What Utah Radio Can Teach Us All | Guest: McCall Taylor, Utah's 94.5 VFX

McCall: 00:00:00

Well, one day the secretary of the radio station came in to deposit a check

McCall: 00:00:04

and I said, Hey, how do I get a job there?

McCall: 00:00:06

She said, come in, talk to the boss and we'll see what we can do.

McCall: 00:00:09

So I came in, talked to the boss.

McCall: 00:00:11

I interned for about a month or so, and then the afternoon guy went to jail.

McCall: 00:00:15

So I got his job.

Kipper: 00:00:15

So whoa, whoa, whoa.

Kipper: 00:00:16

Went to jail.

Kipper: 00:00:17

Went to jail.

VO: 00:00:19

Welcome to BRANDwidth On Demand, your Guide to Rebooting Radio.

McCall: 00:00:24

I mean, I wish I knew how.

McCall: 00:00:27

Radio was going to adapt into the social media climate of things because

McCall: 00:00:32

I know there's some radio stations that are adapting and there's a lot

McCall: 00:00:36

who still have denied, denied, denied that it's coming, that there's this.

McCall: 00:00:42

Transition period that's happening right now.

VO: 00:00:44

BRANDwidth On Demand, rebooting radio with a different take on all radio can be.

VO: 00:00:51

Now your guides through the Mediamorphosis, David Martin and

VO: 00:00:55

author of the book, BRANDwidth Media Branding, coach Kipper McGee.

Dave: 00:01:00

This time we had to Utah, where today's guest was born and raised.

Dave: 00:01:05

She grew up dreaming of being.

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On air because of her passion for music, she got the opportunity to

Dave: 00:01:11

chase her crazy radio dream and join the morning show on Utah's 94 5 vfx.

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The first incarnation of her show was formerly known as AJ and McCall.

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Then after some typical radio changes, the show evolved into a married

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couple, Joey and Warren with McCall.

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She's an adventure seeker, lable things furry, and she sassies all get out.

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As a matter of fact, literally just pumped about life.

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She believes you can achieve anything with hard workers

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termination and a positive attitude.

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And she lives by the motto.

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There will always be people who tell you you can't, which you gotta do in

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that moment is looking right in the eye.

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And say, watch me, BRANDwidth On Demand is proud to welcome McCall Taylor.

Dave: 00:01:58

Hey McCall.

Kipper: 00:01:59

Hey McCall.

McCall: 00:02:00

Hi.

McCall: 00:02:00

Thanks for having me.

Kipper: 00:02:01

So clearly you have a passion for media.

Kipper: 00:02:04

So why don't you tell us a little bit more about how you got that first job at

Kipper: 00:02:09

94 7 VFX, you know, kind of just tell us how that happened, how'd it come about?

McCall: 00:02:14

Yeah, so I actually started in Vernal, super small town in eastern

McCall: 00:02:18

Utah and I was working at a bank, moved in with my boyfriend out there.

McCall: 00:02:23

And there was a radio station out there, super eclectic, and I thought,

McCall: 00:02:25

you know, I love this radio station.

McCall: 00:02:27

I think it would be awesome to work at.

McCall: 00:02:28

Well, one day the secretary of the radio station came in to deposit a check and

McCall: 00:02:33

I said, Hey, how do I get a job there?

McCall: 00:02:35

She said, come in, talk to the boss and we'll see what we can do.

McCall: 00:02:38

So I came in, talked to the boss.

McCall: 00:02:39

I interned for.

McCall: 00:02:41

About a month or so, and then the afternoon guy went to

McCall: 00:02:43

jail, so I got his job, so

Kipper: 00:02:45

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Kipper: 00:02:46

What time?

Kipper: 00:02:46

I went to jail.

Kipper: 00:02:48

Went to jail.

McCall: 00:02:49

It's a typical radio shenanigan though, right?

Kipper: 00:02:51

Oh, he was just playing.

McCall: 00:02:52

Yeah.

McCall: 00:02:54

Yeah.

McCall: 00:02:54

You know?

Kipper: 00:02:55

Okay.

Kipper: 00:02:56

Maybe we shouldn't ask.

McCall: 00:02:58

No, no.

McCall: 00:02:59

Anyway, after that, I ended up applying for this position in the morning show

McCall: 00:03:04

up at uh, 94 5 VFX in Logan, and just right time, right place type situation,

McCall: 00:03:10

fell into the morning show and.

McCall: 00:03:11

I've been here for just over five years.

Kipper: 00:03:14

So with the show as it is right now, you got a married couple and you,

Kipper: 00:03:19

so who does what and how's, how do you divvy up the, uh, workload off air?

McCall: 00:03:24

Oh, off air.

McCall: 00:03:25

So currently the morning show, it's like a syndicated morning show.

McCall: 00:03:29

So I'm doing a lot of the segueing of the on air and then the updates

McCall: 00:03:34

of the news, the weather, just local information, traffic and all of that.

McCall: 00:03:38

And then, Outside of that, just prepping my own shows.

Kipper: 00:03:43

Okay.

Kipper: 00:03:43

Does Joey and Lauren are like all the Cash stations or is it running

Kipper: 00:03:47

on a full network or what's the deal?

McCall: 00:03:49

So they're on in Boise right now, and then we're one of the first

McCall: 00:03:52

stations to pick up their morning show.

Kipper: 00:03:55

Interesting.

Kipper: 00:03:56

Okay.

Dave: 00:03:57

Being in a smaller but really important market.

Dave: 00:04:00

Mm-hmm.

Dave: 00:04:00

The company you work for, Cash Valley Media Group has a number of radio brands

Dave: 00:04:05

along with a publishing, the award-winning best of Northern Utah Magazine and a lot

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of clusters, people wear multiple hats.

Dave: 00:04:11

What other duties do you have besides the morning show there?

McCall: 00:04:14

So I'm on the night show as well, six to 10:00 PM and that started back

McCall: 00:04:20

in February and then, Outside of that, I help with some of the social media stuff.

McCall: 00:04:26

We've created a new page to try and highlight some of the local things.

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What's up?

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It's called What's Up Cash Valley.

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Just whatever's going on within like the Cash Valley area and

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the vicinity, just to try and.

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Gotta get our hands into everything because obviously

McCall: 00:04:41

radio is such a powerhouse.

McCall: 00:04:43

But I think it's really important to also let people on the internet remember

McCall: 00:04:48

that radios can be a powerhouse.

Kipper: 00:04:50

So McCall radio is really an industry going through some

Kipper: 00:04:54

big changes, as we all know.

Kipper: 00:04:57

So the question is how do you navigate shifting the concept and

Kipper: 00:05:01

casting of the V M X Morning show?

Kipper: 00:05:04

How, how do you get through all of that?

Kipper: 00:05:06

And what advice might you give to others who find themselves

Kipper: 00:05:09

in a similar situation?

McCall: 00:05:11

Well, I think that radio as a whole, obviously the conversation

McCall: 00:05:15

people always say is radio's dying.

McCall: 00:05:16

Radio's not really dying.

McCall: 00:05:18

We're just kind of transcending into a new era, you know?

McCall: 00:05:21

Uh, storytelling has always been around.

McCall: 00:05:23

We've been telling stories from the time that we figured out how to

McCall: 00:05:26

write on cave walls, and now we're in this area of, well, how do we now?

McCall: 00:05:32

Translate our on-air bits to social media or to our websites.

McCall: 00:05:37

And it's the same kind of thing.

McCall: 00:05:38

It's just storytelling on a different platform.

McCall: 00:05:40

And so I think, uh, not being afraid of getting out there and actually,

McCall: 00:05:45

and making a fool of yourself on the internet, I think is just my biggest

McCall: 00:05:49

piece of advice as far as that goes, to transcend everything else because like,

McCall: 00:05:54

we obviously know how important radio is.

McCall: 00:05:56

We know how important it is to help impact the lives of other people.

McCall: 00:05:59

And it's like, we can do it.

McCall: 00:06:01

Anywhere now.

McCall: 00:06:02

Oh,

Dave: 00:06:02

McCall is streaming and podcasting.

Dave: 00:06:04

You know, it's pretty easy to check out what other shows and other

Dave: 00:06:06

markets are doing or even podcasts.

Dave: 00:06:08

What are some of the ones that you like to sample and what makes,

Dave: 00:06:11

uh, them one of your favorite?

Dave: 00:06:13

A station, a show, or a podcast?

McCall: 00:06:15

Um, I really enjoy the Miguel and Holly Show.

McCall: 00:06:18

I love them.

McCall: 00:06:19

I love that their whole focus is positivity and uplift.

McCall: 00:06:22

I also really like Frankie and Jess in Salt Lake.

McCall: 00:06:26

I've been listening to them since I was young, and so I like listening to them

McCall: 00:06:30

because they've created this like family.

McCall: 00:06:32

I think the, the family type.

McCall: 00:06:34

Aspect of some of these different radio stations and morning shows

McCall: 00:06:38

and podcasts is what I really enjoy.

McCall: 00:06:40

Cool.

Kipper: 00:06:41

So getting back to VFX, I noticed the station does a lot of cool promotional

Kipper: 00:06:46

stuff and events and all over the place.

Kipper: 00:06:49

Can you give us an example of something that was a big hit with

Kipper: 00:06:52

the audience and what made it great?

McCall: 00:06:55

Um, some of the things that we've done in the past, we've created a.

McCall: 00:07:00

We call it the back to school tour.

McCall: 00:07:02

And so we had a high school that got started and opened about five years

McCall: 00:07:07

ago in the Valley and they thought, you know, it would be cool to have

McCall: 00:07:11

the morning show come bring donuts or whatever and celebrate this opening

McCall: 00:07:15

of this new high school, cuz there was kind of some pushback with it.

McCall: 00:07:18

Anyway, we have done this for about four years now and we have gone to

McCall: 00:07:23

each of the high schools in the valley.

McCall: 00:07:25

There's five of them in the valley.

McCall: 00:07:27

And then we've kind of extended outside into some of the other listening areas.

McCall: 00:07:30

So I know at one point we did 10 high schools or 11 high schools in the span

McCall: 00:07:36

of two weeks, basically going to each one of the high schools, welcoming

McCall: 00:07:41

back to school, giving 'em donuts.

McCall: 00:07:42

We did a spirit competition, and that one's been really impactful, I think,

McCall: 00:07:46

because there's a lot of kids I know.

McCall: 00:07:48

For me growing up, I loved listening to the radio.

McCall: 00:07:50

I always wanted to meet the jocks that were working, but.

McCall: 00:07:54

We weren't ever in the area where the jocks were broadcasting live.

McCall: 00:07:57

So to have that extra step is really cool.

McCall: 00:08:01

Cause I grew up in this area.

McCall: 00:08:02

I grew up about 20 minutes outside of Logan.

McCall: 00:08:06

Mm-hmm.

McCall: 00:08:06

And so to, to be able to actually do that and kind of raise up the community that I

McCall: 00:08:11

lived in is what is directly to my soul.

Dave: 00:08:14

Do you have folks that you grew up with, McCall that listen to you now?

McCall: 00:08:18

Yeah, it's kind of interesting cuz it's always like the people

McCall: 00:08:21

that I went to high school with that didn't want anything to do with

McCall: 00:08:23

me, and then they're like, oh hey,

Kipper: 00:08:26

you're best friends now.

Kipper: 00:08:28

That's right.

Kipper: 00:08:29

Yeah.

Kipper: 00:08:30

They want those, those concert tickets.

McCall: 00:08:31

Yeah, all the time.

McCall: 00:08:33

All the time.

McCall: 00:08:33

But.

McCall: 00:08:34

No, there's, there's other ones that I went to high school with

McCall: 00:08:36

that have been really supportive the entire time, so that's great.

McCall: 00:08:39

Uhhuh,

Dave: 00:08:40

We are with McCall Taylor from Utah's ninety four five, VFX,

Dave: 00:08:45

somebody you'd love to hear from.

Dave: 00:08:46

We'd love to hear your suggestions.

Dave: 00:08:49

Email us show@brandwidthondemand.com.

Kipper: 00:08:52

And, we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Kipper: 00:08:55

Plus you'll pick up some other stuff too.

Kipper: 00:08:57

By checking out BRANDwidth Plus, that's BRANDwidth . P L U S.

Kipper: 00:09:03

It's on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and uh, we hope and we

Kipper: 00:09:10

look forward to seeing you there.

Dave: 00:09:12

Coming up McCall shares the one thing she knows now.

Dave: 00:09:16

She really wishes she knew way back when.

VO: 00:09:19

Hi, it's Gary Berkowitz AC programming consultant at Berkowitz

VO: 00:09:23

Broadcast Consulting in Detroit.

VO: 00:09:25

Hi, this is Jake Neman with 96 7 Cran.

VO: 00:09:28

Hi, this is Dave Tyler from Music Master with even more raving fans.

VO: 00:09:32

Did someone say Music Master raving fan?

VO: 00:09:34

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VO: 00:09:35

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VO: 00:09:36

Hey, it's Leigh McNabb, operations manager for Saga Communications.

VO: 00:09:39

Des Moines Radio Group ready to join these raving fans.

VO: 00:09:43

Visit Musicmaster.com today.

VO: 00:09:45

They're always there and willing to help.

VO: 00:09:47

They save me every time I'm a major fan.

VO: 00:09:51

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VO: 00:09:53

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Click the link in the show notes or disco to RadioSwagShop.com/kipper

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VO: 00:10:32

Hey, it's Hannah B.

VO: 00:10:33

Associate producer of the BRANDwidth podcast and a huge

VO: 00:10:36

fan of Morning Show Boot Camp.

VO: 00:10:38

This will be my third year in a row attending bootcamp,

VO: 00:10:41

and it's truly the best.

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VO: 00:10:44

Kipper encouraged me to attend Boot Camp when I was looking

VO: 00:10:47

to get my foot in the door.

VO: 00:10:48

I took his word and ended up attending my first morning show bootcamp back in

VO: 00:10:52

August of 2021, and just a few weeks later, I was offered my first on air gig.

VO: 00:10:58

We all know networking is huge in this industry.

VO: 00:11:00

Right, and that's why Boot Camp is simply the best.

VO: 00:11:03

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VO: 00:11:14

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VO: 00:11:39

I hope to see you August 10th through the 11th in Dallas.

VO: 00:11:42

Texas

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The stuff we know now.

VO: 00:11:45

We wish we'd known then.

VO: 00:11:47

BRANDwidth On Demand

VO: 00:11:49

. Dave: We're with McCall Taylor.

VO: 00:11:50

Hey McCall.

VO: 00:11:51

Thinking about your career so far, what's the one thing you know

VO: 00:11:55

now that you really wish you'd known way back when you started?

McCall: 00:11:59

It's a tough question.

McCall: 00:12:00

It's a doozy.

McCall: 00:12:01

I think radio in general has this kind of a preconceived notion that.

McCall: 00:12:08

People in the industry are out to get each other.

McCall: 00:12:11

And I think when I first started out in radio, that was what I thought was that

McCall: 00:12:15

the company down the street was the enemy.

McCall: 00:12:17

They were the worst people that ever existed.

McCall: 00:12:19

All of that chicanery and you know, when it comes down to ratings and

McCall: 00:12:23

stuff, I guess I get it, but at the end of the day, the people that I've

McCall: 00:12:27

reached out to and have been able to reach out to have been so supportive

McCall: 00:12:32

and they're such a beautiful.

McCall: 00:12:35

Just a beautiful nature around radio because there, there's something

McCall: 00:12:38

about being in a room of people who are passionate about the same

McCall: 00:12:42

thing that you're passionate about.

McCall: 00:12:43

That's just magic.

McCall: 00:12:45

And so many people just wanna see other people succeed within the industry.

McCall: 00:12:49

And I, I wish I had known that before.

Kipper: 00:12:52

Following up on that, what do you wish you knew today about what's

Kipper: 00:12:57

gonna be the case in 10 or 15 years?

McCall: 00:13:00

Oh man.

McCall: 00:13:01

I mean, I, I wish I knew how.

McCall: 00:13:03

Radio was going to adapt into the social media climate of things because I know

McCall: 00:13:09

there's some radio stations that are adapting and there's a lot who still have.

McCall: 00:13:15

Denied.

McCall: 00:13:15

Denied.

McCall: 00:13:16

Denied that it's coming, that there's this transition period that's happening

McCall: 00:13:21

right now, and I wish I knew how that was all gonna play out because I

McCall: 00:13:24

think I would end up making decisions based on that for my own career.

Dave: 00:13:30

Terrific talent.

Dave: 00:13:31

Kipper...

Dave: 00:13:31

McCall Taylor from Utah's 94.5 VFX.

Dave: 00:13:35

We've got links to McCall's Station, some of their great promotions and more.

Dave: 00:13:39

All in the show notes.

Dave: 00:13:40

Just scroll down on your phone.

Kipper: 00:13:42

As always, our thanks to exec producer Cindy Huber for putting all the

Kipper: 00:13:46

magic together and to associate producer Hannah B for booking and coming up next.

VO: 00:13:53

Hey, this is Scotty Kay from US 99 Chicago, and on the next BRANDwidth On

VO: 00:13:58

Demand, I wanna talk to you about how you can make a one man show sound like

VO: 00:14:02

and be as successful as the big shows.

Dave: 00:14:05

That's a wrap Kipper.

Dave: 00:14:07

What can we learn from the State Fair?

Dave: 00:14:10

You'd be surprised.

Dave: 00:14:11

It's all in One Minute Martinizing in the show notes@BRANDwidthOnDemand.com.

Dave: 00:14:16

I'm Dave Martin.

Kipper: 00:14:18

And I'm Kipper McGee.