-
10 Questions with ... Brion O'Brion
March 16, 2015
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
KYKY/St. Louis, WMGI/Terre Haute, IN; WKJX/Elizabeth City, NC; WERQ/Baltimore, WTMG/Gainesville, FL; WVKL/Virginia Beach, VA; WKUS/Norfolk, VA; WLVH/Savannah, GA; WXST/Charleston, SC; WOCQ/Salisbury-Ocean City, MD; WZEB/ Salisbury-Ocean City, MD; WQJH/ Salisbury-Ocean City, MD; KZCH/Wichita, KS, WJMH/Orlando, & WWAC/Atlantic City, NJ to name a few! :)
1) What Got You Interested In Radio?
I started as an intern for my mentor Rick Party at WOWI/Norfolk, VA. After he asked me to be his Intern I was hooked! I had already loved radio, but his just took me over the top. I was like a kid in a candy store.
2) Who do you consider your radio mentors?
Rick Party, Don DC Cody, Earl Boston, Don Earlybyrd Allen, and G.Q. Riley, to name a few.
3) What makes your market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?
The St. Louis market is VERY competitive. We have a lot of station playing similar music, so we have to always be on the top of our game. This market is very similar to other markets that I have worked in that it is very competitive here. I like that because competition makes us better!
4) What is it about your show that you feel really makes it cut through?
I like to interact with the listeners, and I believe my show is very entertaining. I think I bring smiles to several faces every night.
5) How are you using social media to market your radio station and your show?
I use it and I use it often! I use videos of myself promoting giveaways, behind the scenes stuff, etc. I use All social media, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and others.
6) How do you stay in tune with your audience?
I do what many of people in this business FORGET to do, I communicate, and I talk to them. I think sometimes we forget to talk to our listeners.
7) How do you prep yourself for your radio shift?
I get tons of show prep. I use social media, and of course Allaccess.com baby! :)
8) What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?
I would love to see the mom and pop radio stations make a comeback, and I would LOVE to take radio back to the way it used to be and let the listeners decide what we play instead of a consultant or things of that nature.
9) Who is your best friend in the business?
The late Jerry Boulding of All Access. He was a TRUE friend, mentor and all around GREAT guy. I miss him SO much. We would talk once a week or sometimes more. #ripJerry
10) What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you? The worst?
The best piece came from my mentor Rick Party who is on the air in Miami. He told me to air check EVERYDAY, because you BEST show could always be your LAST show. He taught me so much. That sticks with me to this day.
The worst advice was told to me by an APD In a major market, I will NEVER forget it! He told me try not to sound so professional. I was like WOW! So I am not supposed to be MYSELF, and pretend to be something I'm not. I STILL can't believe I was told this. Can you believe that?
-
-