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10 Questions with ... Steve Huber
July 28, 2020
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1. What was your first job in radio and early influences?
I got into radio because of WHFS. I loved the music and the style of the jocks. Rick Strauss, Rob Heckman and Dave Hill really taught me everything I know about programming in my early career (so blame them). I worked directly with Cary Pahigian in between PDs at 98 Rock and I really learned a lot about the managerial side of the business. Collaborating every day now with Jefferson Ward in all things programming and beyond continues to keep me learning and going in the right direction.
2. What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize “this is it”?
I wanted to be in radio even back to high school. My uncle John went to BIM (Broadcasting Institute of Maryland) and exposed me to the potential that I could possibly do what all the people I loved listening to on the radio were doing. I already loved music. I was always the guy who made countless mix tapes and tried to turn friends on to new music. “I just have to play you just this one more song.” The thought of being able to do that on such a grand scale always amazed me. I love that I get to be people’s road trip, outdoor bar-b-que, break up, make up or make out, soundtrack.
3. You rocked for WIYY (98 Rock) for many years before you came to WZBA. What are some of your best highlights and memories working at 98 Rock?
I started my radio career at 98 Rock and did 18 years there before coming to The Bay. I started in 1998 as an intern and ended in 2017 as APD/MD. It was quite a ride up the ranks! I got to be a part of so many great events, shows, stunts, meet and greets and station innovations. While I was at WIYY we were one of the first stations to really use video as a tool and embraced all things social/digital early on. The highlight reel is long and plays more like “The Last Dance” (though I’m no Jordan it was just a lot of hard work and a great team) than “Animal House” but there was a TON of fun. The people I met there, and made lifelong friendships with, are the best part. I still see a lot of my old colleagues on a social basis and they are still some of my best friends, I still talk to many of my record industry friends even though I can’t play their tunes and hell, I even met my wife through being Music Director at 98 Rock! The people make any situation better and through 98 Rock I met some of the greatest people ever.
4. How long have you been the PD at WZBA and what makes this station unique and special?
I started as PD at 100.7 The Bay on 10/2/2017. I’ll never forget it because it was the day Tom Petty passed away. I thought I’d have an easy day of getting to know people, having a few meetings, learning a few names, then heading home. I sure was wrong. That day showed me quickly how much everyone at WZBA cared about the station, the music, the listeners, getting the proper info out as well as paying proper tribute to Mr. Petty. That day everyone, including myself, sprung into action. We gutted the log, added tons of Petty tunes, imaging tributes and made every listener aware of what was going on in a tasteful way. It was such a bittersweet first day. The Bay is so local and so proud to be a part of the lives of Baltimore listeners. We are a small station in a big market and can really do whatever we want. I love the freedom to do creative promotions, write creative imaging and experiment with the playlist to fit OUR market. It is really a great fit for me.
5. What’s the more valuable perspective in helping you program ZBA…..being born and raised in Baltimore or having worked at 98 Rock for so many years…or both?
Baltimore is a unique town. Baltimoreans are proud of the town, the blue collar routes, crabs, old bay and (even if they don’t win) the O’s. Being from here is a great advantage in programming. There has always been WIYY with its imprint on Baltimore but there was also the great WHFS back in the day. Living through the influence of both of those stations really helps me program today. Bands like The Clash, The Ramones and REM have a home on WZBA because of the influence of WHFS in the market the same way bands like Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi do because of WIYYs great heritage. Working at 98 Rock for so many years tied me to so many great people in this town and those relationships have been great for me no matter what station I have been at. If you do radio in a market its great to know the people who make the city hum.
6. You also do afternoons on 100.7 The Bay as Huber. Give us the scoop on your show…do you do any special music features in the afternoon?
I have a very music intensive PM Drive show. We do a single year focused feature every day at 5pm where we play a few of the biggest hits of a particular year and a more forgotten but beloved track too. But, mostly it’s me talking about cooking, eating, drinking beer and trying to be less fat. I try to be super real with the audience by laughing at myself and telling stories about my day no matter how dumb they make me look. It seems to be working. When people meet me at events they often tell me they relate to my salad bar rituals or bizarre dressing of my feet (sock, shoe, sock, shoe NOT sock, sock, shoe, shoe). I feel like a contest winner every day on the air who is lucky enough to get to be on the radio in their home town.
7. Can you give us the rundown of the rest of your on-air staff from mornings to evenings?
Although some of the air staff is “new” to The Bay, none of them are new to Baltimore Radio Listeners. Colleen Carew has been doing mornings for us since April 2020. Although “new,” she was on 98 Rock as a “Part Timer” for 14 years, then did 13 years as midday host, full time, on The Bay. After a short time away in Ocean City, MD, she is back and doing mornings for us Mon-Fri 6-10am.
Matt Davis does midday for us and started in March of 2020. Matt also had a long stint, 23 years, as a WIYY Part Timer. He’s been plugged into the local music scene in Baltimore for as long as anyone can remember (we think he’s a vampire). He’s also worked in Philadelphia, NY and at Sirius XM.
Mike Brilhart does nights for us and has for 13 years. Mike has been on the radio in Baltimore since 1981 and is well know and loved as a Baltimore music expert. Mike is a total pro and he hosts and programs numerous features at night.
8. Now let’s switch gears to the format overall. What's your take on the Classic Rock format in 2020?
Right now, during the COVID-19 Pandemic we are a safety blanket for people. We are familiar and a reminder of a safer time. We take that role very seriously. Right now, we are acting as an oasis and an escape to something familiar and comfortable for people who need a break from everything now that has the world so different so fast. There has always been a bit of that in this format but, it is so amplified now. The trick will be figuring out what to do when/if things return to “normal”. I love new music discovery, I am an indie rock geek at heart and still spend a ton of time combing new release lists to find the next big thing but, I do, and have always loved Classic Rock. I spent a lot of time listening to the frequency that is now WZBA when I was a kid and it was WGRX a classic rocker. I feel like the music in the classic rock format is the building blocks for any music fan of any genre and I am happy to help curate that.
9. One of the programming challenges of the Classic Rock format has always been how to keep the station sounding fresh and relevant while it’s playing Rock music that’s sometimes 30 or 40 years old. Your thoughts?
For us at WZBA we think this music can be fresh. Every day (pre pandemic) we would see kids showing up to our events and shows in Zeppelin and AC/DC shirts. One of the things we have tried to do at WZBA is use the music as our “lane” but make our “stationality” what defines the station. We have a great digital coordinator and promotions director that keep us doing cool new events and keep us relevant, local and cool on social media, whether it is the attitude of the DJs, the goofiness of production and the theme of your contesting. Your station can be fresh and new even if the music you are playing has an AARP card. We have embraced the 90’s as classic rock and play the “right” tracks from the late 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. It’s a tightrope but I have a “sonic vision” for what the station should sound like and genre of rock or age aren’t as big of factors in selecting songs for the playlist as “sound” is. If your station has the right mix of sounds even old music can sound fresh and relevant especially framed with great “stationality.”
10. Finally, what do you like to do for fun and any hobbies when you’re not in radio “work” mode?
Of course, I love spending time with the family and watching my two boys grow up way too fast. I love (and miss terribly) live music, I love collecting vinyl and CDs and making a playlist for every occasion. Outside of that, my favorite non work-related thing to do is FOOD! I love everything from gardening and canning/freezing what I grow, to technical cooking and plating to low and slow smoking a brisket for 15 hrs. I love reading about food, seeing it on Instagram, talking about it and of course eating it! I cannot wait to get back into restaurants and hosting dinners parties again.
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