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10 Questions with ... Liz Felix
September 27, 2021
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I started at WPGU, my college station at the University of Illinois, then down to Columbia, MO as PD and morning co-host at KBXR. After that, MD at WAPS in Akron, PD at WNKU Cincinnati (RIP), and then out to Seattle as the Director of Communications at a public radio show called BirdNote for a year. I missed music radio and was thrilled to come on board as WYEP’s Evening Mix Host in 2019. I was even more thrilled when our leadership team asked me to be the PD at WYEP this year!
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I just loved music and (probably like a lot of future radio folks) became a serial song-requester at a local station. My life in college revolved around going to shows and listening to music, so it was natural to apply to become at DJ at the student-run station. I had no idea at the time that it would turn into a career.
2. How are you liking Pittsburgh?
It feels like coming home in a lot of ways, because I spent almost seven years in Akron, OH – that’s where my spouse and his family are from, so it’s nice to live relatively close. They’re definitely different cities, but culturally they both feel a little bit midwestern and a little bit rust belt and I like that. One of the big things that Pittsburgh has going for it is that it’s a big enough city to have a lot going on, but it’s still affordable for regular people, so there are a lot of opportunities to stay busy and creative here.
3. Have you made any significant changes in the programming approach of WYEP since taking over as PD?
No big changes yet. To the credit of people like Mike Sauter, Rosemary Welsh and Kyle Smith – they’ve mastered the art of the slow evolution and modernization of WYEP’s playlist over the years – a tricky thing to do when you’ve got a heritage station and you know that listeners don’t love sudden changes. My goal is to continue meeting our listeners’ expectations of great music programming while pushing forward and keeping WYEP current.
4. Tell us about some of the specialty programs the station has.
At night and on weekends, we have a lot of very dedicated longtime volunteer hosts with specialized music knowledge – everything from bluegrass to soul music to electronica. We’ve got two blues shows on Saturday nights that are really popular in Pittsburgh. We recently added Vibin’ to our lineup – it’s a 90’s R&B show – and The Grooves, an all-vinyl show hosted by our Production Director Brian Siewiorek.
5. Has the station been able to resume some of its benchmark events and promotions, or is COVID-19 still a hinderance?
Unfortunately, we’re still dealing with it. We had hoped to resume live events this fall with The Hellbender Ball, our annual Halloween party featuring local artists. We decided to cancel this year considering what’s happening with the Delta surge. We’re not a concert promoter first and foremost, so we’re being cautious about bringing live events back. But we’re still planning for the future and doing as much as we can in the digital space – I’m staying optimistic that as more people get vaccinated, we’ll get to a safer place where everyone feels more comfortable with events, and we’ll be able to get back to that aspect of what we do as a station.
6. What are some the stations biggest challenges?
It’s hard to ignore the biggest challenge for everybody, and that’s the way that the pandemic has changed listening habits. There’s been audience loss for a lot of stations, including WYEP. I think some of it is related to a lack of events and opportunities to be seen out in the community, and some of it is related to working from home and less time spent in cars. But it’s also just a really volatile period of time for radio. We’re working on rebuilding and adjusting to this new world we’re in.
7. What would surprise people most about the station?
I think listeners would be surprised at how much on-air work was done at home for safety reasons over the last year and a half. It was a pretty seamless transition when our CEO asked us to work from home if at all possible, starting in March 2020, and I’m really proud of how we maintained our on-air service for listeners, including with our many volunteer hosts. I’ve also been glad to be able to come back to our real studios in the last few months.
8. What surprise people most about you?
People always seem surprised when they find out I’m a Gemini. We’re not all evil!
9. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
I hate to get cheesy with a sports quote, but to paraphrase Lebron James, “Nothing is given. Everything is earned.”
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without …
… spending time with my husband and cats!
Bonus Questions
Are there any charity or philanthropic organizations you support?
I’m a long-time supporter of the Nightlight Cinema in Akron – that’s partially because I’m married to one of the founders but also because they do great work. I’m a member of the Audubon Society of Western PA. And, of course, I’m a member of both WYEP and our sister station WESA. I did a virtual event for Girls Rock! Pittsburgh last year and I think they’re doing some very cool stuff for kids here.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?
We bought our first house last year and it’s surprisingly time-consuming. I generally like being outside – running, walking and planting a pollinator-friendly native garden in our yard. It's been great to get out and see some live music this summer, too.
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