10 Questions with ... Terrie Carr

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

My first job was as a board op of NJ Devils hockey games at WRAN, which ironically was located right next to WDHA! I used to look at WDHA and long to be there ... one day, I thought. Now I have spent more than half my life here ... (give or take my brief hiatus). I was always radio obsessed and listened to Carol Miller and Allison Steele as a kid. When Allison talked about how Hendrix wrote a song for her, it blew my mind. These women were making things happen and not just reading weather reports. Then I heard Stern. And really became hooked.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it?"

Radio was always an important part of my life as was music. We always had music on in our house. Rock, R &B, Classical ... something was always playing. I was a late-night radio junkie. As a kid I would stay up all night and listen to the mystery of what was coming up next on the overnight on WABC. I loved the feel of the overnight as a kid. When I was in junior high I went to my first Stones show, and I was a pre-ordained rebel from that moment on.

3) What makes WDHA so unique?

Our listeners are part of our brand. They stop by to show me their dogs, have us say hi to their kids, see an artist in our parking lot ... it transcends beyond music. Technically we are in the Morristown market. However 75% of our listenership is out-of-market. We carry the rock torch to 10 counties and our cume is thriving. Our brand of their favorite rock from back in the day to bands they want to see and hear now has kept us vibrant and relevant.

4) After many years at WDHA, in 2005 you left for Sirius Radio. How was the experience going from terrestrial to satellite radio?

Lonely! LOL ... Nothing at all against the satellite world, but I really missed the energy of a live and local audience. I missed the beat of the day-to-day unpredictability of live radio ... there is just a certain chemistry that's in a local radio station that can't be beat. I missed developing new ways to communicate, the satisfaction of wearing many different hats and the true competition that surrounds local radio each and every day. Clients, interactive, charity causes, face to face connecting ... there is so much more to do ... I don't enjoy being idle. And doing the same thing day in and out is just not me.

5) Now that you're back at WDHA for the second time, you have the dual role as MD and midday host. How do you balance your time so both roles are effective?

Time? What's that? Just kidding. It's really tough to do one without the other. And it is so much more diverse these days. I'm on-air, programming, filming video, editing video, interviewing doing appearances, saving dogs (LOL) ... the radio requirements these days are steep. I always tell those looking to break in, "Do it all ... you'll need it all one day."

6) WDHA has long had a reputation as a "tastemaker" station, especially when it comes to mixing Active, Mainstream and Classic Rock. How do you balance these different music styles so it doesn't adversely affect the station's cume and TSL?

"Tastemaker"! I like that! Balancing act, for sure. WDHA has navigated through many eras, competitors, and musical trends in our almost 40-year history. Picking the proper gold, figuring out where our eras begin and end and picking the right current-based artists to support are a big part of the "DHA soup" ... We have some kick-ass specialty weekend programming that adds to our stationality and musicologists who love what they are serving up to our listening family. Our point of difference is our true strength.

7) What's your take on current Rock music and the Rock format as a whole?

Rock is alive and well in the tri-state area and especially in New Jersey. It's a lifestyle and thankfully WDHA continues to experience our highest cume in decades. We see younger generations discovering their first Led Zeppelin track and the 40-plus crowd jamming to Queens Of The Stone Age. New Music Discovery has always been vital to the DHA brand and it's a huge reason people keep coming back to eat at our table. We can sell out a Volbeat show on a Tuesday night and have hundreds of people hit our website a day to hang in our studio with their favorite band. And we believe in our brand. If you don't believe in what you are doing it shows. Authenticity is the key to success.

8) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year and why?

Only three! Okay ... I'll do my best.

The song of the summer for our listeners has been Royal Republic - "Baby!" Our most-requested tune of the past few weeks. Brilliant, catchy and bringing fun back into rock and roll!

I also love the Greta Van Fleet, "Highway Tune." Monster reaction record and the new Cheap Trick, "We're All Alright" is a killer release. There is still a lot of gas in the tank for this amazing classic band ... WOW!

9) How much does WDHA use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to interact with its listeners? Are there any recent promotions where the station utilized this media to connect with your audience?

Facebook and Twitter are absolutely vital to us and should be to any radio brand as we are now media brands. Facebook live has become important in communicating with listeners. They get that behind the scene exposure. Our listeners are our family. We treat them as such. We are their home. Social media becomes another important connection they have to us.

Our website and interactive platform are a big piece of WDHA and social media is just another tool to connect it with the listeners and users.

Terrie Carr and her latest rescue- Rosie (aka Whole Lotta Rosie)

10) Finally, I know you're a huge dog lover, and the station has been doing The WDHA Ultimate Rock Dog calendars (which I prominently display in my office). How did this promotion start and how many years have you been doing them?

Thanks, Ken! I'm honored that you have supported us for so many years, too!

This is our seventh year. We have raised thousands of dollars for local animal shelters here in New Jersey, which helps feed, care for and spay and neuter wonderful animals for adoption. One day I had the idea to run a Rock Dog contest and with little resources at that time thought ... oh, let's take the top 12 and make an in-house calendar. (Our first looks very different that our recent efforts!) Now we tie the contest into our big PUPTOBERFEST event, which draws over 5,000 people, and have our calendars professionally photographed, set and printed. It is a labor of love from our team and I couldn't be more grateful. We have really affected our community in a positive way. My dogs even get propositioned on social media! LOL