Drew Wilson Interview 10-9-17

Drew Wilson
Operations Director
WAYM
Nashville

Career Capsule: I began my radio career with KSWP in Lufkin, TX – I definitely caught the radio bug and joined the launch team of NGEN radio at KSBJ in 2010. I had the amazing opportunity to grow and learn and eventually became the PD/MD for the station. Most recently I’ve made the move to continue growing as the Operations Director for WAYFM Nashville.

Drew.. Tell us what’s new with WAY FM Nashville… news, changes, & with YOU… etc?

Probably the most significant change is that we welcomed Todd to the station this week and we’re excited to see how his vision and guidance will take WAYFM to the next level! Personally, I’m looking to fill some open positions here at the local level and I’m pumped to see what we can do to impact the Nashville market and try some new things that have never been done here before.

Christian Radio is very competitive, what strategies to you use to stand out in the crowd?

Be creative. Go all in. The biggest wins happen where you’re not afraid to do something crazy that could totally fail. I believe that radio has so much potential to do amazingly fun and impactful things in our communities but it takes guts to try something new and a lot of work to pull it off. (which is hard in our industry where most people are responsible for a workload that two people should be handling, amiright!?)

What is the best programming advice you’ve been given? The worst?

Best – Meet the needs/expectations of your listener.

Worst – Please everybody!

Some say more Christian stations in a market the better, do you agree with that, why or why not?

It gives listeners options and shows that we are really meeting needs if multiple stations are sustainable in one market. It also allows each station to really develop an identity and vision that’s unique to them – which makes for better radio and potential deeper engagement.

What is the ONE thing you must have everyday to do your job/show?

Curiosity.

If I go into data entry mode nothing good is going to happen. When my creative energy is flowing and I star asking questions like “what if…” That’s when the magic happens…or I waste a lot of time and fail. I mean, you win some you lose some.

Where will future Christian radio air talent come from?

Definitely the internet. ha. There’s some amazing personalities out there and they probably never thought about radio as a career. Or maybe we can convince Tommy Kramer to come out of retirement.

Generally speaking to the industry what are the biggest challenges facing Christian radio?

Fear.

Fear of failing. Fear of upsetting a donor. Fear of trying something new. Fear of talking about that topic. Fear of what “they” will think.

Who are your radio heroes and influences? and why?

Kidd Kraddick was a legend and created a team show that was captivating.

Currently I’m probably more influenced by podcasts. They push the boundaries, create remarkable content and it feels honest and real. I would mention specific ones but they’re not all safe for the little ears. I will reveal my favorites if you mail me a self addressed stamped envelope.