hi, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'm a curious journalist that always want to
know what people do for a livingand how much they can earn.
So here we are.
If you're ever interested ingetting into radio, this is the
one to listen to.
So so we are here with AdamShartoff from WKZE, which is a
station I listen to all the time.
I love their music, I lovetheir programs.
(00:33):
They're fantastic.
So welcome.
Thank you very much for yourtime.
Thank you, murav.
Thank you for inviting me.
Of course, let's start bytelling us what is it that you
do here at the radio station?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
We're a very small operation, wkze that is, so I do
a number of things, but I washired to be the traffic director
.
And what the traffic directordoes?
We have salespeople who getadvertisers to buy ads on our
station.
They have a contract.
You know the advertiser, sothey may want a certain number
(01:13):
of ads to run at certain timesof the week or day, so I am the
person who is responsible formaking sure that those contracts
are fulfilled correctly.
So let's say, you want toadvertise with us and you want
to buy 10 spots and you wantthem to run throughout the week
and you want them to run just inthe morning, during the morning
drive period.
Right, with the software I useas the traffic director, I make
sure that they go into thoseplaces and then it gets combined
with the music and you know,and that's how it works.
(01:35):
So it's called traffic.
It's a lot more involved thanI'm making it sound, but that's
the in a nutshell.
That's who they, what theyneeded when they hired me, and
but it turns out that prettymuch anybody that works here can
be on the air.
It may not be like a whole bigshift from, you know, in the
middle of the day, but they'llfind a shift for you if you want
(01:56):
to do it.
So it may be on, let's say, aSaturday afternoon for a couple
of hours.
But it so happened thatsomebody left shortly after I
came here who was in the middle,you know the middle shift of
the day, so from 10 to 3weekdays.
So I got that shift and I'vebeen doing it for a few years
now, I guess so what, what kindof things you do on air?
(02:16):
uh well, one thing is you.
You let people know the songsthey just heard.
That's called for thoselistening.
This is inside term backselling.
So you know, if we're comingout of like four songs that
played in a row, then I theyjust heard, that's called for
those listening.
This is inside term backselling.
So you know, if we're comingout of like four songs that
played in a row, then I wouldcome on and say you just heard,
and I would tell people the songthey just heard.
And then work my way backward tothe last break.
(02:36):
I may do the weather.
I might talk about one of ouradvertisers, because that's part
of a contract.
It might be not just a recordedadvertisement, but you may also
, as an advertiser, you also maywant the host to also talk
about your business on the airas well.
That could be part of thecontract.
And then I have some featuresthat I do.
(02:58):
One I introduced called theFilm Club, which is every week.
This is just my own invention,but I choose because I have a
lot of film knowledge.
So I bring every week adifferent film or theme at one
o'clock every day and I'll playa song from the soundtrack, a
different song, each of the fivedays of that week and then tell
(03:19):
an anecdote about the film.
People seem to like it.
One way you know that it'sgrowing in popularity is that
one of our advertisers, or morethan one of them, will sponsor
it.
So that's also part of acontract, so they may sponsor a
feature.
We have lots of differentfeatures, not just the film club
.
There's all sorts of otherfeatures.
Rick, who you just met in themornings, he has something
(03:40):
called Good News where he talksabout something back in the past
on the same day that happened.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
With a, you know, a positive slant typically, and
that's a feature.
And then, like MK, who's ourafternoon drive she's after me
she has one I'm just mentioningone feature called Vinyl Vault,
where she plays something youknow from the past.
You may not typically hear onKZE.
Or she has one called the SkiTrail Report, which is talking
(04:10):
about what's going on with theweather and the mountains and
the ski.
You know, if you're a skier youwant to kind of know how good
the skiing might be.
So she talks about that.
And those are sponsored by.
We have two ski resort sponsors.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
So that's nice.
Do you have total freedom tochoose what you want to talk
about in your shows?
Speaker 1 (04:29):
That's a great question, marav.
Yes and no, we're anon-political station and I
would love to be able to.
That's why I like your station,okay, yeah, it's a break from
that, it's true.
I mean, at my impulses, I wouldlove to be able to talk about
what's bothering me or what'smaking me feel positive about,
you know, things going on in theworld right these days.
It seems to be more the formerthan the latter.
(04:50):
It's more of what's botheringme.
There's a lot to talk about, butthat's not our station.
We're a music station.
You know, we have a very goodgeneral manager here and he said
let your music, your choices ofsongs, speak for you.
So I try to do that.
So I'll play songs, obviouslynot every song, only a small
portion, but I'll choose somesongs which speak for my morals,
(05:12):
my values, my politics.
So we have to keep it more orless to the music side of things
.
However, I can certainly talkabout what's going on in my life
.
I can talk about things thatare on in my life, you know.
I can talk about, you know,things that are on my mind, as I
do.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Is the on-air your favorite thing to do here?
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yes, it has been, but it's sort of evolving.
I loved being on the air.
You know I'm still relativelynew to it.
I mean, I've only been doing itfor about two or three years
three close to three years sothat I'm finding I'm getting to
a place that I'm really enjoying, finding a very gratifying.
On the other hand, anotherthing that I do here you know
(05:55):
I've talked about the trafficresponsibility and then I'm on
there, but there's also a oneother area that I am primarily
responsible for, which isscheduling the interviews for
everybody, not just me.
I try to bring as manymusicians that are playing in
the community, you know, aroundthe Hudson Valley and Berkshires
, as much as I can.
What I've really grown to loveis the relationships that I have
(06:18):
created.
It's such an opportunity for meto support musicians in the
community and that has reallyrecently become something that I
really love to do and realizewhat a gift it is.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yeah, do you remember the first time you were on
there?
Were you excited, were younervous?
I was nervous wreck.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Yeah, I don't know what the heck I was doing, and
then I went home because Ipre-recorded it.
What?
was the show about oh it wasjust music, I mean, but I just
introduced songs and I just Iremember going home that night
and turning it on and reallybeing, wow, this is surreal.
It's like you know.
It was like who's listening?
I have no idea.
Like, are people listening tothis?
(06:56):
How many people?
I have no idea.
I still really don't know.
Yeah, there's not really a wayto know.
No, no, we don't only have theFM airways, we stream to
countless people all over theplace.
I mean, people listeninternationally and anybody with
an internet can, of course,listen.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So if somebody wants to break into radio, what would
be the best way for them tobreak in?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Well, if you're young and you are high school even, I
would say you can reach out toyou, know whatever radio
stations there are in your areaand let them know that you would
be interested in an internship.
I think that's the best way fora young person who is either
high school or college age tobreak into radio.
That is for any job, but ifsomebody is dreaming of being an
on-air talent or DJ, like yousaid, well, there's very few DJ
jobs, you know, I mean, and muchof the radio industry is
(07:49):
corporate now, so it's not aneasy business to break into, but
that should not be a deterrentto anybody if there's something
that they really want to do.
I fell into it very late inlife, not that I wasn't
appropriate with my background.
I have a lot of mediabackground and I talk into
microphones.
Historically quite a lot that'sthe name of my memoir.
I talk into microphones.
(08:10):
You know, don't be shy to reachout to radio stations, no
matter what your age.
If you're at a college age, byall means worm your way into the
college station that so manycolleges have, and that's a
perfect place to start.
But you know, even podcasting,you get used to the microphone.
You get used to how to talkinto a microphone.
(08:30):
You learn how to develop youron-air personality, which should
be an extension of yourauthentic self.
If you're clever and if you aremotivated, just reach out to
your local radio station and letthem know that if there's
anything that you can do to beof help and connect, just start
showing up.
If they have events andsometimes it could be, for
(08:52):
instance, at WKZE, where I workwe have sales jobs that we need
salespeople.
Now, that's not an easy job.
Sales is not easy.
We support salespeople.
They don't have to necessarilycome, in our case here with lots
of experience in sales.
It helps, but it's not required, because we actually like the
idea of training somebody fromscratch.
(09:13):
That's not a bad thing ifthey're really motivated.
The difficult thing is that it'sa basically like any sales job,
a commission based type of job,right?
So it's hard for somebody who'sgot a family, for instance, to
transition into a sales jobunless they have other sources
of income.
Right, it's better for somebodywho's young and who still has
some support system or retireeor something like that.
(09:35):
However, if you have other waysof making money, maybe you do a
part time, but what a greatopportunity to be a salesperson
here, because there are so manyindependent businesses and then
if you're a salesperson here,you would get a shift.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Right, so you come in in any which way you can, yeah,
and then you get to know thepeople you can, yeah, and then
you get to know the people.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Yeah, sometimes it's a matter of just being open to
and being more imaginative or orclever about how you break into
a business you're interested in.
It's not always like, just Iwant to be a dj because it's.
It is kind of a coveted thing,right, people love the idea of
being on the air.
It's a, it is a special way ofconnecting.
But I I let your listeners knowI'm I'm 60, know plus, years
old, and I only got startedworking in my 50s and so I was
(10:20):
not a young spring chicken.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So I thought you were going to say that, in order to
be a DJ, you need to have a goodvoice.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh well, it helps.
You know things have changed alot too and that way.
You know there is that thinghistorically called the voice of
God, that baritone.
You know things have changed alot too in that way.
You know there is that thinghistorically called the voice of
God, that baritone, you know,and that whole style, but
nobody's interested.
People aren't really interested.
Nobody talks that way.
I never thought that was coolmyself.
I like a voice with character,don't you?
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Yeah, yeah, I think listeners like voice with
character definitely.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
I think listeners like voice with character.
Definitely I think so.
I think we've evolved as aculture and people now kind of
want to be able to relate to aDJ and that's why they connect
to a station, because they likethe personalities of the DJs
Right and they can relate tothem on some level.
When you're inside somebody'shead, that's not a subtle thing,
that's a big deal, and a lot ofpeople really form
relationships with DJs and it'sagain a gift.
(11:17):
You know, it's a really lovelything to be able to do, so I try
to honor that.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
How much money can a DJ?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
make.
I'm afraid I don't have a greatanswer.
I would Google something likethat.
I could be serious because Idon't know.
I think there must be a really,really broad range.
It's a good business to get inon the younger end only because
it's not a big paying jobnecessarily.
You know you can build a careerand then if you're young you
can move on to other stations Ifyou're kind of more ambitious
(11:43):
and where there might be moremoney.
There is a huge range.
We're a little.
We are a very small independentstation.
We just happen to connect to alarge audience because this area
of the country is really intomusic, like it's a big thing up
here.
There's a history of it here,so we're very fortunate.
I don't know that thisoperation would work just
anywhere in the country, but itcan work here and maybe a couple
(12:04):
of other places.
So I'm not sure.
But you know you can.
Once you're inside I'm sure youcan make a living, but you may
not get rich.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
You mentioned streaming.
How did streaming hurt or helpradio it?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
only helped.
It's a benefit because, well,first of all, you're now, as
audio content goes, we'recompeting now with podcasts,
we're competing with audio books.
Audio has just gotten so big inthe last 10 years.
But my sense and I don't knowthat, I'm an expert on this, but
my sense is that streaming hasonly been help, it's broadened
the audience and, yeah, it canonly to me, be a help I suspect
(12:41):
you're right.
Anyway, I'd like to know what isthe challenge you run into
mostly well, I mean, I have justtechnical things, like I'm very
detail-oriented person, uh, andit's it's the whole parts of
traffic and also the there's anassociated billing process that
I am responsible for.
Oh, that's a headache.
It's a headache for me.
(13:02):
I don't, I'm not an accountant.
It's so detail oriented andevery contract is different, so
every billing can be slightlydifferent, and keeping on top of
all that is a it's a real jobfor somebody who, you know, is
really good at it, and I justhappen to be detail-oriented.
So I'm not bad at it and I'vegotten much better over the
years doing it.
But you know, if I wasn't doingit tomorrow, I wouldn't miss it
(13:24):
.
So, but that's probably thebiggest challenge of the job.
Yeah, and what's the biggestreward?
Well, I said, uh, myrelationship with the community
of musicians is probably thebiggest reward, I think.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You know, many times I listen to articles that are
read by AI.
Newspaper articles areavailable.
Is this coming to radio?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
too, will you think, oh, I'm sure that there are
companies trying to figure thatout or have, or you know.
But and there may be a way AIcan support what we even do at a
place like this, but that's notgoing to play a role at this
radio station because,specifically, what we're
offering is human beings.
It's not like I'm against AI onsome, just on a central level
(14:07):
of some sort, I'm not.
I mean, you know, I think we'rein such an early stage of
learning how to create arelationship with AI, so I think
that we could get there.
What we're doing here.
We're not going to employ AIanytime soon.
For that we have human beingsand that's what people like
about our station.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Yeah, that's what I like about it.
I want to talk about yourpodcast, Film Wax.
When exactly did you start it?
You have lots of episodes.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I was an early podcaster.
In a sense.
I started in 2011.
You know, at the time nobodyknew how to do a podcast.
I had to figure it out on myown.
Tell us what the podcast isabout.
It's an interview-based show.
Well, it's there to supportindependent film primarily.
You know, whether it's adirector or an actor or a
cinematographer or an editor, ormaybe it's a film festival
(14:55):
director, you know, it might bea producer or it could be an
author of film book, of a filmbook, or there's all sorts of
people in the film industry andit's but it's primarily non
Hollywood, non studio filmpeople that I have on.
There have been exceptions.
I also can't occasionally bringon a musician, not just a film
(15:17):
score or somebody who's writtenmusic, for I'm talking about
just a musician I like or I'minterested in talking to, or an
author or somebody, an artist Ijust want to like, occasionally
talk to somebody outside of thefilm world, but it's primarily
film people.
I mean, you know, if you reallylisten to like dipped into my
show, you could.
It's like going to film school.
You know, if you really listento like dipped into the my show,
you could.
It's like going to film school.
You learn, like I have.
(15:38):
Like when I started I knew somethings, but through doing the
show I'm like you know, I haveexpertise, you know, on film.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
It's all into you.
What is your favorite interviewso far?
Oh my God, You're off.
That's a hard.
That is so hard, if you checkout my podcast.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
There's like really getting 800.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah, 900,.
I think I read.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
It's getting there.
No, it's not at 900 yet, butit's at 840 or something.
And then often there's multipleinterviews.
It's insane.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I saw you have some really good people on your, oh
yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
So you asked me what my favorites.
I mean you know I've had onsome real heroes.
You know I always bring up likeWerner Herzog.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Oh, that was great I listened to that.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
No, you did.
And you know as prepared as I'dlike to be, you really have to
ramp it up for Werner Herzog,and I wasn't quite prepared that
he had as much time as he had,and so I was like just asking
questions I wasn, he said hewasn't.
I'm not in that I should ask mesomething.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
And then but I thought, oh, no, oh my God,
you're imitating him Great.
Yes, I can do a little bit.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
And oh my God, I mean I don't even know where to
start with in terms of.
And then you know, justsometimes it's a first time
filmmaker who you know, nobody'sheard of per se.
But it's a special conversationyou know I just had on the
actor Griffin Dunn.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yes, I saw that yes.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Which is such a nice thing to be able to have that
kind of relationship with peopleand to support their careers.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah, okay.
So if you're a music lover,listen to WKZ.
It's a fantastic station.
It really is.
They play great music.
By the way, I love Women ofNote on Sunday.
Oh yeah, what a show.
Therese.
Therese Baptiste, she's great,she's fantastic.
And her husband after that isalso very good.
Ex-husband.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Oh, ex-husband.
But yes, Paul, he's gotNightshade.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
So if you're a music lover, listen to Wkze and if you
want to get into film,interested in indie films, you
should definitely listen to filmwax.
That's the podcast.
You can find it anywhere.
Podcasted broadcast.
That's right, all right wow,thank you adam, thank you so
much, that was so interesting.
I'm glad you, glad you reach outnow, when I will listen to kze,
(17:57):
I'll have a picture in mind.
Yeah, but just you know againmy, my last words, I want to say
to people again who want to getinto Now, when I will listen to
KZ, I'll have a picture in mindof what the place is like, yeah
, but just you know.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
again, my last words I want to say to people again
who want to get into radio,because it's not an easy
business to get into, but peopleare generally friendly and
willing to talk to you.
So don't be shy.
Whatever you want to get into,you have to get over being shy,
you know, that's my last bit ofadvice.
It's not easy because so manypeople wanting to be on air
(18:26):
talent, you think.
I think so.
I think that everybody thinksthey're, you know, got the
greatest taste, that they're andthat they're entertaining and,
um, and many people are.
You know, it's just a veryromantic kind of job, isn't it?
I mean, yeah, just to talk andtalk about music and I mean it's
a great job.
Again.
I mean, you know, it wouldnwouldn't hurt if my salary was a
little higher.
So yes, I'll be doing this whenI'm 90 years old.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
All right, thank you.
Thank you so much.
Okay, that's a wrap for today.
If you have a comment orquestion or would like us to
cover a certain job, please letus know.
Visit our website athowmuchcanimakeinfo.
We would love to hear from you.
And, on your way out, don'tforget to subscribe and share
(19:09):
this episode with anyone who iscurious about their next job.
See you next time.
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