#ecfm

don't forget tomorrow (friday 18th july).....

interview with jeremy ecfm 94.1 'wake up show' from 6am

My brother asked me why I accepted the job offer at East Coast FM in New Glasgow, NS.  He said I was a 'metropolitan guy' and was surprised by it.

I have to admit, at first I didn't really give the job opportunity a second thought. But I saw the listing again and really weighed it in my head. Being the PD of 2 radio stations (one brand new) is really very exciting. I will learn lots, be challenged, and finally be doing the job I've wanted for quite a few years now. To be the person shaping the station's sound, developing their social media presence, to mentor and encourage young talent and to generally help modernize a station that has been around for 60 years is pretty thrilling. I have no intention of trying to go there and 'blow up' a heritage station -- one loved by listeners, staff, and the family that owns it.  I do, however see great opportunity to grow the stations listenership, continue to improve the sound, and help their social media take off in order to build new revenue streams and most importantly really connect and interact with our listeners more deeply. There is also a brand new station launching in January (fingers crossed) and to be able to create something from nothing is pretty darned special.

The job hits on all points for me: I get to do something I've dreamed of since radio school in programming not one, but 2 stations, AND I still get to be on the air, which of course is where goofy weirdo Chris comes out to play. :)

Also when you look at the geography of the area, its not really that small. It's not like living in say Dauphin where you are isolated, or Peace River where I started, where Edmonton was nearly 5 hours away and all the surrounding towns were 1 or 2k. New Glasgow has Stellarton, Pictou, Truro, Antagonish, and Trenton all within about 50 or so kms. So, though it's a 'small market' the station's reach and surrounding population is that of Brandon. Not bad for a start. Then you factor in that Halifax is 1.5 hours away, Moncton is 2 hours, Charlottetown is 3, Boston is 8 hours and suddenly it's not as small town or remote as originally thought.

Finally, I have heard nothing but fantastic things about it. I have a bunch of family out there, and everyone who has worked out that way in my huge radio family loved it.   I spent a few summers in the Maritimes growing up, and it will be amazing to re-live that as an adult.

You can keep tabs on me and listen to me live starting in January. The Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Coast-FM