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10 Questions with ... Gina Miles
June 9, 2009
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NAME:Gina MilesLAST WITH:Salem KKFS 103.9 Sacramento 'Good Morning Gina!'PHONE:(916) 224-4462EMAIL:ginamiles@belizemail.com
Please begin by giving us a brief career history ...
My first paid gig was afternoon drive at KNVR in Chico, CA in 1990. We were still spinning records! I bought my first car, a Geo Metro with no air conditioning or radio, to make the commute from Sacramento. After that, I spent most of my career at various Sacramento radio stations doing everything from middays to mornings. In 2003, I was doing news for Don Bleu in the morning in San Francisco and voicetracking for three night shows -- K101, KGBY and K-Lite. I was ready for a break so I left radio for a couple years to help my husband (Love of my life! Married 22 years May 1st!) start a business. I missed the creative outlet, so I went back and was lucky enough to work for KFBK, do some anchor fill-in work and eventually I was offered the morning show at KKFS. The last two years at The Fish have been awesome! Hosting a solo morning show is challenging, but Max Miller is the best PD ever ... and a great coach. I had the freedom to be transparent, connect with the audience and even bring my pet bird into work with me! We just experienced the highest ratings in the station's history!
1) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?
Facebook and learning how to put together a webpage. I just figured out how to put sound on my page. Yea me!
2) What's the best way to get your foot in the door?
Have a great aircheck and find a way to get them to listen to it!
3) What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?
All Access, of course.
4) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?
Another morning gig where I can be myself and make friends with the audience. I would LOVE to have a partner this time. I am a much better chaos maker than anchor, but I can do both.
5) What's the most unbelievable question you've ever been asked in an interview?
When I met with the GM who hired me at KKFS, he wanted to know my life story. All of it! It was a long lunch; he learned EVERYTHING and he hired me anyway. I love you JR!
6) With consolidation there are definitely fewer jobs. How do you separate yourself from the pack?
I am a connector. I connect with the audience and we share the truths of our lives. They get me and I get them. Oh, and I play well with others.
7) What has been your biggest career accomplishment?
I used to think it was landing the only Barry Bonds interview in Sacramento radio, but now I think it is the time a listener called me after finding out he had just six months left to live. He asked me to help him do something special for his wife and daughters. That is the huge responsibility that comes from connecting and developing trust with your audience and one that humbles me to the core.
8) Are you able to slow down and enjoy free time doing things with your family and friends that you probably did not have time to do while you were working?
Still working on that! It is much easier for me to disengage when I know I have a show to come back to.
9) What do you miss most about music/radio? The least?
I miss interacting with the audience, especially the kids. I can't say I miss the 3:30a alarm.
10) Are you spending as much time listening to radio as you used to?
I am probably listening more and I am hearing less localism and connectivity. It is a shame.
Bonus Questions
Uh oh ... now you're on your own for getting new music. If applicable, name your three most recent purchases since leaving the biz.
We used to get free stuff? My last three iTunes purchases were: Josiah Leming's Angels Undercover, Third Day's This Is Who I Am, and Citizen Cope's Son's Gonna Rise.
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