Radiogirl

Brian Haddad is the Creative Director and on-air host at sports radio 94WIP in Philadelphia and talks about how he handles show prep and production responsibilities; writing with Spike Eskin; how he comes up with effective imaging, including drama and storylines for promos; his work at WRCX Rock 103-5 (where Dave Richards was a great boss) and Q101 WKQX in Chicago; making the transition from music radio to sports radio; what made radio fun; what Metallica is like; Chris Farley in the Hancock; how his agent Steve Mandell has helped his career; why he went to WXCD The Zone from Q101, and how he dealt with being out of work after The Zone’s demise; his brief gig with Adam Carolla; why people should have more than one skill; his successful morning show in Richmond at WDYL Y101; doing mornings in Phoenix at KDKB-FM; how he landed at WIP; what makes a good sports show; how listeners responded to him when he was first in Philadelphia; working in Toledo Ohio at WIOT FM-104; how he got into radio; what's great about Detroit; advice for people who've lost jobs; how he realized that "every day I'm with myself," 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/RG137.mp3

Spike Eskin is the Program Director of sports radio 94WIP in Philadelphia and talks about Delaware county, Philadelphia's idiosyncrasies, if being from Philadelphia helps his reputation with listeners; working at WYSP in Philadelphia and Q101 in Chicago (where he was the assistant program director and music director); working in sports radio vs music radio and the difference between managing a music station and sports station; how music radio has changed; his sports podcast; why people should do their own projects and have their own websites; why he likes being a PD; dealing with air talent; the role of social media and the power of Twitter; how he rebranded himself when he was out of work and how his website helped him get work; why he didn't use his last name for a while; what it's like to be his dad's boss (sports media star Howard Eskin) and what he learned from him; radio yellers, interviewing Howard Stern, 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/RG136.mp3

Dobie Maxwell is a comedian and has worked in radio throughout the country. He talks about how the comedy world has changed; how the Internet has affected the entertainment business; if TV helps a career; what Craig Ferguson is like; working at Zanies; how to understand an audience; dealing with hecklers; teaching comedy; his blog and newsletter; his upcoming book about a bank robbery that his former best friend was sent to prison for; working with Rick Kaempfer as a publisher and at WLUP "The Loop"; getting fired; working at 93 QFM in Milwaukee; his family; how his perspective on life changed in the past year; what drives people to be successful; why Rosie O’Donnell is a sweet person; why bookers get mad at him; what he regrets; what now-famous people he hung out with in LA; what he thinks of the radio business; how he first got into radio in Lansing, Michigan; why creative people should have a day job; how comedy is different from 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/RG135.mp3

Bill Moller has worked in TV for several years, including CLTV in Chicago and First Business News (Weigel Broadcasting), and talks about his early years in Montana at the Montana Television Network and WESH-TV in Orlando. He also talks about news writing, what makes a good story, his consulting business, over-attribution, the broadcast news business, why news matters, presentation tips, how the media has changed, and why he likes radio (as of this posting, his show at WGN Radio is winding down). 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/RG134.mp3

Spike O'Dell is happily retired after spending several years at WGN radio. He talks about his radio career; why he retired; being a top 40 DJ; how he got into radio; how music radio and the radio business have changed; becoming Billboard Magazine's Top 40 Jock of the Year in a medium market; how he went from music radio to talk radio; how he got to WGN; working at KIIK-FM and KSTT in the Quad Cities and Iowa; why he left WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina; what it was like to take over mornings after Bob Collins died; dealing with his house burning down; 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/RG133.mp3

Felicia Middlebrooks anchors the news with Pat Cassidy on WBBM Newsradio, which is consistently the top-rated station in Chicago. She talks about growing up in Gary, Indiana and its revitalization; working in the steel industry; working in radio in Northwest Indiana at WBAA-FM in Lafayette, WLTH, WJOB in Hammond, and WGVE; interning and working at CBS 2 (WBBM-TV) in Chicago; why she got into radio; having a good attitude; facing challenges; being the first woman to anchor morning drive for CBS Radio; how she got the morning news job and why she loves it; the lack of women in radio; advice for people who want to work in the media; the award-winning documentary she did about post-genocide Rwanda; the book Called that she wrote with Lisa Jefferson about 9/11; writing; interviewing famous people including President Jimmy Carter, Tony Bennett, Alexander Haig, and Patti LaBelle; charities she works with; knitting scarves; working with men in the steel mills and radio; how she dealt with opposition, 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/RG132.mp3

Sam Panayotovich says he is the youngest guy on sports radio in Chicago; he hosts a show on 87.7 The Game with Jerry Riles, and hosts Preps Plus Chicago on WGN Radio and Campus Tailgate on The Game, both with Jordan Bernfield. He talks about his broadcasting start with Most Valuable Network in high school; being on the air on WEFT at the University of Illinois; how his dad was a state representative and was very good friends with infamous politician Ed Vrdolyak; working hard; talking sports on Garry Meier's show; reporting for the Blackhawks and Bears; interviewing Jay Cutler; why basketball is his favorite sport; how playing sports has helped him in media; why he respects Dan Patrick; his ultimate media gig; why he likes play-by-play (he currently does it for UIC men's basketball; advice he got from Roe Conn; why he likes doing radio; Serbian Christmas; Bob Collins; Mark Carman and napgate; cupcakes at Ken Smith's, 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/RG131.mp3

Derrick Young is a traffic reporter on CBS-TV in Chicago, and was discovered through a talent search. He talks about his schedule; working in the mortgage industry; how he got on TV; how he prepared for the contest; how Bart Shore, producer Beth Godvik, meteorologist Megan Glaros, Jim Williams, and others helped him; how working at IBM influenced his optimism; how he stays positive; how to change negative thinking; helping and mentoring kids; his speaking engagements; how to set goals; dealing with challenges and failure; his fitness and diet plan; being bullied; how to get into the media business; how being on TV has helped him; persistence, 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/RG130.mp3

Brian Tallerico is the Content Editor of RogerEbert.com and talks about TV on Bill Moller's show on WGN Radio. He talks about his career; his interviews with Michael Pitt, Robert Redford, Jodie Foster, Errol Morris, Will Smith, Will Ferrell, Andy Sandberg, and Wes Craven; advice for interviewing; why Shia LaBeouf was his worst interview; what famous people are usually like; the value of criticism and film critics; if bad reviews matter; how he got into the reviewing business and became a film and TV critic; how he stayed motivated before he became part of the special class of critics; how the Internet has affected criticism; how he knew Roger Ebert; what he thinks of the Chicago TV and film scene; what makes a good review, and more. He also is Vice President of the Chicago Film Critics Association and helps organize their film festivals, edits the Magill's Cinema Annual, is the Playstation Guide for About.com, and writes for Film Threat and other sites. 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/RG129.mp3

Jeffrey T. Mason is on the air at WJMK/K-Hits in Chicago, and has been working in radio since he was a teenager. He talks about how he got into radio; his early gig at WYCL-FM in Boyertown-Reading, Pennsylvania; why stations don't want music DJs to talk too much; why he loves Chicago; working at 92.7 KISS-FM/WKIE-FM/WDEK-FM/WKIF-FM, WXXY-FM, and 94.7 WZZN the Zone; doing mornings on the dance station Energy 95.7/5; working in Indianapolis and how luxurious Emmis Communications' headquarters are; advice for getting into the biz; how he's dealt with changes and firings; why CBS is a great company; being talent vs being management; how to make a music station successful; being a teenage program director; working at 94.5 KOOL-FM in Phoenix, Arizona as an Assistant Program Director and on-air host; the worst interview with singer Jewel Kilcher; interviewing Cher; dealing with record reps; why he doesn't like doing morning shows; being persistent; his jingles and other audio; his online music station, 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/RG128.mp3