It seems like most Internet radio stations today, much like what’s left of terrestrial radio’s current changes, are very quick decisions. In fact, I know a couple of Internet radio station owners who dreamed-up their ideas almost overnight. I too, was eager to get my ideas off the ground, but chose a much slower path for a couple of reasons. First, many formats seem like a fun choice. For example, totally 80’s seems like a fun idea. However, if you look closely, there is an abundance of totally 80’s Internet radio stations out there. I believe that particularly with Internet radio, you have to find a specific niche.
The Early Musical Influences
My core music choices come from reflections of my childhood. I was about nine or ten years old when I first began noticing the music around me. I spent a lot of time with my cousin. She was older than me, was a school cheer leader, and always had her friends around who also happened to be cheer leaders. I remember the music they listened to around her house and by the country club pool during the summers. I remember hearing hits like Raydio’s “You Can’t Change that,” Shalamar’s “The Second Time Around,” Paul McCartney & Wings “Let ‘Em In,” and more.
The Professional Radio Years
I landed my first radio job at age 16. In the years that followed, I was fortunate to be introduced to a variety of musical genres, beginning with contemporary hit radio, adult contemporary, urban adult contemporary, classic rock, jazz and country. I also became infatuated with music selection and all of the details involved in programming radio stations. By the late nineties, the radio business began to face major changes. We were reaching the end of an era as we knew it. Many of us made our way out and decided to try our hand at joining the real world of 9-5’s.
Fast-Forward to Today and Internet Radio
As more and more terrestrial radio stations either go away or continue to reduce staff, interest in Internet radio has started to surge. After careful consideration over primarily music decisions, I decided to take the plunge. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made, not just professionally, but more importantly, personally. Setting up the radio station was a rather quick process once I decided to make the move. It was the decades of preparation beforehand, that was the most important ingredient.
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