Many times I get emails from listeners asking me what my typical day consists of being a DJ at The Wolf. So I thought i would give you a little insight as to what goes on around here in the DJ world and the Music Director’s Chair (which I currently own.)
Normally I get to my office around 8:30am. By the time I get to my office I’m usually asked questions on my way to my office. Typical questions you get in the business sector of life…where’s this, who did what, when can you have that report to me? (things like that). So it’s about 8:45 by the time I actually get into my 12th floor panoramic view of the city office. The first thing I do is check email, and I filter through all the Spam I get which I don’t know about you, but I get a ton. My first replies in my emails always go the listeners emails. Around the time 9am rolls on I’m looking over the music I scheduled for the next few days making sure everything is going to play as it should. Somewhere around 9:45 I head into the studio and sit with Ken and Cory and catch what’s going on for the day.
It’s 10:00 am and it’s show time! When I’m on the air, I’m answering calls, looking over the play book to see what contests we are running during my show, I also have to do legal stuff too like take readings (voltage that shows how much power we’re pumping out over the air waves). When I get off the air at 3pm I head to my office answer voice mails which I have a lot some days. I’m the Music Director here so I make decisions on what music gets played and how often, what order, and so on. I get calls from record reps asking for us to play their music. Around 4:30ish I typically have a meeting with my boss. The first thing we do is check and re-check our research on the music we’re playing. We make sure everything we play is what everyone loves to hear. We talk about everything going on at the radio station. We talk about things like (how can we make it sound better, are we doing everything we can do for listeners to enjoy our product, what can we change, what can we emphasis on?) We brainstorm just about everyday. By the way if you have suggestions to any of those questions please feel free to comment, it would make my meetings easier with him. (Smile).
Dinner time comes around 5:30-6pmish and I head back to my office and schedule music for the following days to come. I look at my watch and it’s usually around 7pm at this time and it’s time to go home…just in time to get a phone from my boss to recap what we discussed earlier.
Trust me, it can be pretty stressful working in this business, my relief is when I’m on the air for 5 hours. Basically, that’s what my typical days consists of…It’s All In A Days’ Work For An MD (Music Director)
I’d love to hear about YOUR day, so leave me a comment and let’s make “A Day” of it.
PS. This is the short version of my typical days.
Until Next Time,
Much Love,
NIkki
4 comments ↓
Hello Nikki,
Talking about what our day is like. My day consists of waking up at 5:15am to WOLF radio, hit the snooze at least twice. Cruz to the kitchen fill a cup of coffee (on a timer so it’s ready for the wake -ME -up). Get cleaned up and head out the door. Start driving south on Hwy 101, still listening to 95.7 WOLF, finish drinking the 2nd cup of Java around Redwood City. By then I’m bright eyed and crank up the music. After a 30 minute drive get onto Great America Parkway (Santa Clara) to my office. Once inside the office, hit the coffee pot that again is on a timer so it’s ready. Turn on the computer, Radio and start reading the emails from Corporate office and do some replies back. It’s about 6:30 am and my Admin. Secretary is in and I check our calendar for any meetings. Head back to my office with another cup of coffee wait for my employees to get clocked in at 8am give out asignments of what needs to be done. Then check more emails from Corporate office and any internal personel, send replys if needed. Start calling vendors and contractors for up-comming projects, check with City officials for any problems. Soon the time has flown by and it’s lunch time. The afternoon follows much of the same as the morning schedule. Possibly a few short meetings and then my night shift employee’s come in at 4pm. Give them the song and dance of the days situations and give them my requests of what needs to be taken care of or done. OK, it’s now 5:15pm or so and I am ready to call it a day. Stop off to the Pop machine and grab a Diet Pepsi for the drive home. Get on Hwy 101heading North and never seems to fail its bumber to bumber trafic. So best case situtation CRANK up the music and roll down the windows and watch the time slowly pass. It’s now been 1 1/2 hours in the car and can’t wait to get dinner. Being a single guy, find it easier to stop and grab a sandwitch. Once at home turn on my computer check emails from the office I might have missed and then check my personal email waiting to hear from a certain person who has read my emails but hasn’t answered. I ran into this attractive lady and sent her a couple of teddy bears shaking hands with a nice red rose as a kinda cheezy introduction gift thing. Funny that in our 40’s being single isn’t so easy dating that we tend to surf the web and come across meeting sites. Other then what I have written, always look forward to Fridays and the week-ends to get out and motorcycle along the Ocean or through the Big Redwoods.
Thanks for all you give us Nikki and your partners too at the WOLF!!!!!!!
Tim….Bay Area…
08Heritage………
Hi Nikki With your full day I want to say thanks for all my good night calls.You have come though so much in your life keep up the good work.Stay well be happy.A thought away love Mom
I spend my day worrying about collateralized debt obligations (CDO’s), deleveraging balance sheets, credit default swaps, auction rate securities (ARS)…. i like your day better.
I don’t see the secret pass word to win the Lucky gift card…. can i take a guess? “vivian” maybe?
If i win it…. i want to start a new tradition on the wolf…
GIVE BACK…. as in give the gift card to Bay Area food bank… because when your good to others, your best to yourself.
cheers
Edward Lewis
After reading this posting, and I came to your mom’s posting I thought that was awesome. We got to love our MOM. They always know when to say those words that just pick you up after a long day. That was a cute posting from her and hope that put a
on your face.
I always thought it would be a great job to do but after your posting I didn’t think all that stuff happened,haha. I think like most jobs there is so much behind that we don’t know about. But I have to say that all that work pays off as this radio station has more listeners than it had a year ago and I believe it will continue to grow. I always wanted to work in the music business just not sure doing what, but after attending a few of the Wolf events I think radio is awesome. Need an Assistant?,haha..jjk.
Well, it was nice to read what all goes into your long day. Enjoy your weekends off..
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