Pam's Career Capsule
My entire radio career has been right here in the Twin Cities! After graduating from the University of MN in Broadcasting and Psychology where I also worked at WCCO-AM doing everything from answering the phones to taking school closings (and really learned radio basics) I graduated to playing polkas and the Casey Kasem countdown in southern MN at KRFO. I was a traffic reporter (Metro Traffic) in 1990 where I met and married my husband John in 1994. From there I was in Twin Cities morning radio for ten years including 4 formats at one frequency! Modern Rock 104.1, Classic Country 104, Smooth Jazz 104 and 104.1 The Point. John and I went on to do a morning show together and had some great ideas for our future but God determined our steps and John went to Heaven suddenly in 2005. Looking for a job as a young widow later that year I was brought to KTIS and it was no random thing. God plopped me on our AM network of stations where I learned so much from leading Christian authors and teachers and in 2007 became co-host the 98.5 KTIS morning show. Life hasn’t been the same since!

I also do commercial and industrial voiceovers locally and nationally from my home studio, much of it the fabulous on hold messaging you love to hear for clients including  Medica, Aramark, Wendys  plus in flight IVR systems for private jets including Jimmy Buffet’s! www.pamlundellvoice.com 

1. Tell us about your morning show, what makes it tick ?

Lots and lots of coffee plus the KTIS Vision that that every person in the Twin Cities experience the love of Christ, through a KTIS listener. That’s our focus each and every morning as we guide listeners through their hectic mornings wherever they are in life. I always say we have a ringside seat to miracles every morning and NEVER take that for granted. It’s not our show or station…that belongs to the listener…we furnish the topic and turn the spotlight on them. We also work for one of the best PD’s in the business, Keith Stevens who encourages us and coaches us to our best but also respects us as professionals as well and lets us do our thing.

Valerie Geller talks about Generators and Reactors in her book “Beyond Powerful Radio” and I’m pretty sure Andy Youso and I are both generators and normally that wouldn’t work very well, BUT we’ve achieved this great understanding about how to read each other, who leads and know when to get out of the other’s way. PLUS you have to have fun that isn’t forced. I knew that was happening early in my career at KTIS when we were at an event and a woman came up and hugged me and said, “I love KTIS because you can be a Christian AND have fun!”
 

2. How did the current members all come together and how do you adjust to a new morning show partner?

My first five years on the KTIS Morning Show were with the awesome David Christian who has moved on to be our Creative Services director. We were both humbled and honored with the NRB Personality of the Year/Music Format Award in 2010. The search was on in 2012 for a new co-host which pretty much took a year and Andy Youso started in February of 2013. I loved his quick wit, sense of humor and his better grasp of social media than mine and we’ve been having a blast ever since plus he has 2 little boys, Ezra and Joash…Viola! Instant show prep! When Andy started our “problem” was probably too much show prep and too many ideas and we had to learn to sort through what was current and relevant for our listeners at that time. Honestly, I know God had His hand in putting this current team together and He had a pretty good formula for a time such as this. I know it always doesn’t work that way so THANKS God!

3. Do you believe a morning show needs to connect off the air in order to gel on the air?

Of course! That’s why I rented a room from Andy and his wife. I help out with groceries and babysitting…kidding! The real answer though is yes, how can any morning team create great radio if they can’t stand each other off the air? You also have to have an understanding that if there’s something that bugs you, let the other know before it builds up…ask David Christian LOL!

4. What do you rely on most for daily show prep?

“Today in History” and Kickers from AP…(rimshot). Seriously, and every radio personality reading this knows, its everyday life plus I am a news junkie, I know what’s happening in our listener’s world before I get to work in the mornings. The best prep of course is being transparent about what happens in my life, my co-host’s plus being observant of what happens around you and then rather then tell your story put “Linda” in the driver’s seat and let the phones start ringing! I also LOVE iMom.com and if you are new to radio you need to check out CreativeCardio.com with my friends Scott Herrold and Jayar Reeves. It’s an awesome collaboration of talent pooling ideas to help each other.

5. Where do you think tomorrow’s radio air talent will come from?

Technology will continue to change but I’ve seen it and know that as long as we are here on this Earth radio will be here as well. Local listeners want to hear about their city, state and what’s happening today that will impact them and their family so there will always be a need for new and fresh talent in radio and it will come from the same place it always has, the heart and spirit of one who LOVES radio. A special person with a talent but early on has the spark to learn and do whatever they can in the industry. I’ve been blessed with many interns at KTIS but you know the ones with the light in their eyes and the yearning to go above and beyond will be the ones on the airwaves in the future.

6. What 3 ingredients make a successful morning show?

Preparation, timing and empathy.

7. What are the goals for the morning show in 2014?

First of all for the KTIS morning show we are excited to continue to build monthly initiatives that work well in 2 minute sound bites. We did the “30 Day Praise Challenge” with Becky Harling in October that spoke to our listeners each and every day for a month rather than blowing out a too long book interview in one segment. What we are looking most forward to in 2014 is a station wide goal for our listeners from station manager Jason Sharp called “Take 5” where the goal is to mobilize the audience God has given us to bless our community. Listeners will be encouraged to visit our website and pledge to show God’s love 5 times this coming year and we’ll help them with simple but creative ideas to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Stay tuned!

8. Would you encourage young people to pursue a career in radio, please explain?

That’s easy. See #5~

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