Adam Rey - Production/Creative Services Director; radio show host (W4 Country 102.9)

People or experiences that led me to where I am

I had trouble in school with talking too much. People told me I should put my talkativeness to good use on the radio.

How I got into this field

I went to Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts in Southfield, MI, and then did an internship at WHMI (Howell) and then applied at Ann Arbor Radio/Cumulus and have been here for 5 years.

What I like most about my work

The ability to have fun every day; the work is fun.

Volunteer or other experiences you might check out to learn about my field

Local TV channels: Community Television Network Channel 17 provides free production training and free use of production equipment to produce your own programming; be persistent in expressing your interest in radio to a particular station—this worked for me!

Challenges and exciting changes I see in my field in the near future

Radio doesn’t pay well, but it pays the bills and it’s fun. Because of advances in digital technology, there’s a lot of room for creative minds to create new ways to make radio exciting.

The kinds of training and education needed to keep up in my field

Be knowledgeable of video and audio editing; forget “no” and always be ready to say “yes” to whatever you’re asked to do; it’s all about attitude and willingness.

Other career fields where my skills could be put to use

Advertising and marketing, public relations, DJ. Pay attention and learn all you can. I write commercial copy and, because I do it so often, I’ve learned to write in a way that opens up job possibilities in advertising, marketing, and public relations.

How my job impacts my family life

My job is my hobby, so I eat, sleep, and live radio. So this is my life.