November 9, 2020, Issue 730
Finding Life Beyond Radio
As companies continue furloughs and staff reductions, radio pros may be considering a career change or wondering if their skills and experience can translate to other industries. Moving from one market or station to another may be common in radio, but leaving the industry entirely can be a difficult and emotional leap, as Country Aircheck learns from three industry vets. Longtime Boston programmer Ginny “Rogers” Brophey, who exited iHeartMedia’s WBWL in January due to budget cuts (CAT 1/15), is now a Patient Care Tech at Fresenius Kidney Care. She Ginny Brophey hit upon her newest career path during a medical mission trip to Nicaragua with her daughter, a physician’s assistant. “We barely made it out of Nicaragua before borders started closing, and that’s when I realized there are other options in this world other than in my bubble,” says Brophey, who harbored a passion for the medical field before falling in love with radio. As months progressed and radio companies made further cuts, Brophey gave herself a deadline: “If I didn’t find an industry job by August, I’d go back to school for phlebotomy.” When the deadline passed, she found courses and in-person learning were limited by the pandemic, so she applied for a job in a dialysis unit. “The benefits are great, the paid training was 12 weeks and it includes phlebotomy,” shares Brophey. “I wear scrubs every day, deal with sick patients on dialysis and, yes, I stick them with big needles! I love it. It’s intense and exciting to know I am making a difference in their lives.” Then-Scripps KTTS/Springfield, MO Dir./Traffic & Promotions and on-air personality Jordan “Jay Cross” Norcross worked for the station when the group won both ACM and CMA Small Market Radio Station of the Year in 2016 and 2018 before he was let go. During his tenure, Norcross worked with The American Cancer Society promoting the local Cattle Baron’s Ball, and the organization’s leadership was so impressed with how he handled that project and previous ones, they (continued on page 9)
A Nice Jester: The KFRG/Riverside team celebrates the kickoff of their month-long T-Mobile Text-a-Thon benefitting Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House. Pictured (l-r) are David Bugenske, Dana Swearingen, Anthony Donatelli, Ronald McDonald, Heather Froglear, Kelli Green and Vicki Pepper.
CMA Remotes Go Virtual
Amid an ongoing pandemic, the Country Music Association (CMA) staff and membership head into a CMA Awards week unlike any other before – and hopefully unlike any other to come. Ahead of Wednesday night’s (11/11) 54th Annual CMA Awards, airing live from Nashville’s Music City Center on ABC at 8pm ET, CMA VP/Marketing Catherine Frizzell tells Country Aircheck how the organization is executing this week’s virtual radio remotes. Catherine Taking place today and tomorrow (11/9Frizzell 10) at Music City Center, the radio row combines online elements and social distancing to execute a scaled back version of the traditional remotes. “CMA is working with all national radio groups to share content across
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