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10 Questions with ... Dave Vieser
October 17, 2006
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NAME:Dave VieserTITLE:Morning Show Host/APDSTATION:WHCUMARKET:Ithaca, NYBORN:July 1969RAISED:Freeport, Long Island, NY
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
1988-1991 WRVO; Oswego,NY; Worked up from intern to AND
1991-1992 WNYR; Waterloo, NY; News Director
1992-1994 WTKO; Ithaca, NY; Morning show host/Operations Director
1994-1995 Time Warner Cable; Ithaca; Reporter & Weatherman
1995-1998 WSTM-TV; Syracuse, NY; Producer, worked up to Managing Editor
1998-2000 WCNC-TV; Charlotte, NC; Producer & assigment editor
2000-2001 WQAD-TV; Moline, IL; Executive Producer
2001-2002 KRNV-TV; Reno, NV; Executive Producer
2002-2003 Reno Gazette Journal; Reporter
2003-2004 The Weather Channel; Atlanta, GA; Producer
2004-2005 NBC NewsChannel; Charlotte, NC; Producer & Weather Plus organization team
2005-2006 WQNY-FM; Ithaca; Afternoon drive (Q-Country)
2006-TODAY WHCU-AM; Ithaca; Morning host/APD1. How did you get your start in radio? And what was it like growing up hearing your dad on the air?
Some of my earliest memories in life are going to work with my dad at WGBB on Saturday mornings... singing "Happy Birthday" to listeners and reading the weather on-air at the age of 5. Of course, I woke up listening to my Dad each morning until he left the station in 1976 for a career in public relations. At my young age, I considered my dad to have the coolest job among all the kids- except one. His dad was a train engineer for the Long Island Railroad, and I loved trains, so that was what I really wanted to do when I was a kid. A few years later, in 1981, I built a small radio station in the basement of our family home, and used a "Mr. Microphone" wired to the washing machine to transmit my station to the neighbors--and annoying my parents on many occasions--but I was hooked on broadcasting. I started "real" radio as an intern and part-time board operator for WRVO, public radio in Oswego, NY in my first year at college.
2. What are you passionate about?
Wow- what a question. Since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be the "first" to tell people what was happening. I also think I am far too nosy for my own good. This of course, works well for someone in broadcasting! I also believe work must be fun and full of surprises, and when you are not having fun--it's time to move on and try something different--which I have done on several occasions. I love to travel, discuss current affairs, and spend time with family and friends when I am not at work.
3. You returned to radio, and Ithaca, after a strong run in TV news and weather- what brought you back to the radio side and the city? What do you miss about the TV work- and what don't you miss?
The easy answer is economics. NBC laid me off in the summer of 2005 and I was looking for a change in my career. My long time friend Geoff Dunn had just started working at WHCU as news & program director, and he suggested there might be a position as an afternoon DJ and weekend talk show host. I jumped at the chance to return to my first love, radio, and to a city that I loved, with lots of old friends, and some of the most beautiful natural scenery in America (lots of waterfalls, hills, Cayuga Lake, etc). I was orginally hired to do afternoons on the AC station, but they decided to put me on the country station instead. At that point, I thought Trace Adkins was a girl... until I heard him sing. I had never really listened to country music. Just before I moved back north, I asked Clear Channel's WKKT-FM's afternoon jock in Charlotte if I could sit in on his show one day to get a crash course on country radio. Ken Buckner was not only an amazing, friendly guy, but one of the most talented jocks I had ever heard on the radio. I took in as much as I could, and listened to every country station from North Carolina to New York. It tuned out to be a great run (albeit short) on Q-Country up here. I had to leave the "country radio world" when WHCU's previous morning show host retired in May, and I took over the show. I believe you can do any format in radio, if you embrace it, study it, and work at it with lots of passion and pride.
As for television... I went into back in the 1990's because it paid a lot more money than radio. I wanted to be rich, and figured the quickest way to do so was to work up the management ladder in TV. Instead, I was disappointed with the overall mentality of television. First, I could not be intimate with the audience like I can be on radio. Second, every decision is made by committee since there are so many more people involved with creating a television show--and this was a constant frustration. Finally, the cut throat mentality, incredible immaturity, and severe back-stabbing I saw from a number (but not all) on-air "talent" left me sour on any long-term future career in local television news. I must say, NBC NewsChannel in Charlotte was a welcome break from the local news TV world---as it was a network's "behind the scene" newsfeed operation and I do miss all the creative, talented people I worked with there.
4. What would surprise people who have never been there about Ithaca? What are the challenges, if any, of doing talk radio in a college town?
For market #281, we sound a lot bigger than we are. The Park School at Ithaca College and the Ivy League's Cornell University make this a very smart audience. They demand good radio, and that sets up a higher standard for broadcasting. It is also much more cosmopolitan radio market, diverse in culture and politics, moreso than you might expect in upstate New York--so you never run out of local talk topics; plus we have a plethora of nationally-reknown experts who live right here in Ithaca to discuss world news issues. Ithaca, NY is also is the most "politically progressive" city in the eastern United States--many call it the Berkeley of the East- in fact, in September, Hillary Clinton LOST the primary for US senate in Ithaca to Jonathon Tasini, a progressive grassroots candidate because Democrats here felt she was too conservative. Ithaca was the only city in the state where Tasini beat Clinton in the Democratic primary.
WHCU is the heritage station, over 80 years old, and has been the #1 radio news source in this city since the 1920's---since June of 2005, it is also the "conservative" talk station with Rush, Lars Larson, and Neal Boortz. This made a number of long-time listeners unhappy in this city dominated by liberal politics. Still, the conservative show hosts are familiar names and remain popular. When we flipped WHCU from the AP all-news network (which went off the air in 2005) to conservative talk, we also flipped sister station 1470 AM, WTKO from oldies to progessive talk, and renamed it WNYY. It has shown strong growth as well, and offers the alternative to WHCU's right wing hosts. So, we get to have the best of both worlds when it comes to the political side of talk radio. On weekends, WHCU has more lifestyle and self-help shows, taking a bit of a break from the politics, so it is a nice balance.
Despite the conservative talk on WHCU in the afternoon, from 6-10 AM, we have worked hard to bring a politically-balanced fast-paced news show with 5-8 minute interview segments. Our new studios will open up the show for more listener based comments and reaction to the news, so I am looking forward to that. We've picked up the pace quite a bit from the previous host, and made it a show you can tune in for 20 minutes, get caught up on the world, and then move on- we were not doing that before I joined the show last May. Personally, I am truly a moderate middle-of-the-road political guy, so that is reflected in my interviews regarding politics. I also push community events, people profiles, and non-political interviews and make sure the show is well-rounded. Frankly, I think that is a critical to success when you are the only game in town. Plus, I don't think you need to be rude, nasty, or beat up someone who is a guest. Sadly, I think we hear far too much of shouting and talking-down on many nationally syndicated talk shows right now. Conflict is a part of good political talk, but so is overall respect and laughter without bashing, preaching, or name-calling.
5. Of all the radio jobs you've had so far, what was the most fun? The most rewarding? The worst?
Ever since I was 13, my dream job was working for "The Weather Channel". I love storms, and would watch the network for hours back in 1980's. Ironically, I was loving life as a reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal when I was hired as a producer by TWC in Atlanta. It turned out I left a newspaper that I loved and a dream job for a less enjoyable run at The Weather Channel- funny how that works sometimes! In hindsight, working at The Weather Channel was fun--but not what I expected it to be--so I left feeling disappointed and unsure where I should go next. I eventually ended up back in Charlotte and with NBC NewsChannel, which was a wonderful place to work. My favorite day was covering Hurricane Alex on the outer banks and doing phoners for MSNBC in the middle of the storm.
Radio and newspaper reporting are very similar---because they are intimate mediums. Your delivery in the printed or spoken word comes directly from you, the host, to the individual audience member, and your role is active, rather than passive (like television). Also, I am a performer, an entertainer on radio, as well as an information source. I like the creativity of that. I realize that is the reason why I love radio and newspaper reporting more than all the television jobs I have had. With that said, I don't enjoy getting up at 3:30 AM six days a week.
6. Who are your influences and/or mentors?
My father, of course, was my first broadcasting mentor- and I still share tapes with him looking for suggestions, criticism, etc. WCBS radio in New York in the 1970's and 1980's showed me how you can deliver the news with personality and without bias- and it made for great entertaining radio, so they helped influence my career. So did Scott Shannon, who turned a no-name New Jersey radio station into the flame-throwing Z-100 when I was a teenager.
The editors at the Reno Gazette Journal were so friendly and professional; I would love to work with them again. The team at NBC News, and specifically at NBC NewsChannel in Charlotte are the best in the TV business: Bob Horner, Sharon Houston, Tom Pohs, and Mike Fomil are true mentors who I also consider friends of mine. On the national radio front, I find Lars Larson to be one of the best talk show hosts in the country- with interesting topics and a real grip on the right way to handle guests- even guests that a host might consider "hostile".
On the liberal side, Stephanie Miller has me laughing so hard with her show- it's clear she is having fun doing the show--and so the audience has fun with her--it's good political entertainment radio. WBT, Charlotte, NC and WGY, Albany, NY's morning shows are models that I study all the time, both have excellent hosts and great fast-moving formats. They do some of the best news/talk morning shows in America. Here in Ithaca, I have learned so much from Chris Allinger, our operations manager who knows how to make me smile even at 4:30 AM- and my boss Geoff Dunn who is not just a great news journalist, but he is also one of my closest friends. Geoff was the assistant news director at WRVO in 1988 when I was a "new kid on the block". He took me under his wing back then, and nearly 20 years later- here we are working together again!!
And, finally, I can't let this question go without mentioning my best friend in the whole world, Andy Schanke- who reminds me everyday that there is a great world outside of radio.
7. Of what are you most proud?
Hmm... tough question. I guess I will say my resilience & career flexibility. If you had told me I would be a country music DJ, a talk show host, or a newspaper reporter, all before I hit 40, I would have laughed at you. I am proud that I have lived in many different states all over this country, learned how to be successful in a number of different jobs, and have made so many friends in so many different places. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, both personally and professionally, but I am proud to say I have learned from those mistakes--and try hard not to make them again.
8. What do you do for fun?
Please, I am working 60-plus hours a week. Who has time for fun? No, seriously, I love golf and bowling, watching football, poker, playing with my two cats. I am a big New York Mets fan!! I love to read, but don't have much time to get into books--since I am usually doing research for the show on the internet or in magazines.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.
...DIET PEPSI. I am not a coffee drinker. I realize I drink too much of this calorie-free cola, but come on, give me a break- I just quit smoking (for the 5th time) a short while ago... I am working out and eating better to lose about 30 pounds- so yes, I crack open my first bottle of fizzy DP at 4:15 AM. Everyone has their vices, mine comes in a six-pack of 20-ounce bottles.
10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?
Best advice: Learn everything you can about all departments at the place you work, meet everyone. If you know how the other departments in your shop work, you'll have a much better understanding of how to handle inter-departmental issues, and you'll be much more successful. Plus, my dad taught me early-on: "Always treat and talk to your audience and guests with respect and a smile. If you have fun, the listener will, too."
Worst advice: from a guidance counselor when I was a freshman in college back in 1987. I wanted to take meterology courses to be a weatherman on local TV, and someday on The Weather Channel. She said, "Forget taking those complicated science courses or majoring in meteorology, the only thing you need to do is take a few easy communication courses--no one in TV has a degree in meteorology--they just fake it." Boy, was she ever wrong!!
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