-
10 Questions with ... Matt Fogarty
February 17, 2020
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I caught the radio bug hosting a punk rock / alternative show on CJMQ 88.9, the college station at Bishop’s University, just outside Montreal. From there, I went to broadcasting school at SAIT in Calgary. Rob Bye and Carla Johnson hired me right out of school as a rookie writer at Island Radio, and now I’m the Creative Director there. My team and I write and produce the commercials, promos, and imaging for our six stations covering AC, Hot AC, Rock, Classic Hits, and an Oldies format. I voice our Classic Hits station CJAV, and a bunch of stations outside of my cluster, including WNCI, WPLW, and WZYP to name a few.
1. How would you describe your first radio gig?
Two words…Learning Opportunity. Vancouver Island is amazingly beautiful place to make great radio. When I first started, I absorbed everything I could about all aspects of the business. From programming, to clocks, music scheduling, creative/production, and especially imaging. I tried to soak up as much knowledge as I could.
2. What led you to a career in radio?
As a kid, I loved Kraft Dinner, and I had heard from my radio teachers that in your first few years of radio, you got to eat a lot of it, so that was a big influencer to pursuing a career in radio.
3. Was there one particular moment/experience/incident that led you to the path of a voiceover career?
Yes. Dave Pettitt made me do it! Dave was the morning show host of our Hot AC station CKWV at the time, and he was doing a lot of voiceover work. He came to see me one morning and said something like, “Did you voice the latest City Tile spot that’s airing? You should do voiceover”. That was in 2007. 13 years later, I’m very fortunate to be doing a lot of voiceover work!
4. Do you ever miss doing a ‘regular’ air shift at just one station?
I still have one hand on the board, so to speak. I do a weekly voice tracked punk/indie/alternative show called Mixtape on our rock station, CHWF. I love that kind of music, so it’s a passion project, but it also helps keep my on air skills sharp, and also give exposure to some great bands.
5. What is your favorite part of the job?
The collaborative element of working with people you respect to make something you can all be proud of, knowing each person played an important role in making it awesome. Whether it’s a commercial, promo, or piece of imaging. You need the writer, producer, and voice talent to all be solid. To make something truly great, you need all 3. When those pieces come together, you get killer creative. As a voice talent, I love adlibbing on imaging copy. That’s super fun.
6. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Hard work pays off. I know I will get out of radio what I put in, so I try to always give nothing but my best and hustle hard.
7. What advice would you give people new to the voiceover business?
Two main pieces of advice I tell everyone who asks: 1) Work with a coach; 2) Treat it as a business. If you want to be successful in voiceover, you have to think and act like an entrepreneur. The competition is fierce. There are so many talented people. Don’t think of it as a way to earn some beer money on the side. In 2020, VO talents need to be a business and a brand, and market and present themselves accordingly.
8. Other than radio work, what other kinds of voice work are you doing?
I do quite a bit of commercial work in additional to radio imaging, as well as corporate narration and e-learning stuff. I think I have the most fun doing imaging though. I’m cut from radio cloth, so imaging is my jam.
9. What was your favorite station when you were a kid?
My Dad and I listened to CHEZ 106/Ottawa in the car a lot circa 1994-1996. Really loved that station. I remember hearing Trooper’s “Raise A Little Hell” for the first time on CHEZ and thinking “this is bad ass.” Still like that song. I’d make mixtapes from songs I’d dubbed from that station all the time too. My first ‘production’ experience!
10. Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?
I gotta give a shout out to my instructors at SAIT. Richard Stroobant, Louise Lutic and Steve Olson. They taught me about radio, but more importantly, instilled a strong work ethic. They really pushed you to do your best and I’m grateful for that. Carla Johnson and Rob Bye for giving a rookie his first gig. Dave Pettitt for getting me into VO back in ’07. More recently, my manager, Hoss, has been very influential in helping me think strategically. There are many others who have helped along the way; too many to list!
Bonus Questions
What was the first, best and last concert that you saw?
First concert was the Beach Boys a loooong time ago! California Girls blew my mind!
Best concert is tough, but I’ll say AC/DC on the Stiff Upper Lip tour – incredible performance, pyrotechnics…it was a spectacle!
Last concert was the Vancouver stop of the Punk In Drublic tour featuring Bad Religion and NOFX…I met Fat Mike of NOFX backstage. It was a good time!
-
-