CHATTING WITH A MENTOR

 had the amazing opportunity to chat with my favourite radio personality.

It was an honour to chat with News Anchor Matt LeBlanc. Matt works for 98.9 myFM and Oldies 99.7, based in Simcoe, Ontario, as part of the My Broadcasting Corporation. Those radio stations specifically focus on serving the local community in Norfolk County.

When asked about what Matt likes the most about working in radio, he mentioned the opportunity to know things that are happening within the local community. Matt also touched on how he enjoys doing news on the radio because he likes to “tell a story a listener can absorb… and get something out of it, in under two minutes.”

A challenge that Matt mentioned he’s faced while working in radio is that people don’t sound “like themselves” when they are on the air. He specified that when people get in front of a microphone, he tells them ahead of time that he is going to use exactly what they say on air. People are more concerned about how they sound instead of sounding like themselves. Sounding like myself is something that I am also trying to do while I speak on the radio. I personally believe that having the confidence to sound like you are having a conversation on the air takes practice and time to improve.

When asked whom Matt looks up to in the radio business, he touched upon not having anyone he admires in the radio business. However, Matt did mention that he enjoys listening to the likes of Tom Howell on CBC Radio. Matt likes how he has “raw emotional conversations" with his guests. Matt pointed out that he uses some of the interview techniques he has learned from Tom Howell in his news reporting.

To stand out on the radio, Matt emphasized being yourself on the air. He said, “I think that being authentic to yourself and not putting on a face or a voice is the best thing you can do.” Matt talking about “being yourself” while on the radio really resonated with me. This is because I’m someone who is new to radio and is working on sounding like I am having a natural conversation while speaking on the air.

When asked what advice Matt has for someone starting out in the radio industry, he said, “In news specifically, make sure that you double-check everything before you get it out there.” I found his answer relatable to what I am pursuing because I strive to make sure I have the best material possible when publishing something I have produced for the public to see as well.

I also strive to produce accurate material on the radio and in blogs because that is what the public deserves, in my opinion.

Matt told me that he thinks what has changed the most from when he started going to college for radio to now is the fact that a lot of jobs that were specialized when he was in college are now connected, so there are fewer people taking on more positions in the radio business.

It was such an honor to have the opportunity to talk to someone I look up to in the radio business. I really enjoyed getting his take on the amazing world of radio.