Celebrating World Radio Day

I guess it’s World Radio Day. I’m always amazed when this day comes around because the thing that I loved the most growing up, listening to music on the radio, is the thing I get to do every single day.

I grew up listening to the radio on a little cassette player boom box in my room. It was always on. I taped songs off the radio. I made lists of favourite songs. I always loved the element of surprise. Never knowing what song was going to get played next.

Now it’s my job. How lucky am I?

Music was always on in our house and despite my shyness, I think I always knew I wanted to be part of that world. I couldn’t make music, but I could play it.

Radio was, and still is, a dream job. I love surrounding myself with music. Listening to new music. Celebrating the artists. I have always had a fascination with the artists. I have loved getting to understand them and what inspired them with their music and songwriting.

I’ve met some amazing people over the years. Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Paul Brandt, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and so many others.

I’ve made a few life long friends along the way too and most importantly, radio is the place I met my husband. 25 years later, still married to the love of my life.

I never imagined the shy girl who always passed out giving speeches in school would one day be working in radio.

It’s been over 30 years since I walked through the doors at Blackburn and asked if I could be the station mascot.

That was 1991. I never would have imagined how far I would come or the adventures that would come with it.

I wore that Felix the Fox costume for almost two years. I got the chance to learn the board, “op” for others. I worked my way up to overnights, evenings and weekends. I’ve worked on all of our Blackburn stations. I started on CKTY (country), I spent some time on air on K106.3 (now Cool) and made my way to CHOK before coming back to Fox.

I have had the most incredible experiences from flying in an air show stunt plane, doing zero gravity loops, non-stop laughter the whole time I was so scared! I was driven around in a race car, I got stuck on a roof in a pirate ship – to being part of a world record breaking kissing event, standing on stages in front of huge crowds to introduce amazing musicians. I’ve had the chance to volunteer for incredible organizations and have had the chance to connect with people in such a powerful way.

Along the way, I met my husband, got married, had three beautiful kids. So many incredible memories.

So many changes in technology along the way. From CD’s, cart decks and paper logs and to computers, learning the internet, and digital everything.

It’s been an amazing ride.

Thank you for allowing a shy girl like me to come into your world every afternoon from 2 -6. Thank you for allowing me to keep living the dream job.

This shy girl is so incredibly grateful for every step of this journey.

Categorised in: Afternoons

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan