10 Questions with ... Amber Miller

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Was there life before EQX? WDVD/Detroit, Morning Show Producer/Contributor. WQSM/Fayetteville, NC on-air, and WDCG/Raleigh, NC on-air.

1. What stands out the most from your first job in radio?

I was so thrilled to get my first shot on the air - I didn't care that it was voice tracked weekend overnights. It was so exciting! I was part of the team! My dream was coming true! Whenever I'm having a blah show or a blah day it's nice to remind myself of that and try to tap into that enthusiasm. Remind myself that I don't "have to" go to work every day, I'm lucky enough to have the privilege of going to work every day at a job I adore.

2. What are you most proud of since joining WEQX?

The 25th anniversary celebration was pretty killer: a month-long, multifaceted, multi platform extravaganza with tons of listener benefits including a free CD, concert series, special programming, alumni DJ takeover that included Pete Powers, Matt Grasso, Kevin Quinn, Gary Schoenwetter, Mary Brace, Jim McGuinn, Alexa Tobin, Joel Marshall, Bonnie Pacheco, Fran Kusala, Joy Johnson, Maria Chambers and more blasts from the past.

3. What's on tap for WEQX's 26th Anniversary in November?

Since we're celebrating 26 years, we will look back with an A-Z on-air retrospective, concert series, special artist interviews and more.

4. What has been your biggest challenge since taking over as PD?

Not having a clone. It's a huge amount of work and I don't feel like I get to spend nearly the amount of time and care on things as I'd like to. I hate leaving at the end of the day feeling like there's still so much left undone.

5. What are music meetings like at the station?

Jason (MD) and I sit down in his office (better speakers than in my office) every Tuesday morning. It's pretty casual, but we have our routine streamlined. We check out research, charts and then we each have a list of music we want to address and we listen (Loudly). Sometimes we'll invite in other staff or interns to lend an ear/opinion on something too.

6. What makes the station unique?

We're live and local during all major dayparts; my impression is that's the exception rather than the rule these days. We have over 40 currents and are musically adventurous with those slots. We're willing to play a song solely based on it being a great song; we don't need weeks/months of rate the music numbers and success stories at other stations for us to pull the trigger on something. We have tons of freedom...yeah, it's pretty fantastic. We have 26 years of heritage to be mindful of and respect while still being cutting edge tastemakers.

7. Why has WEQX been a successful Alternative station for so many years?

Because we know who we are and who are listeners are and we don't deviate from that core essence to follow the pack or follow trends. It's not always the easiest choice to opt to not play #1 songs or to not play mediocre new music by heritage format artists, but it's those tough decisions that go a long way to remaining credible with our audience.

8. What are your favorite stations that you like to follow?

KNRK, WFNX, KBTZ, WRXP, CD101, and though it's CHR I always like to check out what Randi West and the G105 crew are up to, always killer programming and promotions out there in Raleigh ... can't forget Alt-Nation on satellite.

9. What are you most passionate about?

It's always been about the music. It's what makes me tick. Some people have running or skiing or mountain climbing, for me its music. And it's such a cool thing to get to focus the bulk of my waking hours on optimizing the ways we present new music, along with old favorites, and complimentary non-music elements to our listeners that in the end, enrich their lives with that programming. To tie together the entire package for the ultimate listening experience.

10. If you could work anywhere, what would your dream job be?

EQX is gonna be tough to top from a programming/musical/lifestyle standpoint. If somehow, magically, I could move this entire operation back home to Detroit, just take EQX and plop it down somewhere in the 313 or 586 or 248 realm, I'd have the best of everything in life.

When you're away from work, what are you music listening habits to the radio, iPod, online, etc.?

I listen to a lot of radio away from work. Always punching around the dial on my hour commute in the morning, monitoring the competition, then back to EQX for kick ass tunes, maybe a little NPR action, it's good to be aware of your listeners other options. And it's especially fun (or depressing) to listen to radio when travelling, check in on the "local flavor" of wherever I'm visiting.

But I'll obsessively play my favorite new discoveries over the big speakers in my living room or on the iPod in the car. Stuff like Sleigh Bells, LCD Soundsystem, The National over and over and over. I also program and host our new music show, so there's always a towering stack of stuff I need to review at any given moment... do a lot of that on the ride home every day. Pretty much all music all the time!