10 Questions with ... Robin Rothschild

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

It seems I have been in broadcasting my whole life. My father was an engineer with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and rose up through management to be the Assistant Chief of FM Branch of the FCC.

As a matter of fact, I was little Miss FCC when I was five years old.

Then, in late 1984, my father held a press conference on CSPAN talking about an initiative the FCC had developed to help increase local and minority FM radio ownership. This was called the 89-90 Docket.

While watching, I became very interested in the process. At the time we were looking for a house in Mountain Snow, VT, where we skied. There was no local radio station in the area. I applied for 100.7 licensed to Wilmington, VT and on June 1st, 1989 I signed on my first radio station, 100.7 WVAY-FM.

Never having really been in the radio business, we hired consultants that said we should do the NAC format, which we did and did not go as well as planned. In 1991, I decided to take over as GM and made the decision that as a team we were going to play what we like, which pretty much ended up being a form of the Triple A format, which was new to commercial radio at the time. Within two years, we were making money and super-serving our communities. In 1999 we sold the station.

Soon after I received an offer to come to the Eastern Shore and become a partner with Anchor Broadcasting, Co. which had a Country station in Selbyville, DE across the bay from Ocean City, MD, that was struggling.

As manager, I changed format, changed frequency, increased power and signed on the new 98.1 WOCM/Selbyville, DE on April 1st, 2001 with the Triple A format. It was such an instant success, we started receiving seven-figure offers within the first month of operation and we did sell in 2002. After the sale, I moved to Los Angeles in 2002 and did some modeling and commercial work.

I decided to come back the Eastern Shore in 2006 and get back into radio. I found a little radio station on Chincoteague Island, VA 96.5 WCTG. In May 2007, I started operating WCTG though a Local Management Agreement (LMA), the station was also struggling. I then changed the format to Triple A.

I had that station for five years. Then an opportunity came to do a Triple A show on Delmarva Public Radio's NPR affiliate 90.7 WSDL. As well as, a TV show on the local NBC affiliate WRDE called "Riding Around Delmarva with Robin & Friends."

I was made aware, in May of 2015, that Delmarva Broadcasting Co.'s Salisbury/Ocean City, MD stations were on the market and started negotiating with to buy two of their radio stations and property, including the building and tower.

I closed on 97.5 WKTT and 1320 WICO-AM in plus the property, tower and building on May 12th, 2016. A few months later, I received an offer for WKTT, that I could not refuse and we are in process of closing.

At the same time, I worked on a Time Brokerage Agreement for 94.9 which at the time was a construction permit for a brand new station in the market. On April 1st, 2017, I launched 94.9 WAMS with the Triple A format.

1. How did you become interested in radio?

My Dad, George A. Enuton, who was an engineer and Assistant Chief of the FM Branch at the Federal Communications Commission.

2. What prompted you to launch a new Triple A station in the market?

This is the fourth time launching a Triple A station. This will be the third in this market.

3. How would you describe the music on the station?

Besides the normal Triple A artists played, we are free form. I like to have a lot of input from the listeners of the communities we serve and want to play what they want to hear.

4. How do you feel about the current climate of music?

It's pretty good. There are some very talented and unique bands around.

5. Tell us about the staff you have gathered for the station.

We are very lucky to have a small but talented staff: Debbie Shuster handles our office, traffic and billing.

Jason Lee is morning show host and PD.

I do the drive home.

Wild Kat Kelly does weekends on air.

Consultant Shawn "Murph" Murphy is part time on air.

Travis Ayers is our 24-year-old PM and Station Engineer that everyone has to take a second look at scratch their heads and ask me if they can borrow him.

6. In what ways are you getting word out about the station?

Good old-fashioned grassroots, boot-on-the-street promotion and being local, local, local. We also are planning our first radio concert for next month with blues artist Lazar Lloyd and local father/son act Blind Wind.

7. What are some of your biggest challenges as an independent station?

Having been an independent broadcaster my whole career, I really don't see any. If anything I look at being an independent as a plus.

8. What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?

Stations being truly being local, serving and caring about their community of license.

9. What would surprise people most about the station?

Probably the fact that I own the land, building and tower where the stations are.

10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ...

... without a glass of Chardonnay

Last non-industry job:

I had a Television show "Riding Around Delmarva with Robin & Friends" on our local NBC affiliate

First record ever purchased:

It think it was Sly and the Family Stone

First concert:

BTO

Favorite band of all-time:

No way to answer just one

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?

Seeing live music at smaller venues and dancing.