Best Triple-A 10 Questions of 2022

This week, we look back at 2022 with the best answers to some of our best questions.

Ayisha Jaffer
APD/MD
WNXP/Nashville (1/10/2022)

"Every person who enters a station has a different life experience and different musical journey. It's all about perspectives and so my unique perspective adds a certain flavor to the station and our team together creates a different sound."

Gabe Reynolds
PD
Sun Radio/Austin (1/17/2022)

"I don't remember the exact moment I became interested in radio; it was just kind of always there. However, I do remember the moment that solidified it. My math teacher in high school (I sucked at math) had a poster on his wall that said, "When Will I Ever Use This Stuff." It listed a bunch of careers with the math skills needed for each job. Radio DJ and the only math requirement listed was "numerical order." I figured I could do that."

Jade
MD/Midday Host
KCMP/Minneapolis (1/24/2022)

"In the past I was the sole employee for a non-profit called Minnesota Music Coalition that took established artists from the Twin Cities and brought them to more rural communities for workshops and concerts with band from those communities and with my events company I booked hundreds of local acts for shows. These days on The Current we have 3 hours of local music on Sundays – we program MN music right alongside our other artists in rotation. We promote local shows – throughout the pandemic we hosted a series of virtual shows (Sounds Like Home) to highlight and pay MN artists to perform. We've also hosted a series called LineCheck, basically a town hall type virtual meeting with a curated host and musical guests to talk about issues facing our local music community."

Kiefer Sutherland
Actor/Producer/Director/Singer/Songwriter
Cooking Vinyl (1/31/2022)

"I believe there is a hopefulness and positivity in the songwriting (Bloor Street) that is simply at a higher level as a reaction to the pandemic and the two years that followed."

Scott Perlewitz
Minister of Propaganda
Sup Pop Records (2/07/2022)

"I think maybe that I am working on a future side hustle as a painter. I was well on my way before a tornado literally destroyed my painting studio and everything in it. Until we find a new home a lot of my stuff has been sitting in storage, which is kind of a drag. Hopefully, I'll be back at it soon."

Justin Barney
APD/MD/Afternoons
WYMS/Milwaukee (2/14/2022)

"When I was a kid, I remember my grandma saying to me, "I wish I had two lives, one to do my normal stuff, and one to listen to the radio." She introduced me to This American Life, and I fell in love with audio storytelling. I always loved music, and in college I thought it would be fun to tell stories about music. It still is fun."

Bob Waugh
OM/PD – Soon Rasta Man
WRNR/Annapolis-Baltimore (2/21/2022)

"I've been very lucky, only having to move/change markets once in 43 years, in 1991 from New York to Washington. That's almost unheard of in radio. I always thought changing markets can come with big rewards, but also big risks. I was willing to uproot my family only once. When my kids had settled, there were opportunities I turned away from."

Marc "Mookie" Kaczor
PD
KCSN/Los Angeles (2/28/2022)

"We need to counter program against the cookie cutter, corporate consolidation of those big media companies. Stations are already doing this. We need to adapt. We need to bring the demo down and win over the youth. Let's focus on localism and community. It's not good enough to just have an FM signal anymore. Non-commercial stations now have to be content curators and content creators. Get your APP right. Is your smart speaker command easy to remember? Is your station producing original video content?"

Rich McLaughlin
PD
WFUV/New York (3/14/2022)

"I spent much of my early career ruminating over what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be. Finally, I came to the conclusion that my highest ambition is to be what I already am. On good days, I recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment. On bad days, I'm stuck in the past or anxious about the future. Every day, I'm grateful."

Lenny Diana
PD
WTTS/Indianapolis (3/21/2022)

"A wise man once told me that no matter what's happening behind the scenes, it doesn't matter because you control how it sounds coming out of the speakers. They can hear you smile. Entertain."

Rene Magallon
National Commercial Promotion
M:M Music (3/28/2022)

"Trying to explain to an independent artist without a label the challenges of getting radio airplay when there is no national story and no ammo…we have a responsibility to spell it out and sometimes you feel like you are squashing a dream."

Stephanie Lesher
AMD/Production Manager/On Air Host
WRLT/Nashville (4/11/2022)

"I think the most valuable thing I learned during that internship was to say yes to everything. Take every learning opportunity, go to the shows, help out at events. You have to stand out!"

Diane Michaels
MD/Middays
KPND/Spokane (4/18/2022)

"What, I'm not famous? Great question…if I WAS famous, I think I'd like to be interviewed by KMTN's Mark "Fish" Fishman! That would be fun! And I'm guessing we'd talk about stuff totally off the beaten path."

Jeff White
GM/PD
KRML/Monterey, CA (5/02/2022)

"For one, it's pretty much dictated where I live since I made it a priority. For me, it's one of the few times that I can just be myself with no exterior pressures or agendas. The magnitude of the ocean is so humbling that it will put your struggles and triumphs in appropriate perspective by just being in it. There is no imposing your will. You must practice patience and allow the wave to direct you to where you need to be. The peace and/or rush that I experience in the lineup, be it from a small longboard day to a challenging double-overhead session will last the entire day, if not longer."

Jordan Zucker
HMIFC
Infirst Promotions (5/16/2022)

"Know everything about everything… be on time … even early. Have some great stories. carry a sharpie and a leather man."

Mark "Fish" Fishman
PD/MD
KMTN/Jackson Hole, WY (5/23/2022)

"Our challenge, like everyone else's, is grabbing that slice of the proverbial pie. Whether its listener's ears or advertising revenue, there are lots of options out there for people, so we need to stay unique, relevant, and most importantly, local. We continue to provide lots of information on community events, local weather, road and ski reports, our Trash 'n' Treasure show and on0air promotions such as our big "Ski Free on The Mountain" Season Ski Pass giveaway. A free season pass in a ski town is a pretty big deal."

Jeff Cook
Supreme Ultimate Leader
Coherent Music (5/31/2022)

"Doing an album with the great Allen Toussaint a few years back was pretty damn good. He was always a hero to me and to be able to sing with him both in the studio and on stage has been another great gift. Also, Motley Crue covering "Teaser" and putting on their Greatest Hits Album was a true gift. It sold 3.5 million copies. It provided a real estate opportunity I would have never had."

Sam Ness
Artist
Wander North Records (6/06/2022)

"Slow it Down was written in late 2019. I had just wrapped up a month of touring through northern Wisconsin, sleeping in my van every night in the brutally cold winter. I was exhausted, sick, and looking forward to coming home for a hot shower, a home-cooked meal, and the chance to catch up with my dad. I got back to his place, chatted for about 15 minutes, then got up to go answer emails and hit an open mic. I paused just before the door and thought, "What the hell and I doing? Slow down, man." I sat down right there and then and wrote Slow it Down."

Kevin Cole
Sr. Programming Advisor/PM Drive Host
KEXP/Seattle (6/13/2022)

"The Non-Comm music stations are doing excellent work bringing new music and artists into the lives of our listeners. We're the ones on the front end of music discovery in radio—yet there's so many more great artists and bands out there, so one thing I'd like to see in our "system" is even more openness to new music--openness to play unsigned bands and artists because you love them, and openness to embrace diversity, equity, and representation in our programming. In a polarized world, we have an opportunity, a platform, to bring people together via a shared love of music. Let's do it and make the world a better place!"

Tom Calderone
President/CEO
WBFO/Buffalo-Toronto (6/27/2022)

"Audience first. Full stop. Then have fun, be self-deprecating. Take music risks. Support local/regional music in regular rotation. Listen to the audience, Leverage great brands like "Tiny Desks" from NPR. Weekend stunts, like Brit Pop, 90's, and Tailgating Music Blocks for the very popular pro sports teams here. Plus add a lot of short snackable videos to our offering. Video is a key here!"

Lindsay Kimball
PD
KCMP/Minneapolis (7/05/2022)

"How does radio retain its role in the community, in connecting audiences with music, and it's influence while we compete with digital content? Our competition isn't defined by a terrestrial signal, so we have to thinking differently about how we serve our audiences and become – and stay – important to them."

Chris Wienk
PD/Afternoons
WEXT/Albany (7/11/2022)

"I think commercial and non-comm stations face similar challenges. By (both listeners and industry insiders), we are expected to play pretty out-there music, and yet we have to have enough people listening to make sure we get the support that is needed to sustain the station. It is a fine balance of the unique and interesting smaller projects mixed with the significant, important more-popular artists."

Chad Briesacher
GM
KCLC/St. Louis (7/18/2022)

"KCLC emphasizes diverse sounds. We've shifted from the Americana to Alternative side or AAA when I became PD. Since then, we've gradually started adding a more diverse with some World and Hip Hop. The format overall seems to be experiencing an exciting shift."

Jess Phaneuf
MD
WMVY/Cape Cod-Martha's Vineyard (7/25/2022)

"My favorite part about this job is getting feedback from listeners during our on-air fund drives. We recently reached our biggest fund drive goal yet - $260K!!! Listener supported radio is amazing. People show up for us in a remarkable way."

Chad A. Miller
MD/Middays
WAPS/Akron (8/01/2022)

"Best piece of advice for me was given in the very early days of my first job in radio at WRQK by then-evening host Alfonzo Riley who really summarized what we do in radio: "Sell the music, sell the station." Which, yeah ... pretty much sums it up."

Casey Smith
Afternoons/Producer/Host-The615
WRLT/Nashville (8/08/2022)

"Make sure people know how much you appreciate their support, because in the beginning, you will need a whole lot of it. That's friends, family, everybody. If you're getting booked, be very good to the venue sound, security, wait staff, etc. Realistically, you'll be spending a lot of time around these folks when you're starting out, and "They're good, but they were a nightmare to deal with" is absolutely a thing. Short version: Show up on time. Be ready to work. Be nice."

Michele Block-Rhoades
Radio Development
Americana Music Association (8/22/2022)

"Since 2015, I have been working part-time with the University of New Haven's Nashville Study Away Program where I am the program coordinator during their Spring semesters. I set up the internships and field trips for the students as well as being the main contact for students, Blackbird Studio (where the classes are held) and the University of New Haven. If I were to leave the music business, I would like to work for a college with a music business program so that I could give back to the students."

Erin Wolf
MD
WYMS/Milwaukee (8/29/2022)

"The cool people at WMSE…music nerds who were nice. I never realized being on the radio was attainable to someone like me. I became part of the "cool kids club" just because I had a passion for music. I was super supported in my early years there – I grew into a confident DJ and Music Director with the help, appreciation, and camaraderie of my fellow DJs. In my experience, it feels like the best people work in radio - they're smart, passionate and (most of the time) really funny."

Beau Gunn
Market Manager/PD/Afternoons
WUIN/Wilmington (9/12/2022)

"Connecting people. Whether it's through playing an artist that bridges the gap between parent and child, or through connecting our listeners to local businesses, or music fan to artist. Connecting people has become the most rewarding part of my job, and I sincerely believe it is what I was put on this earth to do."

Jason Thomas
MD/Afternoon Host
KVOQ/Denver (9/19/2022)

"One of my favorite (and easiest) interviews was Run the Jewels at Lollapalooza back in 2017. Both El-P and Killer Mike are old enough and have been in the game long enough to appreciate the success that they're experiencing, which makes them cool as shit and when I talked to them, they had just come from Wrigley Field after throwing out the first pitch at a Friday afternoon game. They were pretty high on life that day and high in other ways as well."

Martin Bandyke
APD/MD/AM Drive
WQKL/Ann Arbor, MI (9/26/2022)

"Learn everything you can about all types of music; be willing and able to work the tough shifts that others avoid; and be nice to everybody."

Benji McPhail
PD
KKXT/Dallas (10/03/2022)

"The biggest issue for public radio is how to attract younger listeners. There are so many choices for the audience that the biggest hurdle is educating younger listeners that we have more to offer. There is a stigma that their parents listened to NPR, so it might not be cool. We counter that with some really creative imaging and by taking the lead with new music. As a result, we have kept the upper demo happy and brought on a lot of younger listeners as well."

Julia Fiordimondo
MD
KCLC/St. Louis (10/10/2022)

"My best friend once told me, "Start where you are." I tend to get ahead of myself and expect unreasonable things of myself. Reminding myself to start where I am helps me stay grounded. I am a college student; I am learning every day and trying to become a better version of myself."

Bipolar Sunshine – aka Adio Marchant
Artist
Noize Recordings (10/17/2022)

"3034 is the lens with which I look through life, not 20/20 and it's also the year of when we see things end, and how would music or art be seen in that year. I wanted to create something that stands the test of time because we are leaning towards it."

Randy Sadd
President
Protocol Entertainment (10/24/2022)

"I always had the entrepreneurial mindset, so it seemed like a natural progression to start my own company. My first client was an unknown artist named Shawn Mullins, who at the time was selling CDs out of the trunk of his car. Shawn's single "Lullabye" quickly exploded at radio, becoming the hottest radio song at the time. After that, I had the privilege of working with other unsigned up and coming artists who went on to success such as Jennifer Nettles, Butch Walker, Parmalee, Fozzy, Rehab, and more. Industry vets like John Kilgo and Sam Kaiser were always instrumental for bouncing off ideas and advice."

Jesse Barnett
Owner
Right Arm Resource (10/31/2022)

"Before I decided to go out on my own, I asked Sean O'Connell at Creative Allies for any advice on running your own business. He said to come up with a mission statement that you could base all of your decisions off of – one that would drive the ethics of the company. Months later, I told him I couldn't come up with one but instead I created three rules that I wrote out and live by: 1) Don't work records that suck. 2) Don't fuck over your clients. 3) Make tomorrow's money, not today's (i.e.: long term relationships that lead to repeat business, not one-time influxes). 17 years later, I'm happy to say I've stayed afloat by sticking by them."

Julie Koehrer
MD/Afternoons
WCNR/Charlottesville (11/07/2022)

"There is a vibrant music scene here in Charlottesville, but mostly through my conversations with label reps. I think that is the most fun way for me to discover music honestly. I do use apple music which will surprise me sometimes too."

Crystal McKenzie
Afternoons & Programming Asst.
WTTS/Indianapolis (11/14/2022)

"There are FOUR CONSTANT TRUTHS FOR ME: LESS IS MORE. Believe in yourself when the mic comes on. Always know where you are getting out and leave on a high note."

Kyle Meredith
MD/DJ
WFPK/Louisville (11/21/2022)

"And at the end of the day, our audience votes with their wallets. The fact that we have one of the highest percentages of sustaining memberships is pretty great job satisfaction."

Deep Pocket Thieves
Artist
Sapphirerose Records (11/28/2022)

"The name, "Deep Pocket Thieves" came from a musical goal that the groove, (the "Deep Pocket"), along with the melody and vocals were the most important aspects of a song. That is what we try to focus on when writing. As far as the "Thieves" part of the name, we have always identified with the rebel/pirate side of art and as artists."

Ronda Chollock
Owner
Insubordinate Media (12/05/2022)

"I think what's changed the most is our format's sense of self and acceptance of music that stretches our genre confines. Triple A's finally started to have a much-needed self-reckoning about how white and male some corners of our genre still are, and I love how more stations have come to embrace a wider sound and a more complex and complete demographic of artists played. More women, more artists of color and from all backgrounds—I think it only improves our palette."