10 Questions with ... Joel Weiss

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

13 years at WSUN (97X)/Tampa followed by a year in NYC at online radio/app startup Satori with a layover at RCS before making my way to Boston

1. What led to you becoming MD at WBOS ALT 92.9 this past August?

The wiseass in me just wants to say "I applied?" (laughs). It's a long story. At the end of the day, between what I learned from both typical and atypical radio environments I brought fresh ideas and perspective to compliment the skills programmers need to keep a station humming. Also, stay in touch with your former colleagues, treat everyone with respect, and don't burn bridges. You never know where your next opportunity might come from!

2. What was your biggest takeaway from 13 years at WSUN (97X)/Tampa?

That's a big question considering that building represents the bulk of my career! On an individual level, pretty much everything I understand about radio I learned within those walls. Thinking more globally - it's taken some time and distance to understand the sheer amount of work and collaboration that happens between programming, promotions, digital, and sales to create events, book shows, and monetize them to the best of our ability. It's a culture that has to be created and cultivated over time. It sounds daunting, but it's never too late to start.

3. What's it like working for Beasley Broadcast Group and with PD Ken West?

I'm just wrapping up month #3 so I'm still getting the lay of the land here at Beasley. But Ken's a great guy to work with. We strike a good balance of having fun and being no-nonsense. We go way back actually. I interned for him during my college days. We're both a little older and (hopefully) wiser. Circling back to question 1 - stay in touch with people! That alone won't earn someone a job. We still have to hone our skills and gain experience, but it can't hurt.

4. How would you describe yourself as a music director?

Open and flexible. When I was at WSUN I was way too concerned with what sounded "alternative" vs "too pop" or "too rock" and how to reconcile current music with the weight of alternative music's history. Doing the multi-genre thing for a while at Satori really opened my eyes and ears to what the format is missing and how that gatekeeper mentality isn't doing us any favors.

5. Give us the 411 on the ALT 92.9 brand in Boston?

WBOS has been playing alternative music in some shape or form for over 20 years. But the current incarnation of the station is relatively young and we're still building an audience and an identity. For us that means curating the best music for persons 25-40 and hooking them up with unforgettable artist experiences as often as we can. In addition to bands visiting our market, we also fly a pair of winners to concerts in other cities on a monthly basis which is really cool.

6. What is your favorite part of your job?

Music discovery and everything that comes with it. Finding and sharing new music. Talking about music with label/promo reps. Going to shows. Connecting listeners with amazing experiences with their favorite artists.

7. What is a typical workday like for you?

I dive into social media as soon as I step through the door. I'm managing socials at the moment, and organizing our website and promotional content for efficient and even scheduling bookends my office time and often follows me home and bleeds into weekends. Props to all the social media managers out there because it's a more difficult and time consuming than I gave credit for! Beyond that - daily logs, programming architecture, music calls, content creation... either manufacturing blogs to have fresh content to promote our events or combing trending topics and stories to exploit what's going viral. When I first started here I was nervous about being a music director without a daily on-air daypart, but now I'm not sure how I could manage everything otherwise! I try my best to use my work time productively to preserve a sense of work-life balance. This job is 24-7 to some extent but I also want to be present for my family.

8. What may surprise people about the station?

Despite the heritage calls and a long-tenured PD, the station has changed quite a bit over the past few years. We shifted to a more mass appeal music position over the summer, and cementing our identity with listeners and the market is a priority for us. And our morning show, Dave & Chuck The Freak, is showing a certain sneaky appeal and is building a ratings story.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?

My own office. I have one! And it has a massive wall of CDs! I know these might be silly things to be excited about but I've never had either before. I feel so 'at home' and productive here. I also brought a couch that wouldn't fit in my apartment. It's actually a sofa bed, but there's not enough room to unfold it.

10. What are you loving most about being back in Beantown?

Upper Crust Pizzeria. Fried Clams. Autumn (not the same in Florida or even NYC). Not having to apologize for being a Pats fan.

What are weekends like for you?

Depends on how much social media I was able to schedule out on Friday. I might be banging out a concert review early on a weekend morning if I saw a show the night before. Otherwise I prioritize family stuff as much as possible.

Rank your sports teams in order of passion.

Patriots, Lightning, and a weird mix of Red Sox, Bucs, Rays, and Mets.

Favorite new band in the past year?

I stumbled onto Native Sun during my time in NYC. They rip. And I dig Yuno.