10 Questions with ... Terri Avery

1. How were you able to get your competition to unite in the recent general election with voter registration and getting out the vote in Atlanta?

When Atlanta was going through the protests over George Floyd’s murder back in May, KISS did a series of Town Hall forums on the radio. The overwhelming sentiment was that we needed to get out and vote. We had Ambassador Andrew Young on and he said that when he marched with Martin Luther King Jr. back in the 60’s there was only one radio station in Atlanta. That got me thinking and I said, “It would be great if all the black radio stations in Atlanta united to get our people out to vote.” I called the respective PD’s at the other stations and we formed Black Radio United for The Vote. Black Radio United For The Vote includes:

• KISS 104.1 (WALR/Cox Media Group)
• V-103 (WVEE-FM/Entercom)
• News & Talk 1380 (WAOK-AM/Entercom)
• Majic 107.5/97.5 (WAMJ/ WUMJ/Radio One)
• Hot 107.9 (WHTA/Radio One)
• Praise 102.5 (WPZE/Radio One)
• Classix 102.9 (WAMJ-HD2/Radio One)
• Streetz 94.5 (WWSZ/Core Radio Group)
• O.G 97.9 (WWWQ-HD3/Cumulus Media)
• WCLK 91.9 (WCLK/Clark Atlanta University)
• Smooth Jazz 101.1/100.1 (WJZA/Davis Broadcasting)

They have been great partners along with The Urban League of Greater Atlanta keeping us all armed with the same information. We are now gearing up for part two in Georgia, the run-off elections which will determine who dominates the House in Washington DC

2. Who were some of your influences during your career?

Sonny Taylor and Bobby Jay-WWRL- personality radio
Chuck Smith and Michael Spears- KKDA-programming
Cathy Hughes- Radio One-radio in the community

3. How has the job of programming evolved?

It has definitely added more responsibility. Programmers have to do more with less staff

4. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _______?

Starting the day with prayer and meditation

5. How did you get your start in radio?

I interned at WWRL in New York, where I watched and learned from some of the greatest personalities from back in the day, Bobby Jay, Gary Byrd and Jerry Bledsoe. I got my first full time, on-air job at KKDA, in Dallas, Texas

6. Radio has taught you what about people?

No one is as they seem

7. What direction do you see radio headed?

For Black radio, I still see it as a staple, necessary in our lives

8. Have you ever been interested in any other profession other than radio?

No

9. How has the pandemic affected you?

When we first went on lock down back in March, it was very difficult adjusting to working from home. I have NEVER done that in my 30 years of broadcasting. It’s not so bad and we now have the option of coming in or working from home.

10. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain - Maya Angelou

If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?

1. Covid to be over so I can hug my grandbabies
2. KISS 104.1 #1 Persons 25-54 in Atlanta
3. A waterfront house