10 Questions with ... Cassie Wilson

NAME:Cassie Wilson (aka Carol Anne Strippel) TITLE:Director, News Operations STATION:WSPD and Toledo Cluster MARKET:Toledo COMPANY:Clear Channel BORN:White Plains, NY RAISED:Chatham, NJ

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

After serving as News Director at WJPZ/Syracuse University, I began my professional career while still in college at WFBL/Syracuse, then WHEN and WSYR/Syracuse. I made a stop in TV as a writer/producer at CNN Headline News and have served as News Director at WBUF/Buffalo and Metro Networks/Baltimore. I also anchored at Metro Networks/Washington, DC and was a reporter at WCNN/Atlanta when it was all-news. For several years, I hosted Health NewsFeed, a daily syndicated medical report from Johns Hopkins, heard on more than 400 stations. My husband Brian and I owned WCTR/Chestertown (we did the morning show too). Additionally, I've worked in PR, ghost-wrote a financial advice book and have authored many newspaper and magazine articles. Currently, I'm News Director for the five-station cluster at Clear Channel/Toledo.

1. How did you get your start in radio?

With my father when I was about five - over a "ham" radio. First time talking into a microphone. I loved it! Then, one summer between semesters I decided to stay in Syracuse and knock on doors. I was hired days later to anchor overnight news on WFBL!

2. What are you passionate about?

Learning, talking with Brian about politics and freedom, cooking, our golden retriever, photography and writing.

3. WSPD has been embroiled in a battle with the Mayor of Toledo over access to news conferences, a battle WSPD appears to have won with a permanent injunction. As a news professional, what do you think the Mayor and city officials should learn from the situation? Why do you think he and the city thought they could get away with blocking WSPD's ability to cover city events?

Mayor Finkbeiner and his administrators attempted to block news coverage of city events because he does not like the talk programming on WSPD. Our hosts have been critical of his conduct and some of his policies. Despite continued correspondence and phone calls, he and his administrators did not "get" the difference between programming and news. That should be the first lesson learned. And now city officials know that we, as broadcast journalists, will not back down when it comes to trying to get information to the public.

It's tough to answer your second question without appearing to impugn the other radio and TV stations in Toledo, but I believe much of the mayor's apparent arrogance stems from the lack of a truly inquisitive media here. More often than not, there are no hard questions for city officials, so there's a misconception that they're bullet-proof. And, I think the mayor never truly believed we'd take the issue to court. I'd like to thank Clear Channel for supporting us.

4. You and Brian have owned and operated a local station on Maryland's Eastern Shore, something a lot of radio pros dream of doing- what did you learn from that experience?

Where shall I start- I learned bookkeeping, taxes, sales, traffic computer programs, tons of FCC rules and regulations, how the transmitter works, how the on-air computer program and satellite receivers work, dealing with syndicators, and how to fix just about anything you can think of that can go wrong in a radio station- especially if the engineer isn't there! It definitely was the most challenging experience of my career. I learned that Brian and I were capable of taking our radio theories, putting them into practice and succeeding! And to my dismay, I learned that running a "Mom and Pop" station is over-romanticized.

5. You work with your husband- are there ways to make that work better? Specifically, can you avoid taking the jobs home with you, or is that just an unavoidable part of the territory?

Okay, as much as everyone wants to hear that you don't take work home with you - YOU DO. It is unavoidable. There's that simpatico thing going - you have a deep understanding of your spouse's on-the-job trials and tribulations. But it's more than that - you're able to learn and gain insight from each other's experience.

One of the best ways to make it work better is to stick to talking about work at work. And, try to carve out a personal moment to bolster each other. Set limits on talking about the station(s). Focus on solving problems - not gossiping about co-workers. Having a new big-screen TV and digital cable at home is a great distraction!

6. Who are your influences?

Early on, I learned a great deal from my colleagues at WHEN and WSYR. And growing up in the NYC suburbs, hearing some of the most talented anchors and reporters on WCBS and WINS, led me to this career. As a teenager, I had the chance to meet Chuck Scarborough, who patiently answered my many questions about broadcast journalism. And at WCNN, working with the great Lou Adler was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I hope you weren't looking for a simple answer - like Jessica Savitch, or something.

7. As News Director, what in your opinion makes a good newscast? What do you listen for first, delivery, presentation, field reports... and who in other markets is doing the kind of newscast you like to hear?

While most people would suggest delivery first, I think it's writing, writing, writing (kinda like location, location, location). I listen to how the anchor or reporter writes for the ear. Delivery and vocal quality are important, but if you've written your newscast in a simple, easy-to-hear way, listeners get the message despite your vocal quality or delivery. I do not abide overly contrived reports or seriously-affected presentations.

As for other markets, I think WTOP/Washington, DC is great. I admire Jim Farley. I also like WSB/Atlanta's newscasts. Honestly, I haven't had the chance to listen to many stations lately - I'm focused on listening to WSPD.

8. What do you do for fun?

I live with Brian Wilson - need I say more? I love to take photographs and I read a lot. Shopping is fun - in person or on the web.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.

...good sleep the night before.

10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?

The best: You don't always have to try to be perfect.

The worst: You have an aptitude toward math- don't go into broadcasting.