Jay Zawaski is living the dream: he worked for The Score/WSCR and was so successful with his Blackhawks podcast, CHGO Sports asked him to join. Now he's doing everything Hawks on the network and also co-hosts the I'm Fat Podcast. He talks about working at The Score, going digital, podcasting, success, authenticity, sports media, and more.

This is from a livestream that we did.

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG207.mp3

https://www.radiogirl.us/audio/AEM1.mp3

This is a new short segment called American English Minute. It’s the English I notice around me in Chicago. Shout-out to Charlie Meyerson, who I worked with [with whom I worked], and who is a stickler for language.

Click to play the minute https://www.radiogirl.us/audio/AEM1.mp3

I've interviewed Steve Scott twice: talking about WLS and when he was at WCBS. When WCBS ceased to exist, Steve got a job at KCBS, where he anchors news. He is also the PA announcer for the Golden State Warriors in his home state of California. He talks about WCBS pulling the plug, what San Francisco is like, crime stories, his alma mater town San Jose, news reporting, NBA announcing, and more.

This is from a livestream that we did.

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG206.mp3

Listen to the previous interview from 2020 when he just got his college degree, and the first interview from 2012 when he talked about WLS, WCBS, and announcing for the Bulls and Knicks.

I interviewed sportscaster George Ofman with Dave Kerner at WBBM Newsradio ten years ago and wanted to get an update because he's written a book, Tell Me a Story I Don't Know, based on his popular podcast series, and now has a new career. He talks about writing for radio, storytelling with sound, his long radio broadcasting career at The Score/WSCR, WMAQ, WGN, WBBM Newsradio, NPR, the BBC, and in Canada at the CBC and CJCL. He's had a lot of success for several years and even got an awesome job at Midtown Athletics: that's the story he wants to tell.

This is from a livestream that we did.

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG205.mp3

Craig Dellimore spent more than 40 years at WBBM Newsradio, and the last time I interviewed him was in 2018 at City Hall (you can listen to that interview here, direct audio link at http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG156.mp3). In this update after his retirement, he talks about his experience in Chicago as an anchor/reporter, managing editor, legislative correspondent, suburban reporter, and political editor. He also talks about how he got into journalism in his hometown, New York, through a program at Columbia University, where he went to j-school, before working at WNYC and WCBS in New York, then the Associated Press in Washington, D.C. He got "the call" and came to Chicago, where he still lives. He is one of the most decent, talented, kindest people in the news biz!

This is from a livestream that we did.

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG204.mp3

Listen at http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG203.mp3

I'd never met Justin Kaufmann before, but he quickly responded to my interview request and was very friendly and smart in this interview. He talks about a lot: why news stories are like radio shows; producing and being on the air at WBEZ; working with producers; working during the pandemic and broadcasting alone; radio challenges; building subscribers; user-generated content vs journalistic context; how comedy helped him for broadcasting; his show "Schadenfreude," which led to Hollywood; challenges of processing information and being timely; Chicago crime and audience response; getting on the air and advice; why producers should focus on supporting the host; communicating with listeners; dealing with pressure and setbacks; newsletters and online relationships; public radio vs commercial radio; WGN and format changes; social media stories; why daily content helps get more exposure; doing Reset on WBEZ and Extension 720 at WGN (reboot); dealing with setbacks; how he got into news; why Axios is great; the writing process; improv and preparation; journalistic discipline; and more. 

This is from a livestream that we did.

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG203.mp3

Tom Shaer is part of Chicago radio history. He was one of the first broadcasters hired at The Score, WSCR. He starts talking about Rich King and a Crain’s Chicago Business article 1982; why ego is important; being and having an agent: wins, lies, challenges, advice; how the biz has changed; treatment of Mark Giangreco; sports staff issues; working in news and sports; the importance of working in different media; writing and editing; going from sports to news; pre-Internet show prep; Larry Bird and access to athletes; going from TV to radio; working at NBC 5 TV, WBBM Newsradio, and The Score WSCR; doing sports talk in the early days; issues in sports media; why The Score did well; broadcasting and adjusting to Chicago; sportscasters reporting news; being square and the drama at The Score; Mike Ditka, Jack Brickhouse, and Harry Caray; why The Score is a good station with past mistakes; how he got into the media; and he talks about several people, including Ron Gleason, Mike North, Rick Gieser, Dan McNeil, Dan Jiggetts, Drew Hayes and Michael Damsky, Chet Coppock, Howard Cosell, Jerry Reinsdorf, Mitch Rosen, Ron Magers and Carol Marin, and more (let me know who else I should list).

This is from a livestream that we did.

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG202.mp3

This is from a livestream that we did.

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG201.mp3

Listen at http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG200.mp3

Joe Donlon is an anchor at CBS News Chicago. He was on the air at WGN-TV and NewsNation in Chicago, and was at KGW-TV in Oregon for several years before coming to Chicago. He talks about why he loves Chicago and feels relaxed; how he's been living the dream; how he got to WGN-TV from Oregon; having fun at work; the journalism profession including: demo reels, challenges in the business, prepping for a newscast and speaking spontaneously, how to be effective on the air, working in national news vs local, why writing is important, how experience helps develop your skills, editing audio and video, advice for structuring a story, reporting and anchoring, changing technology and advice, interviewing and reporting, and working in cable news. He also talks about his Chicago Unscripted podcast, dealing with criticism, why ambition is important, and more. 

Click this link to play the interview - http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG200.mp3

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.mp3

And click this link for the previous INBA interview.

Molly is hiring, btw.