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Phyllis Stark Talks With Charese Fruge (@MCMediaonline)
August 8, 2023
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In her final “Women to Watch” column for All Access, we turn the tables on its author, Charese Fruge’, to get her thoughts on the state of the industry, the importance of supporting other women in the business, and what the future looks like for a pro with her experience and talents. We also find out about some of her most memorable “Women to Watch” interviews through the years, and her specific thoughts about the Country format, after having served for the last year as a key member of All Access’ Nashville team.
In one happy bit of news, the Louisiana native with more than 20 years of radio programming experience in markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Denver and Las Vegas, hints in the interview below that she’s close to a deal to move this popular column to another trade publication once All Access executes its previously announced scaling back of its staff and operations on August 15th.
In addition to her work at All Access, the award-winning programmer is a voiceover talent and voice actor and operates the radio and talent consulting agency MC Media.
1. When and why did you launch the “Women to Watch” column, and why has it been important to you to support and highlight the work of other women in the industry?
“Women To Watch” launched in November of 2019 after a conversation with colleagues about the usual challenge for radio. There were little to no female Program Directors in the radio industry. The statistic of 12% in the entire country had been stagnant for at least 11 years at the time. (By the way, the percentage is still about the same.) So, I came up with an idea to write the column and asked All Access’ Joel Denver if he wanted to be my partner on it. The problem, he said, was, “If we highlighted just programmers, we’d run out of candidates in a few months.” He was right, so he suggested we highlight women in the industry who worked in all capacities: programming, on air, promotions, records, artists, managers etc. It was perfect!
2. Can you describe two or three of your most memorable interviews, and the “Women to Watch” who particularly inspired you?
It’s so difficult to narrow these down. Every one of the women featured in this column have inspiring stories and great advice, but if I have to narrow it down, the first would be the actual first column I ever wrote on Robin Bertolucci, Program Director of Los Angeles News/Talk monster KFI-A 640 and KEIB-A 1150. I had the opportunity to work with Robin in Los Angeles years ago. Not only does she successfully program an AM signal that is consistently in the Top 10 when it comes to annual revenue nationwide, but she is also one of very few female programmers in News/Talk, a predominately male format. She is a “unicorn,” tough as nails, smart, and was an absolute inspiration to work with.
Also, I have always been a fan of Lisa Worden. She was a HUGE part of the success of “The World Famous KROQ” when it was in its heyday, and a fierce competitor when we were both in the market. As a music geek, I could always tell when Lisa was scheduling the music, whether it was on KROQ or other stations in the CBS chain that she was charged with helping. She now programs iHeart’s KYSR (Alt 98.7) in Los Angeles, the station I flipped from Hot AC to Alternative before leaving the market to return to CBS Radio in San Diego and San Francisco. The station is a monster in L.A. and watching her succeed in a business that for many years she worked behind the scenes in is so rewarding.
Grisel Barajas was also a very big inspiration to me. Sadly, she was killed in a motorcycle accident in Indianapolis in June of 2020. As the Program Director and afternoon host on Indy’s WNOW-HD3 La Grande 105.1 FM, and content creator and on-air talent for sister station Telemundo 19 WDNI-CD, she was a star! She was fluent in several languages, smart as hell, determined to find solutions to every problem, and everyone LOVED her. When we worked together, we made a pact to support women in the industry in any way possible, especially women of color.
And finally, Vanessa (V) Gomez. V is a young talent who reached out to me for some coaching and advice. She quickly became a client of mine at MC Media, and this girl’s “hustle” blows me away. I helped steer her through getting her first full time job at El Dorado Broadcasters in Yuma, AZ, and shortly after, the company moved her up to Victorville, right outside of Los Angeles after discovering what she is all about. She is relentless when it comes to improving her craft and learning as much as she can. She is also one of the few younger generation talents that is actually passionate about the business. She continues to inspire me to be the person I was when I was trying to break into the industry. Simply put, she is a ray of sunshine!
3. As a voiceover artist, what are your thoughts on AI and the ways it might fundamentally change the radio industry?
I think it’s the nail in the coffin. We know you can’t replace real passion when it comes to on-air personalities (for now anyway), so there is a little bit of hope in that department, but we already see the changes taking place and companies embracing it for all the wrong reasons. And while voiceover work requires a lot of inflection and acting, it’s a lot easier to replace a voice that does not have to be or sound live.
With my own company, I also teach both new and seasoned talent how to negotiate new positions and contracts, and we’re starting to see the terminology reflect the possibility that your voice could be used for AI. Do not agree to any terms that do not include “permission and compensation” for use!
There also needs to be quick regulation on the use of AI, and ethics policies for companies to follow.
4. You’ve programmed radio stations at a high level in a number of formats, but since moving to Nashville last fall, you've had a front-row seat in the Country music industry. What has been the most surprising thing for you about how Country operates compared to Top 40 and other formats you’ve worked in?
I was reminded of how radio-friendly Country artists are, and how grateful they are for radio support. It’s something I knew, having overseen and been on-air at several Country brands over the years, but man what a difference! Artists from other genres can be absolute “haters” sometimes.
I was also surprised, but not surprised, with the lack of female programmers in the format, and the lack of people in charge of making the music decisions in general. There were little to no female Program Directors on the “female panel” at the latest Country industry convention this year, and sadly, it was one of the few with little attendance. I had to ask myself and others, “Are there no female programmers in Country radio?”
Also, so many large companies have condensed their programmers in the Country format, and only several people (the usual suspects) are in charge of picking the music for stations. Decisions are being made on a national, or regional level for local radio stations, and that doesn’t make for great radio, or diversity and variety. It’s sad, really. It makes it feel like the industry is shrinking, even though Country music is now mass appeal, and currently in the state of saving the Pop genres, because there is simply no good music being put out in those formats right now.
5. You’ve been with All Access for more than four years now. And while the end of the site is not what anyone anticipated or hoped for, what are some key takeaways for you that you’ve learned on this job that you will bring with you to the next?
Like many others in the industry, I didn’t realize exactly how much everyone depended on our First Alert newsletter in the morning, our Country Daily in the afternoon, our job postings, downloads, and everything else AA offered. I didn’t realize how Joel Denver and his baby brought together thousands of people across the industry into one community that made everyone feel included and comfortable enough to have educated discussions and debates about the industry. The takeaway: Be consistent and build a community.
I also didn’t realize how much power and inspiration a feature like “Women to Watch” could have, and I am overjoyed by the number of people who tell me they love the column. And I didn’t realize how much I loved writing again. I used to LOVE to write in high school and college. I stopped when I got into the business full time. Being able to do that again is truly therapeutic and makes me feel productive.
The good news is, I will continue to write the column on my own personal blog on LinkedIn and @MCMediaonline, as well as another industry trade site to be revealed when all the details are worked out. Key takeaway: Do what you love. If you do it well, you will create a demand for it.
6. In addition to your work with All Access, you’ve run your own consulting firm, MC Media, for almost four years. Can you talk about your work there in the marketing, talent and content areas, and what benefits and services you bring to your clients?
The most lucrative and rewarding service I offer is teaching both new and experienced women (mostly) how to negotiate job opportunities and contracts for themselves. In some instances, I will actually represent the person if they are not comfortable with representing themselves. It takes the emotion out of negotiation, which is the most productive way to go through the process. If they are younger talent, or the salaries aren’t than big, I will go through the offers and/or contracts and explain to them what the terminology means and where the red flags are, then help them come up with the necessary questions or changes they need to work on.
I am not an agent looking to take 10% of a person’s salary, just someone with the experience to help. A lot of women, especially younger women, have no idea how contracts work. I am also not an attorney, but I have spent over 10 years negotiating offers and contracts in major markets and with million-dollar talent. I have the experience and know what’s realistic for both sides.
I also consult radio stations across the country in multiple formats, which is such a joy because I am actually getting to put my programming experience to work, and I coach talent in all dayparts, including and especially morning shows, and both seasoned and young talent. This consulting and coaching includes everything from music strategy, to branding, to podcasting to social media and whatever else is needed.
And I also do a lot of publicity for some of my clients. A lot of them can’t write a press release or don’t know how to promote their own brand, so I assist with those who need it.
7. As you look toward that next job, what are some of the key skills you possess that will benefit your next employer, and what kinds of jobs are you open to and excited to pursue?
Artist/talent brand development, operations management, content creation, publicity, music curating, talent acquisition and training, digital media marketing and creative writing. Obviously, I am passionate about the broadcast and music industries. I have experience in all music formats and News/Talk, I have C Suite level management experience, and an extensive marketing and branding background. My goal is to find a place where I can apply my experience and talent in an environment where I can continue to grow and learn, while at the same time feel comfortable in a productive environment.
Follow Charese Fruge’ on socials @Charesefruge and @MCMediaonline.com and at www.mcmediaonline.com
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