Radiogirl

I interviewed Molly Jirasek at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association convention six years ago, when she was Assistant News Director at Heart of Illinois ABC in Peoria. Now she is News Director at ABC57-TV in South Bend, Indiana. Molly explains what she looks for in a journalism professional, and gives advice on topics that include: appearance, demo reels, reporting, applying for jobs, important skills for working in TV news, attitude, what to look for in a school to get experience, multimedia journalism, how she runs a newsroom, and more. This is from a livestream that we did.Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG199.mp3And click this link for the previous INBA interview.Molly is hiring, btw. 

Jerry Agar has been on the air since October, 1973. I interviewed him in 2010 when he was starting at Newstalk 1010 CFRB in Toronto. He went back to Canada after spending 25 years in the U.S. (he's originally from Canada), and is still at Newstalk 1010. He talks about a lot in this update: what he thinks of the radio industry and talk radio; why he switched from music radio to talk; his experience including WGN and WLS in Chicago, and smaller markets throughout the country; Kevin Metheny and his father, Terrell Metheny; his struggles, advice, the importance of being authentic, and a lot more. This is from a livestream that we did.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG198.mp3

Ron Gleason worked in sports for many years before switching to news at WBBM Newsradio. He talks about Sports Phone, doing play-by-play, sportscasting, being the boss at WSCR The Score, Mike North and Dan Jiggetts, radio before and during the Internet, how radio can be effective and entertaining, being management vs on the air, starting his radio career in his home state of California, doing sports in Joliet at WJOL, the end of WMAQ news station in Chicago and WCBS in New York, revenue declines, talented broadcasters, going from The Score to WBBM as an anchor then boss, his workflow, advice for getting a job, how sports helps news, how the radio biz has changed, and much more! This is probably the most extensive interview that Ron has ever done and is from a livestream that we did."I loved it and I just I knew radio was all I ever wanted to do."Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG197.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos on the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube.If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

I first interviewed Rafer Weigel 11 years ago when he was at WLS-TV in Chicago. When I did this livestream with him, he was at KUSI-TV in San Diego. Now he's Chief Communications Officer at VetComm, so but I want to post this anyway because Rafer talked a lot not just about his professional experience, but his personal struggles as well, which is pretty rare in the few-hundred interviews I've done so far. He also shares his opinions about the media biz and news broadcasting. Topics covered: acting, his famous sportscaster dad Tim Weigel, sports broadcasting, breaking the Jussie Smollett story and losing his job, mistakes he's made, mental health, pressure and competition, advice for working in the biz, and much more. This is one of the longest podcasts I've done; it was first posted at the INBA website. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG196.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos on the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube.If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

A musical discussion: Steve Leventhal, creator of InternetFM, and his son and cofounder Eric Leventhal, talk about their music and broadcasting experience, what is top-shelf radio, paying for songs, why vinyl is popular with some younger music fans, commercials, changing technology and music delivery, how they define oldies, the resurgence of psychedelic music, concerts, rock's waning popularity, the role of the Internet for radio, the future of music radio, and more. The last time I interviewed Steve was more than 10 years ago.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG195.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

John Siuntres (host and creator of the popular Word Balloon livestream and podcast and I often talk on the phone for at least an hour, so we decided to do a livestream conversation, and it ended up being much longer! Topics covered: how entertainment and the media have changed, the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes, creativity and syndication in TV and radio, innovation, digital access and viewpoints, media and cultural nostalgia, podcasting and the radio biz, Instagram and influencers, Gen X, nerd culture, Hollywood and media pay, streaming vs broadcasting, Chicago and national radio, live and recorded broadcasting, job opportunities, working in radio, TV shows and movies, popular music, British vs American actors, vocal fry and people's voices, beauty, and more!Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG194.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Ravi Baichwal is an anchor at ABC 7 Chicago and talks about his hockey documentary Summit 72; his hometown Toronto and Canadian culture; his radio career at CKNW in Vancouver before he went to CTV National News, then doing CTV and being on the air at CFRB radio in Toronto (where I previously interviewed Jerry Agar and John Moore); filling in at WLS Radio; why he thinks radio is fun and important; doing TV vs radio; his accent; corruption; why fair pay is important; how he got into media; advice for getting into TV news; challenges he faced; why TV news is still important; diversity; perseverance; what makes a good anchor; elements of a story; what is integrity; why he likes working in Chicago; why he loves radio, and much more!This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here. But there is also extra content that wasn't in the livestream about his radio career (done in a separate follow-up interview specially for the Radiogirl podcast).Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG193.mp3Note: this is the video he didn't want me to play during the interview: a van crashed into the ABC 7 studio while he was on the air (back in 2007, just one year after he started anchoring there). Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Justin Roman has done a lot during the 21st century: he hosts The MVP Game (sign up there to be a guest on the show) with Kenzie K (who was his fiancée when this was recorded); it's a super-fan Cubs game show (and a couple of Bears shows during the off season) on the Marquee Sports Network. He talks about his media and performing career, which includes the Vi3 boy band and their hit Eyes Closed so Tight before he started at B96 in 2004; producing music with the Jump Smokers and DJ Flipside (who also does the music for The MVP Game) and their popular remix My Flow So Tight. Roman explains how he got on the air at B96 when he was a super-fan, doing nights and afternoons for several years with Stylz then mornings at US99 in 2016 until they had to leave (get the full story in episode 2 of The Stylz & Roman Uncensored Podcast); being the entertainment host at the Chicago Bulls games; famous people he's met and toured with; why he likes Pitbull; success and failure; appearing with Kenzie K on the Windy City Live TV show and ABC 7, why he and Stylz did their podcast for only a year, why he's positive, and more. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG192.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Doug Cummings is a resident of Highland Park, where the shooting tragedy happened on July 4th at the Independence Day parade. He wrote the personal safety handbook, Escaping the O-Zone, to help people take steps to keep themselves safe and preventing becoming a victim. All proceeds go to the Highland Park Community Foundation. He talks about his reporting career, which started in Kansas at WIBW; why starting at a small station is helpful for a media career and education; working in Kansas City at KCMO; graduating from the Public Affairs Reporting Program at University of Illinois/Springfield; doing legislative reporting for WTMX in Chicago, then street reporting at WMAQ and WGN; talking to victims of fires, crime, shootings, family murders and how they wanted control back; being the director of security at a church; the Highland Park shooting, which was “absolute devastation”; security consulting; why he got back into the media and why he liked reporting; approaching victims after a tragedy; reporters' PTSD and why they should get help if they report on serious stories; why he left the media to go into security, the risks of owning a gun, and more.Listen to the first interview I did with Doug 10 years ago here.This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG191.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Karen Schaler was a journalist and crime reporter who is best known for the Netflix hit "A Christmas Prince." She talks about how her journalism experience led to Hollywood success; how she got into the TV biz at a station in Billings, Montana, then worked at a number of stations: in Twin Falls, Idaho, in South Dakota, at KSTP-TV in Alexandria, Minnesota, and at KSL-TV, where she was the first female crime reporter in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also worked in Texas, Arizona, and California, and was a weekend anchor at NBC in Boston, Massachusetts, in addition to briefly reporting from the White House in Washington, D.C. She talks about why she left TV news and why she writes about Christmas; crime in small towns; how her stories got on CNN; how she pitches stories; how she processed all the negative stories she covered; her first feature "Christmas Camp,"; working every Christmas when she was a news anchor and reporter; reporting in Afghanistan; how she became a writer for Fox News in New York; how she got her own travel show "Travel Therapy" based on her book; how she got published; her "Travel Now" show on ABC News and travel features on PIX11 in New York and Good Morning America Weekend, Live with Kelly, and Rachel Ray; writing her Audible Original "Once Upon a Christmas Carol" and how she went from writing screenplays to her audio drama, how the pandemic affected her work, and a lot more!This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG190.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

For two decades, Kathy Hart was part of the most popular morning show in Chicago, on 101.9 WTMX The Mix. She talks about how she went from being an intern to getting on the air in Rockford at WKKN and WYFE, then driving the station van at WZOK and WROK; how she was different from the "pukers" and wanted to be authentic on the air; how her radio experience changed with the Internet and texts; advice, celebrities she met, and falling asleep in Milwaukee; having a show with Brian Pecht at G105 in Raleigh, North Carolina and their fun in Jamaica; being on the air in Arizona at KZZP/KVRY then co-hosting an afternoon show at KDKB, where she also did sports reporting and interviewed Charles Barkley when he was starting out with the Phoenix Suns; how doing the Morning Zoo in Columbus, Ohio was challenging; how she ended up with a morning partner on The Mix; staying authentic, her new site Gritology.com, her faith, forgiveness, healing, love, and more. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG189.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Hannah Brummer is on the air every morning with Eddie Volkman on Star 96.7. She talks about her radio career, which includes hosting afternoons on 103 WXLC, and working in promotions at US 99, 104.3 Jams, WLS, and Q101. She talks about how she got into radio, why she loves radio, what auditions are like, show prep, why she's so grateful, her podcast Monday Motivation with Hannah B, her home studio, her supportive family, what she learned from being an athlete, how to stay positive, and more. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG188.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Vicki Quade is best known for her popular show, Late Night Catechism, and she talks about how she came up with the idea for that show; her journalism career, which included the News-Tribune newspaper in La Salle and the Waukegan News-Sun; her books Close Encounters of a Chicago Kind and I Remember Bob Collins; the decline of newspapers and how the Internet affected journalism and theater; why talking to people is important; why one-woman shows were more popular in the 90s; advice for pursuing your dream; her business and what is success, how nuns helped, and more. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG187.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

John "Bulldog" Drummond has had a long career and is best known for being a world-class reporter covering breaking news, corruption, and, most notably, the Chicago Outfit. He grew up in Wisconsin and worked in Des Moines, Iowa before coming to Chicago to cover the Illinois legislature for WIND Radio. He worked at WREX-TV, then joined CBS-TV in the late 1960s. His career started in the late 1950s in Iowa at KBIZ and KXEL radio, and he worked at WHO. He remembers when the television medium, aka "The Magic Lantern," was established, and he talks about a lot: why Chicago was exciting to cover, the Machine, the Chicago syndicate, organized crime, Mayor Daley and why he liked reporting during the Daley Era, getting into Sam Giancana's house, how he developed his sources, covering sports and meeting Vince Lombardi, and lots more. No other reporter has so many stories to tell. He was even in the opening scene of The Fugitive!Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG186.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Brian Pecht has been a jock and programmer at music radio stations for several years, and he hosts the very popular The Catholic Word Podcast. He talks about why he enjoys doing traffic at WBBM Newsradio; his on-air work at WLS-FM; payola in the music radio business; office politics; being on the air and Program Director (the youngest in the country) in Detroit at WCZY Z95.5 (where radio legend Dick Purtan had a successful show); how the 1996 Telecommunications Act changed the radio business and how the market shrank; how he got into radio and TV in Virginia with Bill Bowman's "The Bowman Body;" working in Richmond, Virginia then Columbus, Ohio at Sunny 95; working in North Carolina at KZL with Big Steve Kelly; how radio made hits; how he helped Billy Idol; advice for working in the media; celebrities and music superstars he's met; developing talent and advice for what makes a good aircheck; being one of the founding air talents at Q101 WKQX Alternative; getting fired yet having lots of success in music radio; where he burned a bridge; how fun radio has been, and more! He's also been on the air at other major Chicago stations including WSHE, WILV, and WTMX. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here (over two hours).Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG185.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

The last time I interviewed Sam Panayotovich, he was just getting his career started in sports radio. Now Sam is on NESN and Fox Sports TV. He talks about his journey from Chicago to Las Vegas to Boston, his sociability, sports betting, working hard and paying your dues, comparisons between Boston and Chicago, advice, locker rooms, covering pro teams, and more. This is from a livestream that we did in the summer (when the White Sox weren't doing so well and the football season hadn't started yet).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG184.mp3Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).And thanks to the people who have contributed at my Buy Me a Coffee page! 

Charlie Meyerson is publisher of Chicago Public Square. He talks about how he's become successful in digital media, what he thinks of the news business, his belief in independent pursuits, his podcast, and more. If you want to know more about his radio and newspaper career, listen to the interview that we did ten years ago. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG183.mp3This podcast comes from the livestream that we did, and based on Charlie's advice that independent creators should ask for support, I've created a Buy Me a Coffee page. Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

Adam Wade is from New Hampshire and has lived in New York for almost 25 years. He has won The Moth 20 times, and has appeared on Conan O'Brien's show, "Inside Amy Schumer," and Lena Dunham's "Girls." He created the popular album The Human Comedy and was featured in The New Yorker. He teaches storytelling at the Magnet Theater and has popular content on Audible called You Ought to Know Adam Wade. He talks about all of those accomplishments, how making connections and being good to people are important, how he got into the NBC Page program, the nice people he's met in New York, advice, and more. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG182.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

I first interviewed Neil five years ago, and his work situation has changed since then. He is no longer at the hotel (where I interviewed him early in the morning), and now teaches broadcasting and radio, in addition to doing traffic at WBBM Newsradio. This interview includes breaking news: Neil is going to be in the movie, Never Stop Talking, which will be released at the end of the year. He also talks about his partying parents, his wonderful wife, Chicago, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG181.mp3Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Twitch, Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

Bart Shore was one of the early guests on this podcast 12 years ago, and he was my first livestreaming guest last week. He is still doing traffic in Chicago in the morning with Melissa Forman and hosts weekends at WLIT. Lately, he's also been on various music stations throughout the country.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG180.mp3I interviewed Bart in 2010, so if you want to know more details about his career, you can listen to that interview here. p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, is available as an ebook at Amazon. Get the quality print version through Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). See the reviews and more about me at margaretlarkin.com

Pat Cassidy spent more than 50 years on the air in news radio. Just before he retired from WBBM Newsradio, he talked about what he's learned over the years, why news is important, how he's maintained a good attitude, how he thinks news reporting and the media have changed, advice he has for broadcasters, and more. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG179.mp3I interviewed Pat in 2013, so if you want to know more details about his career and even an embarrassing mistake he made on the air, you can listen to that interview here. p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, is available as a cheap ebook at Amazon. Get the quality print version through Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). See the reviews at margaretlarkin.com

Lin Brehmer, who has a fantastic reputation for being a super-friendly, interesting, talented radio guy, is well-known in Chicago via his on-air work at WXRT, where he was previously Music Director. He talks about his baseball and music nerdiness; interviewing Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and The Replacements; creating the always-entertaining Lin's Bin; his professional writing and his mom; backstage adventures; meeting the Go-Go's, Aimee Mann, and Robert Randolph; why WXRT is different from other stations; his vague party details and how beer got him his WXRT job; the secret to his and WXRT's longevity; his hometown in Queens, and more! Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG178.mp3p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, is available in the very affordable digital form at Amazon. Get the print version through Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). See the reviews at margaretlarkin.com

I have known Jill Urchak for many years, but I did not know that she was married before (though now I know, not just because she told me, but because I searched online after we did the interview; I should have searched before). She is probably the only person on this podcast who has discussed personal topics on the record, such as marriage and work. Of course, she also discusses her radio career, which has included talk and traffic on WGN, WBBM, and other stations that she didn't name because she had some challenging experiences. She has a great attitude and is a strong person, who has persevered through the years. In addition to radio broadcasting, she hosts her own podcasts, and is a total fan and passionate participant of radio.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG177.mp3p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, is now available in digital form at Amazon! You can still get the print version through Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). See the reviews at margaretlarkin.com

For several years, Steve Dale has been hosting Steve Dale's Pet World and more recently Steve Dale's Other World on WGN Radio, in addition to writing and lecturing all over the world. He talks about his extensive radio experience, advice he's followed, how he got into the radio biz and why people shouldn't work in it, working with the grand masters of radio and what he learned from them, how being an expert is beneficial, dealing with setbacks and how he stays motivated, how TV and radio are different, how he writes, how to get on a show, being in the COVID vaccine trial, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG176.mp3And listen to the previous podcast with Steve about his media career and being a pet expert.p.s. I've been getting good responses to my novel, Wicker Park Wishes. Published by Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). Order at wickerparkwishes.com

Everyone seems to have a podcast now, but John Siuntres is one of the very early podcasters, and has been going strong since 2005 with his very popular Word Balloon podcast. He talks about how he started podcasting, how he built his audience, boxing, what he thinks of the proliferation of podcasts, how he's been able to podcast for so long, comics and animation, nerd culture, Star Trek, his hosting style, the North Shore and New Trier, how he gets guests, why he's into comics, what he thinks of video-casting, advice for podcasting, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG175.mp3And listen to the previous podcast with John about his radio career and more.p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, is now available! Published by Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). Order at wickerparkwishes.com

TV pro Fred Weintraub and radio pro Hannah Stanley host the Hannah and Fred show on WCGO and WIMS Radio, and they talk about how they host live while Fred is in London and Hannah is in Chicagoland; how he got interested in the British Royal Family and discussed them on Hannah's WGN Radio show; how they are different yet use their strengths; working in TV and radio; how Fred and Hannah created their show and are able to work together easily; their TV and radio careers; why Fred lives abroad; advice for being a guest and working in the media, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG174.mp3p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, will be published by Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). Sign up for the newsletter to stay in touch.

Gary Wordlaw is a very experienced TV pro, and is now the Vice President of News and Programming at the Black News Channel, which can be viewed throughout the country, including Chicago. He talks about how he got into TV; what the South and Chattanooga, Tennessee were like when he was growing up; working in TV in the 1960s as the first African American hired at the Chattanooga TV station (after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed); how his family, the community, and God helped him get through challenges; the NAACP and what the 1960s were like; what he thinks about how the news biz covers stories about African Americans; why he is glad and proud to be part of the Black News Channel and how he chose the broadcasters; why the channel is located in Tallahassee, Florida and what that city is like; what it’s like to work in different parts of the country (from Chattanooga to Bellingham, Washington, Baltimore, Maryland, Washington D.C., Syracuse, New York, Seattle, Washington, New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana, and Tallahassee a couple of times) and how moving around has affected him; what being a Southerner means and his family background; what “it” is; why he thinks TV covers certain stories; the importance of telling the deeper story of individuals; important stories for the African American community; why he went into management; what he thinks of social media; how to effectively fact check; how to stay objective in news; advice for working in news, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG173.mp3p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, will be published by Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). Sign up for the newsletter to stay in touch.

Brent Payne, the "Bald SEO" who I interviewed ten years ago when he was doing SEO (search engine optimization) at the Tribune Company, gives an update about his company, Loud Interactive, moving out of the city into the North Shore with his family, why he likes working from home instead of having an office downtown, being intense and motivated, why a plan is important, spending half a million dollars on a mistake and how he deals with mistakes and setbacks, working with solopreneurs in his Loud Consortium, how he gets clients, work/life balance, why he's so happy and what's important in his life, how SEO has changed over the past ten years, how he leads a company after working alone, what he's learned, SEO tips, why Google matters, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG172.mp3

Jennifer Keiper now works at WBBM Newsradio in Chicago, where she is an anchor and reporter. She talks about working during the pandemic, how she came back to WBBM, working at WLS in Chicago (where I interviewed her before) and WKRS/XLC in Waukegan, being a traffic reporter in the Sears Tower, working at B96 with News Director Karen Hand, traveling around the country and the world as a Midwest Bureau Correspondent for Fox News Radio, dealing with being fired or laid off, the media business, how she developed her writing and broadcasting skills, why being objective is important, doing concise interviews and preparing for them, writing and rewriting news, how to work on deadline, how to get people to talk for a story, working in the suburbs and city, difference between reporting an anchoring, difference between reporting locally and traveling, what kind of experience is important, how journalism has changed, why reporters should focus outward, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG171.mp3

Michele Fiore is a reporter at Fox 32 Chicago and talks about why it's a great place to work; what a desk assistant does; how they choose stories to cover and what makes a good story; how journalism has changed; the difference between working in TV and radio; working in Decatur, Illinois; working in Chicago at Metro Networks, WMAQ radio, CLTV, and WBBM Newsradio; working in Milwaukee at WTMJ Radio and WTMJ TV, and CBS 58 TV as a reporter and at the news desk; her work at WAND TV in Springfield; how to get work in the media; why getting along with people and being a team player are important; how social media affects reporting; how TV stories are put together and why TV is fun; how they check sources; what Milwaukee is like; how to find people to interview for stories; how radio stories are different from TV stories; how to create a compelling story; how she likes doing both reporting and anchoring radio; advice for getting into broadcasting; what makes good writing, and more. See videos at Michele's YouTube page. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG170.mp3

Steve Scott is an anchor at WCBS Radio in New York. He provides an update on what is going on with his life there (I interviewed him about his news radio broadcasting career in 2012), including what it's like during the coronavirus lockdown and challenges the city is facing; how they report the news through audio and writing; finding positive stories; what makes a good story, how they get big-name politicians on the air, reporting the news on WLS when 9-11 happened, advice for getting into journalism, how to know when to quit, why he considers himself lucky, and he also reveals his own incredible news: after 40 years, he has finally graduated from college! He wasn't able to go to his graduation in California (San Jose State) due to the virus shutting events down, but his diploma is on the way!Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG169.mp3

Rob Martier is a news and sports broadcaster at WLS Radio, where he covers Illini teams. He previously worked at WGN Radio after spending several years in Montreal, Canada covering sports at CJAD radio. He talks about what Canada is like, why he considers Montreal home, being a beat reporter for the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, getting started in media at Glenbrook South High School, interning with Robert Murphy at Q101, what Robert Murphy was like, why he likes doing radio more than TV, how to create a concise, compelling story; fact checking; the Jussie Smollett story (which allegedly happened pretty much below the NBC Tower, where WLS Radio is located); how journalism has changed; working in sports journalism; why he loves covering sports; working in Canada vs the U.S.; how he went from sports to news; why news shouldn’t be biased; advice for getting into journalism and media; why you should not major in journalism; Illini football, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG168.mp3

Jim DeRogatis is a co-host of Sound Opinions and has been a music critic and music journalist for several years, and is also an author. He talks about what he teaches at Columbia, what he thinks of “dead tree journalism” and how journalism has changed over the years, how he was able to write the Buzzfeed article about R Kelly, how to write and fact-check articles, why journalism is expensive, why reading is important, what he reads and what he thinks about reading, how to write well and persevere in it, why criticism is important, pizza, why being creative is important even without pay, why he cares about mentoring, hard work and perseverance, interviewing Lester Bangs, playing in a punk rock band, if he gets cool invites around town, getting banned from Lollapalooza, reporting and mentoring, how he stays motivated, why he thinks Chicago is the best city in America, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG167.mp3

Rob Hart is an anchor and reporter at WBBM Newsradio in Chicago. He talks about why he likes doing both reporting and anchoring, hosting the Noon Business Hour, what makes a good show guest, what is good reporting, why news radio still matters, how to write and find a good story, why talk radio is so difficult (he did it at WGN and WLS), how to deal with the volatility of the radio biz, advice for getting work, working at WLUP The Loop with Maxwell, working at WTMJ in Milwaukee, what Milwaukee is like, why he likes doing radio more than TV, how he’s dealt with challenges, advice for working in the media, what he thinks journalism is, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG166.mp3

Andrea Darlas was an anchor and reporter at WGN Radio for several years, and is now the Senior Director of Constituent Engagement for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She talks about how she got her current job and her long radio and TV career, which started at WPGU at the University of Illinois, then WGBO-TV in Chicago, WDWS in Champaign, as a news director at WJOL in Joliet, then WGN radio, plus CLTV and WGN-TV. She also talks about if someone who does publicity should work in the media first, "fake" news, how the media has changed since she started working in it, what she learned from news anchor and reporter Dick Sutliff and news pro Tom Petersen, who were both at WGN Radio for many years, what she's learned over the years, how technological changes have affected news reporting, how she separates doing straight news vs talk radio, why you should never leave a meeting, why she chose radio over TV, why working in a small market is important, advice for getting work, how she got into TV, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG165.mp3

Jordan Bernfield is now doing news and sports at WGN Radio, in addition to doing play-by-play for ESPN, BTN, and NBC. He gives advice for getting into radio and media, talks about working at WSCR The Score, how to deal with competition, how to do sports prep and play-by-play effectively, how doing sports has helped him write and cover news, what it’s like to work in both news and sports, what it’s like to do TV vs radio, why being versatile is important, and more. I first interviewed him exactly six years ago at WGN.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG164.mp3Here's a video I did when he was at WGN Radio earlier in his career:

Lisa Fielding is an anchor and reporter at WBBM Newsradio, and she talks about why she likes doing both, explains what an enterprise story and chyron are; what she considers as news, reporting bad news, remaining neutral, international news, why she got into journalism, working in television, how she interned at WEEK-TV in Peoria, making mistakes, working at WROK 1440 AM in Rockford, anchoring and reporting at CBS-TV in Rockford; anchoring at Fox 47 in Madison, Wisconsin and the CW in Milwaukee; what it’s like to experience failure and how to face challenges; starting over at WBBM, what it’s like to work in Wisconsin, why she loves following news, what she thinks of digital, how to write a story, the difference between TV and radio, how to succinctly tell a story, advice for getting work in TV or radio, the importance of journalism, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG162.mp3Here's a video of her that I did a while ago at the news radio station (I took a couple of digital video classes and this was one of the projects that I did).Lisa Fielding: radio news from Margaret Larkin on Vimeo.

Edwin Eisendrath is best-known for being the former CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, and was also Alderman of the 43rd Ward (Lincoln Park area) and the regional director of HUD. He talks about why he thinks Chicago is a great city; knowing Governor JB Pritzker, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton, (who[m] he says is brilliant and has an incredible memory), Mayor Harold Washington; leading the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); how Chicago neighborhoods have changed, the Chicago housing situation and redlining; why he respects government careerists; what he thinks of how the media covers politicians; why he ran for alderman; why he respects journalists; why he's pro-union; mistakes he's made; the Chicago political scene; how he helped the Sun-Times; Chicago’s problems and positives, and more. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG163.mp3

Charlie Wheeler, a former Chicago Sun-Times reporter who is currently a professor at the University of Illinois Springfield and director of the Public Affairs Reporting Program, talks about what makes a good reporter, his career at the Sun-Times, covering the Illinois constitutional convention and the state government in Springfield, what it was like to be a reporter in the 60s and 70s, how newspaper bureaus have changed, how he got into working for newspapers, his father and grandfather's newspaper work, how journalism has changed, what he thinks of digital, how to assess stories and prepare, how to become a journalist, and more. I interviewed him at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association (INBA) convention in Springfield.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG161.mp3

Mike North got into radio via an interesting route, and has worked in TV and digital as well. He talks about money, the Vietnam draft, what he thinks of smartphones, his radio and TV career; his online endeavors including Bears Barroom and Mike at the Movies; why former WSCR/The Score Program Director Ron Gleason is wonderful, how Mike got The Score job in the early days and why he left; what Mayor Daley I was like; meeting famous people at his hot dog stand; why honesty is important, what's lacking in today's media climate, what being successful and wealthy is like; drinking, meeting Harry Caray and Rush Limbaugh; how the biz has changed; why people play it safe; the Bears, Bulls GM Jerry Krause; the White Sox's tax incentives; why he doesn't trust media people; the Chicago Sports Webio fiasco aka his "Vietnam;" dealing with setbacks; how he got a movie made about his life, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG160.mp3

Ryan Burrow is a reporter for ABC Radio and WGN Radio. He talks about how he prepares for interviews all over the country, how he juggles his news responsibilities, how he maintains objectivity and standards, stories he's covered, working in Fredericksburg, Virginia, at WRAC in Memphis, Tennessee, at Clear Channel News Network and Tribune syndicate in Chicago, at WLS Radio, what FM News was like, doing multimedia journalism, doing sports radio at Valparaiso, interning at C-Span, how he got into news, his passion for sports, advice for getting into the media biz, what he's learned, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG159.mp3

Esmeralda Leon is on the air at WGN Radio doing traffic and being part of Nick Digilio’s show. She talks about how she got into radio, why she prefers doing traffic to news, what she thinks of her hometown Joliet, what it was like to work for Jonathan Brandmeier’s show at The Loop, what she’s learned, how she got into traffic, being a podcasting pioneer with Brandon Wetherbee and the live show, "You, Me, Them, Everybody," briefly working with Roe Conn and Bill & Wendy on WGN, then Nick Digilio and Patty Vasquez; how overnights are different, what it’s like to be on Nick’s show, how she preps for shows, her aspirations, and more. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG158.mp3

John Siuntres is a radio broadcaster (currently at WBBM Newsradio) and is one of the pioneers of podcasting...he started way back in 2005, when there weren't many podcasts at all (now there are lots of them), with his popular Chet Coppock's show on WLUP The Loop; being part of the early staff when WSCR The Score started; writing about boxing for Boxing Illustrated; working on Dan McNeil and Terry Boers' afternoon show on The Score; working at Sporting News Radio; his very successful Prophets of Science Fiction show; how his podcast became successful and which famous people he's talked to among his almost 800 interviews, and more. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG157.mp3

Craig Dellimore has been the Political Editor, City Hall reporter, and host of At Issue on WBBM Newsradio for several years. He talks about getting started at WBBM around the time Harold Washington became Mayor, what City Hall was like when he started reporting in Chicago, what Harold Washington was like, diverse newsrooms, covering crime, racial issues, dealing with doubters, covering Springfield, issues in the suburbs, simplifying story lines, New York vs Chicago, working at WCBS in New York, the NYC Blackout and other stories he’s covered, why he came to Chicago, working at City Hall, politicians’ motivations, voting issues, maintaining professionalism, changes in culture, “the n word,” advice for being a good reporter and writer, doing TV on Chicago Tonight, and more. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG156.mp3

Rey Diaz has the dream job for a lot of guys (and some gals) working in sports radio as a content producer for 670 The Score’s (WSCR) morning and midday shows and as a studio producer for Bears Radio on WBBM. He talks about how he got into radio, WNTD, being Mexican, Polish, and Italian (he looks Puerto Rican); working for the Mancow show at Q101 and digitizing his carts (and deleting people from audio bits whom Mancow didn’t like); what Mancow was like, how much Mancow does during and after the show; working at WVON; getting robbed and beaten (and injured), interviewing for a job with a shut mouth; expressing himself on social media, working in sports media, how he went from WVON to WBBM, overcoming failure, how he started working for Bears radio, how he got to The Score, advice for getting into sports radio, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG155.mp3

Meteorologist Elliot Abrams has made a very good life out of being nerdy. He is one of the co-founders of AccuWeather Radio, and does weather on WBBM Newsradio in Chicago, WADK Radio in Rhode Island, four stations in College Park, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, in addition to doing lectures and lots of other things. He's a witty meteorologist who's also in the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's Hall of Fame and the National Meteorologist Hall of Fame. He talks about how he got into weather and radio, being a geek, the early days of weather broadcasting, the US weather bureau, the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, doing weather on the Pennsylvania Public Television network, why meteorologist Wally Kinnan was an innovator, how weather broadcasting technology and media have changed, started forecasting at WARM Radio, Fahrenheit vs Celsius, having a sense of humor and creating puns, AccuWeather's patented Real Feel, how he creates a forecast, the difference between creating TV and radio broadcasts, how the meteorologist’s role and the industry have changed, how AccuWeather helps railroads, climate change, how he became VP of AccuWeather, being a township supervisor in his town, his blog, advice for getting into the weather business, the future of weather forecasts, how he stays current, how communication and media consumption used to be, the Farmer’s Almanac, Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday party, getting older, his lifestyle, social media, writing, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG154.mp3

Duffy Atkins talks about her career as a meteorologist at CLTV (part of WGN-TV) in Chicago, working in sunny weather at an ABC station in Santa Barbara, why she loved working at KHQA-TV, which broadcast to the tri-states via Quincy in Illinois, Keokuk in Iowa, and Hannibal in Missouri; being a chief meteorologist in Reno Tahoe, how moving around is inevitable for TV, her twin sister, why she became a meteorologist, what classes are needed to be a meteorologist, changes in the media, why Tom Skilling is so great, communicating with viewers, pressure on TV women, how she works with the green screen, the importance of internships (she did hers at WLS-TV in Chicago and WESH-TV in Florida), how to stay motivated, funny on-air moments, how she prepares for forecasts, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG146.mp3

Neil Fiorito does traffic on WBBM Newsradio and hosts "Neil’s News" for the Marriott in River North, and has done traffic at US99 WUSN, WIND Radio, for radio stations in Houston, Minnesota, St. Louis, and more. He started doing music radio at Triton College, and he talks about his varied career that includes working for his dad’s business, being on the air at Loyola’s WLUW Energy 88.7, Lite 103 in Rockton, WXLC in Waukegan, WRXQ and Star 96.7 in Crest Hill, and WCCQ 98.3. He also talks about why Dick Biondi is so wonderful, why he has a good personality for hotel work, why he likes acting, why he feels he’s living the dream, why he loves working at the hotel, what Mr. Marriott is like, why he likes doing radio, his theater experience, why he likes talking so much, his family, why he loves people, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG153.mp3

Bill Cochran's voice is everywhere in Chicago, even on the west coast. After graduating from Northwestern, where he was on the air at WNUR, he was on the air and was the production director at WXRT for a decade, then joined Rick O'Dell at WNUA Smooth Jazz for over 20 years, went online with WLFM Smooth Jazz, then returned to WXRT to do more production. He talks about: why he left WXRT for his current production job at MeTV-FM, understanding what listeners want, his approach to talking about music in an entertaining way, telling stories when he performs with his band Great Moments in Vinyl, how he creates stories, how he chooses songs to perform, how he maintains a creative lifestyle in a non-creative world, his clog blog Every Clog Has Its Day, Oklahoma, and more. Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG152.mp3Get info about Great Moments in Vinyl's next show here.The personal story that he mentions in this interview starts on his blog with Chapter 1 here, continues with Chapter 2 here, then continues with the rest of the chapters here (it’s not a continuous string of posts, thus the separate links).

Josh Liss is living the sports radio dream: he’s spent his entire career in sports, and has been the sports director and morning sports anchor on WBBM since 1998. He talks about how he preps, how he writes effective stories, how the internet has changed his reporting, how he deals with superfans, how he got into radio, playing sports and dealing with obstacles, working at WVVX Radio and WSCR The Score in the early years, advice for getting into sports media, how sports reporting is different from broadcasting sports opinion, what athletes might think about media attention, specializing in sports, working at WMAQ, how he got his fantastic WBBM gig, mistakes, his videos, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG151.mp3

Bob Kessler does news at WGN Radio, and he does a lot of other things, including writing and producing Green Sense Radio and the Greensense Minute on WBBM, and doing news with Rivet Radio. He talks about why he likes doing broadcast radio and why he loves radio; being a musician and how he got interested in music, writing and arranging music, recording piano and performing harmonica; how he became ordained as a lay Buddhist teacher, what obstacles he has overcome, how he got into radio, internships with WKTI, WYMS, and WXRT; working on Jan Coleman’s show and Steve and Johnnie’s show at WGN; doing news on WGN while being the writer and executive producer for Ramsey Lewis’ show with Karen Williams on WNUA; how tech has changed broadcasting; his future plans, living an atypical life, and more.Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG150.mp3