10 Questions with ... Tori Thomas

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• 1984-1992 - WSPI/Shamokin, PA - Part-time, Full-time, Part-time again!
• 1993-1996 - WZXR/Williamsport, PA - Part-time
• 1996-present - WZZO/Allentown, PA

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

I started as a typist at WSPI/Shamokin, PA. I annoyed the PD to let me be on the air. It took me three weeks to break him! He literally had to teach me everything! Great man ... Rick Ricigiliano. He died of a heart attack at age 39. That's the stress of radio! Robin Lee made me who I am today. She hired me at WZZO and gave me the chance to be where I am today. If I become one-fourth the programmer she was, I'll consider myself a success!

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

When I was 13, I first heard "Lay It On The Line" on the local radio station. I loved that song. So I wrote them a letter, telling them to "play it more." It wasn't really a request to hear the song ... just a note to tell them that I thought the song should be played more often. I listened to radio non-stop, even during dinner. A few days later while having dinner with my parents, I heard the DJ dedicate the song to me! From that moment on, I wanted to work in radio!

3) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?

I went to college, but not for Communications. I have a degree in Accounting. For 13 years I had two jobs. My "other job" was in the banking industry. I worked in virtually every area of banking you could think of! I was a Teller, Proof Operator, Collection Manager (I repossessed cars and foreclosed mortgages ... and I was good at it!), and Loan Officer. So I guess I could always do that again.

4) Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?

Everything is moving to online and mobile devices. For example, Clear Channel has the iHeart Radio App, which allows folks to listen to WZZO on mobile devices such as the iPhone, Blackberry, Android and more. People want to have everything in one device -- and the iHeart Radio App gives the people what they want! I hope to still have a role in radio. Since I've worked very hard to always change with the times, I think that I will. I didn't even have e-mail when I started working here! Now I'm updating our website, editing photos, and even creating widgets for the station! So I'd say I've come a long way! Not bad for a gal with a "C" average in high school!

5) What can we be doing with our station web sites to better our stations as a whole?

The biggest part is interesting content! You can't go wrong with a few naked women! I'm sorry, the women are not naked; that's not allowed! Exclusive content, too! We've got "Sneak Peek," "Stripped" and more! Sneak Peek is the chance to listen to new music before it hits the streets. For Stripped, we have artists record some of their songs acoustically and make that available to our website users. We give our website users access to content they cannot get anywhere else! Additionally, getting our website content to the social networking sites! WZZO has been doing that for some time!

6) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?

KZRR /Albuquerque, NM! They play tons of hair bands ... love that!

7) What format does not exist that should? Would it work?

A station with spiritual/new age/metaphysical content. That is already available online, but I'd love to see it go more mainstream. Will it work? From a listener standpoint, I'd like to think it would. Would it make money? That's a tough question to answer. I cannot even begin to think what the "target demographic" would be. And let's be honest, it's all about demographics and making money!

8) Tell us what music we would find on your car or home CD player (or turntable) right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?

Joe Lynn Turner "Second Hand Life," Tall Stories "Skyscraper". I'm a fan of melodic rock ... and you just don't hear that stuff on the radio! And of course, "Triumph Greatest Hits Remixed" (see answer to #2!)

9) What was the biggest gaffe you've made on-air?

I've got some beauties: I called Timothy B. Schmitt, Timothy B. Shit. I called a compact disc a "compact dick." And the American Heart Association became the "American Fart Association." But to my credit -- and this is embarrassing -- I used to board op specialty shows that were played off RECORD. One time I was very sick. I had "the runs." Rather than have dead air, well, you can figure out what happened!

10) What was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you at a remote?

My morning team -- The Bearman and Keith -- have this habit of telling people I'm HOT! At a remote, a listener came up to me and said, "You Tori Thomas? You're not that hot!" I told him that I never said I was and I reminded him to have another beer since he was working on an "allday drunk thing" at the time!

As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?

I regret not staying full-time in Radio right out of college. My mom didn't think Radio was a career, so I went into Banking. Sometimes mom isn't always right, ya know?

Favorite artist you have met?

Brent Smith and Barry Kerch from Shinedown. And Jacoby from Papa Roach. Not only were they down to earth, but they always remember me - and my name - when they see me. After a concert, Jacoby ran off stage, covered in sweat and actually stopped to thank me for playing the band's song! He told me that the audience was singing the song back to him and he believed the audience knew it because of the exposure WZZO had given the band!

What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?

Shinedown! VH1's Best Cruise Ever in April! Shinedown always puts on an amazing show, but seeing them on a cruise made it more intimate and they played off that fact.

What was the first song or full-length release you purchased?

Song? "Billy Don't Be A Hero" Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. Album? Does a K-Tel record count? God, I'm old!

What gets you upset at work and how do you channel your anger?

I have O.C.D. so it drives me crazy when people do not pay attention to detail! I channel it by doing it myself!

How do you stay in tune with your audience?

I live the lifestyle! I am the typical WZZO male listener. I am a girl, yes. But I know more about cars than curtains, I can burp louder than most men, and I'd rather take a punch in the face than go shopping! And of course, rock is MY music!