10 Questions with ... Brad Austin

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

WMIL/WOKY/Milwaukee, WI; KHAK/Cedar Rapids, IA; WKNN/Gulfport-Biloxi, MS; KZSN/KRBB/Wichita, KS; WGTY/York, PA; WWQM/Madison, WI

1) Congrats on your new gig! How are you liking it so far? This is kind of a homecoming for you, isn't it?

Thank you! Yes - I returned to WI in '07 for the job at Q106 in Madison and now the job here in Central WI. I'm a radio gypsy like so many but it's nice being close to family. Especially my two little nieces. As for work, I love it. I have history with our Director of Programming Jeff Winfield and our CEO Mary Quass when Mary owned KHAK in Cedar Rapids. Both are class acts and sharp radio people. I am excited to work with the local staff in Wausau as well. Don Pollnow is our GM and he's been around the radio routes like I have. He's a real passionate radio guy who seems to really 'get it'. This should be fun!

2) What/who inspired you to try a career in radio? Did you always know this was something you wanted to do for a living?

I didn't always know, but it became apparent fairly early in life I liked to make people laugh and you couldn't shut me up.

3) Describe your first job in radio. Is it true that you started when you were just 15 years old?

Yep - 15. I literally opened the phone book and called every station in Milwaukee and offered to be an intern. Nobody responded. So I called 'em all again. The only group to respond was WMIL (FM106.1) and WOKY (AM920). I started as a promotions intern and eventually became a full-time employee and did weekend on-air work. I think I quite literally did everything. From sweeping snow off satellite dishes at 2am to making coffee for the morning show to changing automation carts, etc. I got lucky - what a fantastic group to learn from. Even after 16 years a bunch are still there: Kerry Wolfe, Scott Dolphin, Mitch Morgan, Gregory Jon, etc. There is a lot of great talent in that building.

4) Who were some of your favorite radio personalities growing up in Milwaukee?

I listened to 94 WKTI (R.I.P.): Reitman & Mueller, Lips Labelle, John Woody Harrelson and Leonard Peace are voices I remember. The old Lazer 103 had Bob & Brian who are still on. I think I still own a few of their 'best of' CDs. Funny guys and great storytellers. Also - when it comes to mid-days few people are as consistent and smooth as Mitch Morgan on FM106.

5) What is your favorite aspect of working in radio? Least favorite?

I love making a personal connection with the listener. In country radio especially they give us so much and trust us so much you can really make a deep connection. What do I like least? Nobody is giving 15-year-old Brad Austins a shot anymore these days. Most markets are lucky if even one station is live 7p-midnight. Overnights? Forget about it. As an industry we've given up on anything outside of 6am-6pm and that's pretty sad. I understand the economics of it. Doesn't mean I have to like it!

6) Do you listen to a lot of music? Who are some Country artists you are really excited about right now?

I love music! My favorites right now include Easton Corbin, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Eric Church and Zac Brown Band. I still love Carrie Underwood, George Strait and Rascal Flatts. I am pumped for Jerrod Niemann (what a talented dude) and Chris Young. Our crowning achievement in the last five years is hands-down, Taylor Swift. I am so proud of her - she deserves everything she's achieved. Scott Borchetta and Taylor absolutely re-wrote the book on how to break an act. Flawlessly done.

7) What do you like to do for fun when you are not working?

I love to be on the water. I like camping and road trips, too. I also try to play poker as much as I can - especially tournament poker. I've been in a few bigger tournaments and love it. I'm sure a Vegas or Atlantic City poker trip is in my future before the summer is out.

8) Your bio says you're a huge baseball fan. How old were you when you started listening to games, and who were some of your favorite announcers?

Probably 8 or 9 years old. I used to spend a few weeks every summer with my grandparents and they'd have the Cubs games on TV. Milwaukee Brewers were always blacked out back then. I wanted to BE Harry Caray. I used to sit in front of the TV and turn the volume down and call games into a recorder. Also, Bob Uecker for the Brewers on the radio. Listening to Uecker now I find such parallels with what we try to do as personalities: think like the listener, comment on what's happening around us, paint the picture and describe things vividly, be passionate, be funny and entertain. People fall in love with announcers like Uecker because he's calling so much more than just balls and strikes!

9) What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

"Think like a listener, not like a radio guy."

10) What are some goals you hope to accomplish as you begin this next chapter of your career, programming Y106.5 and Mix 96.7?

Our goal is to make radio fun again and to make our listeners feel connected to the process. We want them to invest in what we're doing on both stations. I am a relentless fighter and won't rest until they perform at the level everyone expects them to. They are both newly branded, which is an exciting challenge and we have the building blocks in place. I want our station(s) to be "that station" that is part of our listeners' lives. The one station they can depend on when they need something. Be it entertainment, information or just the buzz around town. I'm anxious to be able to look back in a year and compare 'then and now' notes.

1) What was the first concert you ever went to?

I don't remember, honestly. But I do remember the first concert I ever emceed. I was maybe 16 or 17 and WOKY had gone to satellite automation. For whatever reason both our PD and APD were going to be gone for a Tom Jones show at the WI State Fair. They asked me to do the on-stage with our clients. I really had no clue what to do but was told to introduce the clients, plug the station and then introduce the act. At that time I didn't even know who Tom Jones was and I shook like a leaf the whole time we were up there! I was so nervous I accidentally introduced him as "Tommy Jones." Whoops.

2) First album you ever bought?

Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" on vinyl. Although I taped songs off the radio as a kid mainly.

3) What are some of the best TV shows you've watched recently?

I am absolutely enthralled with anything Larry David does. He is, in fact, funnier post-Seinfeld with his HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm". I also loved the recent History channel documentary "America: The Story of Us". Fantastic!