10 Questions with ... Beth Warden

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KELO-A/Sioux Falls SD, Ingstad Broadcasting, KJIA/Sioux Falls SD, WWJQ/Grand Rapids MI, KSLT/Rapid City SD, Shine FM, Stations in Alberta , "Today's Family with Beth Warden."

1. What was your first job in the industry?

I got my first paying gig at the age of 15, reading news at KELO-A/Sioux Falls, SD in 1981. The on-air name assigned to me: "Justine Case." Now that's a credible name for news! I still have some copy ripped from the teletype machine.

2. If you were just starting in radio today, and you knew what you know now, would you continue forward? Why?

Certainly, I'd continue forward because I believe in following your passion. Radio is one of the ways God has wired me. Now that I've experienced many aspects of radio from on-air to sales and management, I do wish I would have paid more attention to learning about engineering and equipment, and would advise someone new in the industry to learn as much as possible about all aspects of radio.

3. Tell us a little bit about how the "Today's Family" program came to be.

We had just relocated to the West Coast, away from the Shine FM stations that I was still doing contract work for. Although I thought there may be a possibility of being phased out after moving away, a surprise phone call from then network PD Malcolm Hunt changed everything. They needed a weeknight music and call-in show and wanted me to do it. We set up some additional equipment in the studio and the show launched in three markets with a metro population of just over two million.

4. What is your favorite part of your job?

The amazing phone calls from listeners, whether it's a funny story or they're going through a rough time and we pray together. Being able to interview authors every week such as Beth Moore, Max Lucado and Kevin Lehman has been a lot of fun too.

5. And your least favorite part?

Working in a studio outside of a radio station environment. I miss the energy and friendship from working in the same building with others in radio.

6. What does Christian radio need to do to break through to a mass audience on a more consistent basis?

We need to be more real and approachable. I'm constantly working toward sounding more real, whether it's what I talk about or the on-air delivery. My listeners know that I'm not perfect, and there seems to be a comfort for them in listening because of that transparency. Looking at Christian radio that already has broken through to a mass audience, I see balance. On-air content includes talking about families, their lives, the weather, and they also share a bit about their faith from time to time. It's not preachy; it's being a friend coming alongside the listener.

7. Who are some of your favorite on-air personalities?

Jake Sommers at KTIS, Scott Michaels in Duluth, Johnny Rocket in Edmonton, and a friend Big John Small who has just launched a hyper-local 80s music station in South Dakota. "The Scott & Sam Morning Show" at KCMS/Seattle was fun to listen to while driving through Seattle recently.

8. If you could have any other job outside radio, what would it be?

Working with Christian artists/bands in promotions and concerts, or doing the weather on TV.

9. If you could have any guest from any time (past or present) join you for a show, who would you have and why?

I'd love to have King David in the studio with me, to hear of all the things he'd done that we'd consider crazy behavior for this man who was a man after God's heart. He could help sort through what's genuine and what is just accepted behavior in our current Christian culture. He could even do a special unplugged version of a Psalm in studio too, with his harp.

10. You live in British Columbia, yes? How did you end up there?

Although I was born and raised in the States, I married Rob Warden, a wonderful Canadian man in 1995. We lived in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta for 10 years, and the last three years on Vancouver Island where my husband spent his summers a child. Things are changing again though as we've listed the house for sale and are moving back to the States when the house sells. It's time to be closer to home and family.

1. Do you read everything or nothing? Do you have any favorite magazines, books, or newspapers?

Blogs and news apps on my Blackberry, occasionally a Log home or house-decorating magazine, skimming through books sent by our marketing company for future author interviews. Enjoyed reading "The Furious Longing of God" by Brennan Manning lately, and "Confessions of a Slacker Wife," too.

2. Cat or dog person?

The kids will likely wear us down to get a dog in the next few years. We'll need a quiet, non-shedding dog that doesn't evoke allergic reactions.

3. Describe your favorite meal.

Anything I don't have to cook! Probably Italian food with lots of friends or family in a room filled with conversation and laughter.

4. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you and why?

My family, computer with Internet and espresso maker