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10 Questions with ... Miles Olson
November 25, 2019
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1. How did you become interested in radio?
While attending Western Carolina University I started as a Motion Picture student. After a year and some change, it didn't feel like the right industry for me. Back in high school I was heavily involved in AV and even got paid to film high school sports. After thinking on this, I went from wanting to make movies to TV broadcasting. Once I started picking up board-op shifts at the college station WWCU, things started falling into place and I realized radio was the best fit. Heck, I was already getting on-the-job experience in radio and it quickly made the most sense to focus on that as a career.
2. Tell us how you joined the Asheville Radio Group.
At WCU we were all required to spend a semester interning somewhere in the industry, which is typical. I interned at Asheville Radio Group, after fighting pretty hard for their attention. I even managed to get a PAID internship, which was a new program for them at the time.
After interning and going back to school to graduate. The Operations Manager called me and asked if I could make some imaging for them. Once that was done, they didn't want to just send me on my way, so they kept me around on a weekend shift. Little by little I picked up pieces of other jobs in the building, and when The River PD left for other ventures it was a no-brainer to throw me into it. In total, I'm six years into Asheville Radio Group
3. How would you describe the music on the station?
In a word, eclectic. The River plays everything from folk and blues, to alternative, rock, and even some jazzier tunes. To highlight a few current and classic artists we play: Grace Potter, Neil Young, Brandi Carlile, Hozier, Alabama Shakes, Bob Dylan, R.E.M., and John Butler Trio.
4. What new bands are you most excited about?
This year I have been pumped for Sturgill SImpson's new album! Grace Potter and John Butler are a couple of my favorites too, but when it comes to BRAND NEW artists, I have to give it up for Black Pumas, J.S. Ondara, The Highwomen and Allen Stone.
5. With the challenged signal, what do you guys do to insure a presence in the market?
We recognize that being a 250-watt station is its own obstacle, but the support of the Asheville community is unreal. Even for a smaller signal, our listeners are some of the most dedicated I've ever seen. We also have some very strong streaming numbers both on home PCs and our App.
6. What would surprise people most about the station?
Something that surprised a lot of people since I started as PD is that we play more local music. I've been hosting afternoon drive and featuring a local artist each hour of the show. It's been tons of fun and the local music community's response is killer.
7. How do you stay in tune with your audience?
I grew up in Asheville. I know all the nooks and cranny's, all the dramatic changes to the market over the years, the outrageous tourism boom, and we can relate on all these topics. The most important thing is to just be a neighbor, because at the end of the day that's the silver lining of having a smaller signal. We really are just neighbors that want to listen to good music.
8. Tell us a little about the Asheville market.
Pfftsh, Asheville is ridiculous. You have the hippies and hillbillies that have been here for generations, the tourists that never left, the drifters and wanderers that keep circling back, and everyone in between. In the past 10 years it feels like Asheville has tripled in size. I heard somewhere that we have the most breweries per capita ... period. That's probably an exaggeration but it's not too far off once you look around here. There's also some great food and PLENTY of outdoor recreation, from hiking trails to kayaking opportunities.
9. What clubs do you tie into there?
We're closely tied to the Orange Peel, the Grey Eagle, and the U.S. Cellular Center. Isis Music Hall, Asheville Music Hall, and OneStop are worth noting even if we don't work with them as much as I'd like.
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ...
... COFFEE and scrap paper to obsessively write notes and reminders on.
Bonus Questions
Last non-industry job:
Standard Pizza Company
First record ever purchased:
Vinyl: Weather Report Heavy Weather
First concert:
Ozzfest 2006
Favorite band of all-time:
That's tough man ... Clutch or The Stanley Clarke Band
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?
I play a lot of video games and board games when I have the time. Dungeons and Dragons, too. If I get a chance to go whitewater rafting, I always take it though. A buddy of mine has his own raft and is a decent guide on most rivers in the area.
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