10 Questions with ... Christy Taylor

1.  What excited you most about joining the Audacy Alternative programming team as Regional Brand Manager? 

  Becoming a Regional Brand Manager was a dream come true. It’s provided me with programming opportunities I’ve been waiting for since I was a teenager. I get to work alongside and learn from some of the best minds in the biz. 

2.  Tell us about your role as Regional Brand Manager for KNDD (107.7 The End)/Seattle, KXTE (ALT 107.5)/Las Vegas, KRBZ (ALT 96.5)/Kansas City, and WQMP (FM101.9)/Orlando. How do you work with these four Alternative brands?

  As you know, with any radio job in programming, you get involved with a little bit of everything, music selection, specialty programming, brand goals, interview booking, as well as promotions, music scheduling, and just like everyone else in radio, a lot of emails/zooms. (Ha!) There’s more that I hope to be involved with down the line, but so far, I am really enjoying the role. It’s been great working with multiple different brands as well as my managers, Mike Kaplan, John Allers, and Matt (Malone) Donahue.

3. Do you have a philosophy that has helped guide you as a programmer throughout your career? 

Next to my desk, I have a sign hanging that says, “Will this build ratings, revenue, or the brand?” It’s a simple yet important question to ponder when considering promotions, sales, programming features, and more. 

4.  How do you contribute to the weekly music meeting?

  It depends on the week, but I like to keep my ear to the ground and keep track of songs that have notable metrics outside of the record promotion system. It’s also important to me that I pay attention to consumption, ticket sales, and social engagement of various bands and projects we discuss. In my opinion, where people spend their precious time and money (that they don’t have enough of) matters. For radio to best serve the masses, we need to be in the business of serving the audience music that matters that fits within brand expectations.

5.  Talk about the Audacy ALT Pick Of The Week.

  It’s a fun way to unify the team over our love of alternative music and engage our listeners.

6. You are based in Seattle and do middays on 107.7 The End. Let’s get live and local. How would you describe your midday show, Monday-Friday from 10a-3p on The End?

  My show is about music, features, relatable info about musicians we play, and Seattle’s scene/lifestyle. Mike Tierney taught me the value of making the music a star and I have always carried that with me since. I also like to lead with the “why” when I crack the mic (as much as humanly possible), as Simon Sinek discusses in his books and famous ted talk. 

7.  What has surprised you the most about Seattle and 107.7 The End?

  Before arriving at The End I was a fan of its legacy, the music, the two-minute promise, and Gregr. He is such a star. He’s smart, insightful, hard-working, and I can’t wait to see how far he can go. Traditionally, there tends to be a preference in every radio format for talk morning shows, but over the years Gregr has proved how successful a well-done music in the morning show in alternative can be. But what has been the most surprising is how humble and kind he is. Gregr is a complete joy to work with and a truly special talent. 

8.  You have worked with some legendary brands over your career from Fly in Albany to 91X in San Diego. How has your previous experience helped you with your new role to grow and evolve the Audacy ALT brands?

  It is my sincere hope that I am and can continue to be a valuable resource to our brands. But, it is very much a group effort at Audacy. We are a team. However, to your point, the ven diagram of my experience in multiple different formats from Top 40, Active Rock, Hot AC, Rhythmic, and multiple Alternative stations in top 20 markets have given me a unique perspective on music, promotions, branding, and programming. Plus, I’ve learned something from every programmer and every promotions team I’ve worked with. I guess you could say I’ve had a lot of on-the-job training… haha! I’ve been very fortunate, and I’m very grateful.  

9.  What is your favorite part of your job?

  There’s so much to love! First and foremost, it’s amazing to be able to do something that I’m incredibly passionate about, especially after the pandemic contributed to the sale of Go 96.3 and there were very few jobs available. I am lucky. But if I had to pick one thing, it would be brand building. Radio has the ability to provide local, lifestyle brands that truly can embrace the scene in a way that streaming playlists aren’t able to.

10.  What would surprise people most about you?

My age. I am an elder millennial, but everyone thinks I’m younger than I am. Music keeps me young. ha!

You love to travel. What have been your favorite recent destinations?

Since the pandemic, I haven’t been out of the country. But I have been to San Diego a bunch. Even though I grew up in New York, San Diego feels like home to me. My sister still lives there, and my parents are retiring in Oceanside. 

You love coffee like I do. How do you drink it and how many cups per day?

Too much - at least 3 cups a day. But I do think my love of coffee fits quite nicely in Seattle. 

What are your new favorite places to eat in Seattle?

This is a great question, and I think I haven’t eaten at enough places here to have a favorite.  But I will say Seattle’s Paglicci Pizza is the closest thing I’ve had to New York pizza in my whole life, and I can see myself becoming addicted. 

How often do you get back to New York and what are your top priorities when you get back home?

Honestly, I haven’t gotten to New York since I saw Sam Fender in Williamsburg back in 2019.  Funny enough, that was the first time I met Christine, one of our fearless leaders, in person.

Sports? Seattle is a big sports town and you have a new NHL team. How are you tapping into the local sports scene?

You make a good point… I should go to a Seattle kraken game. But every time I go to Climate Pledge Arena, it’s for a concert!

Favorite new band over the past year?

My favorite new band is The Snuts. They are definitely ones to watch.