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10 Questions with ... Kelly Meyers
October 5, 2015
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- Middays WLNK (107.9 The Link)/Charlotte, NC (Present)
- WNKS (Kiss 95.1)Charlotte, NC - Middays (2009-2014)
- WHTZ (Z100)/New York City - Weekend/Swing (2009)
- WWFS (Fresh 102.7)/New York City - Weekends (2008-2009)
- Sirius XM (Cosmo Radio) Talk Show Host (2007-2008)
- KKRZ (Z100)/Portland - Middays (2005-2006)
- WBLI/Long Island - Weekends - (2004)
- WIOQ (Q102)/Philadelphia - Weekend/Swing (2000-2004)
- WKRZ/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA - Weekend/Swing (1998-2000)
- WBHT (Hot 97)/Wilkes Barre, PA - Weekend/Swing (1997-1998)
1) What Got You Interested In Radio?
I loved music and I loved talking as a little kid. I decided earlier on that radio would be the perfect marriage of both of my loves. I listened to radio non-stop growing up. I was even the annoying kid calling in to be a guest DJ or do a bed check to hear my voice on the air.
2) What makes the Charlotte market unique?
How does this compare to other markets you have worked at? I feel like the radio stations here coexist pretty peacefully. There really isn't any crazy gorilla warfare going on. Also there are a lot of morning shows that are syndicated out of Charlotte.
3) What is it about 107.9 The Link and your show that really makes it cut through?
The listeners during the midday are "at work" listeners. They want lots of music to keep them going. I talk about pop culture and other topics that are trending. I use Facebook and other social media to extend my personality and reach the listeners.
4) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
Radio personalities need to learn how to adapt to the ever-changing landscape. Radio isn't just being on the radio. We need to be able to blog, do videos, update social media and have an excellent understanding of all of those things to truly be marketable anymore.
5) How are you using social media to market your radio station?
We promote our upcoming contests as well as features and topics that are coming up with our shows. We also use social media to chat with listeners about blogs we've posted on our website. Link Listeners seem to really gravitate towards anything that's controversial that they can give their opinion on or videos that feature our personalities.
6) What type of features do you run on your show?
During middays on the Link, I have an hour of commercial free music at 9:55. It definitely gives listeners an "at work" pick me up!
7) How do you prep yourself for your radio shift?
I spend a lot of time on the internet and on social media. I'm also constantly observing things happening around me that could turn into show prep too.
8) How are you using new technologies in your personal life to listen to music, and what observations have you made about how today's listeners use technology?
When I workout I have a Spotify playlist I play. Listeners don't have to sit through commercials or other songs to hear the song they want now. They can go to iTunes, download it, and listen right away. We live in a world where we can get most things almost instantly. We need to be in touch with what our core audience wants and be able to offer it to them.
9) What is the most rewarding promotion you've ever been a part of?
When I worked at Q102 in Philly, we did a promotion for NSYNC tickets and backstage called N'Stink for NSYNC. We had six or seven listeners live in a dumpster at a local mall for a week. Promotions did call-ins with live updates all throughout the day. Listeners were excited and were even stopping by to see the contestants in the dumpster. With social media, I am sure this promotion would have been even bigger now.
10) What advice would you give people new to the business?
Walk in with an open mind and be willing to do whatever it takes to learn. Be eager and ask a lot of questions. Many radio stations do not have live overnights and some don't have live weekends anymore. Those would be opportunities to learn the ropes. Be willing to learn all different aspects of the industry from digital, production, sales, etc.
Bonus Questions
What do you do in your spare time?
I am actually a full-time student at night. I originally went to college right after high school for radio broadcasting, but I landed a job in Philly and dropped out. I am going to have my Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Graphic and Web Design this winter.
Do you have any good stalker stories? Misty requests? "Fatal Attractions?"
I can't believe I am actually admitting this here. I married a listener! He called to request a throwback song when I worked at Kiss in Charlotte. I didn't play it and he called me to complain. We chatted through the end of my show on the request line. We had dinner that night.
What was the biggest gaffe you've made on air?
During my audition shift at Z100 NYC, there was a mix show that was playing via CD. When I went to segue from the Top of the hour into the CD nothing happened. The CD pot wasn't in program. There we're a few seconds of dead air and I wanted to dig a hole a hide.
What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?
I want to see more women as morning show hosts and women doing more than just being co-hosts/sidekicks and midday talent. I think things are slowly but surely changing, but there are too many programmers stuck in old school thinking.
What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you? The worst?
The best advice: "You're not really in radio until you get fired". Not sure if that's completely true, but it helped me at that moment."
The worst: "Stop talking about such and such a celebrity" meanwhile they were trending on Facebook and Twitter."
What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
My family had a sit down with me in high school. They knew I wanted to be in radio. They tried to talk me out of it. After being on the beach a few times, I had considered going to school to be a nurse. Nurses always find jobs and those jobs are everywhere. But I remembered I don't like germs and dealing with bodily fluids.
As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?
In 2009 it was my dream to host a syndicated sex/relationship show. It wasn't anything racy or off color. I put together a demo and everything. I wish I had pursued that more to make it happen.
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