103.9 FM WDKX
Rochester, NY
Your #1 Radio for R&B
On air:
Afternoon Drive with
Atu
Listen Online
103.9 WDKX Live Stream
REQUEST A SONG!
Request A Song
Haven Girls Magazine - www.havengirls.com - featured a story on WDKX's own Liz Medhin. Here it is:
Liz Medhin is a go-getter. At 27, she's a radio personality, television news reporter and model. And she doesn't plan to slow things down anytime soon. Whenever she accomplishes a goal, she sets the bar higher the next time around.
Haven Magazine recently caught up with Medhin, who dreams of hosting a cable television show. Find out how she manages her time, got started in journalism and what advice she has for driven young women.
HAVEN: You do it all, from reporting to modeling! How do you manage your time, and what's a regular day like for you?
LIZ MEDHIN: A regular day for me begins at 4 a.m. I get up, shower, wash my hair, get dressed and head to the radio station for my morning show. The Wake Up Club is on the air from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., so I have to rush! After the show is over, I head to the TV station and work on the day's story (making calls, setting up interviews, conducting the interviews, and writing my story). I am usually live in the field or in the studio for the 5 or 6 o'clock show. After that, the day is over for work, but not for working out! I try to get to the gym five to six days a week, doing a minimum of an hour of cardio.
H: What are some of the perks that come with being a radio personality?
LM: The biggest perk is that I work at a radio station I love and that values me as an employee and member of the family. The second biggest perk is getting paid to host concerts that I would usually pay to go to! LOL! That and hosting events, which I enjoy.
H: You've interviewed some of today's most prominent figures, including Rev. Al Sharpton and Rihanna. Who are some of the people you were most impressed with and explain why?
LM: I was most impressed with Rihanna's genuine niceness! She was so down to earth and personable, Raheem DeVaughn's creativity on stage, T-Pain's energy performing, and Noel Gourdin's purely beautiful voice. Andre 3000's ingenuity is business, and (his) creativity in his lyrics is amazing!!! The smartest people I have interviewed though would have to be Cornel West and Jeff Johnson. Both are brilliant!
H: How did you break into journalism, and what advice do you have for those interested in this field?
LM: As an undergrad, I double-majored in Journalism and Political Science. Throughout my four years on campus, I interned with the local ABC affiliate, wrote for the school newspaper, and then landed a job as a news assistant/field producer for Wisconsin Public Television. Six-months before I graduated, I created a resume tape (a sample of my work as an "on-air reporter") and sent it out to a number of TV stations across the nation. I wound up getting a gig pretty soon and quickly moved to Geneva, NY for my first on-air job reporting (I was also my own photographer, editor, and assignment editor!). My advice to aspiring TV journalists would be to make yourself marketable! Because I learned to shoot a camera, edit video digitally, and produce, I landed my first job with some ease -- in fact, it was offered BEFORE I even graduated. Also, you can't be afraid of hard work, even if it is for little pay at first (which it was). Pay your dues and keep grinding and you will get far!
H: What skills and personal qualities are essential to be in television news, radio and modeling?
LM: For all three, you have to be outgoing and confident, but you also have to be willing to take direction and learn from people. Don't think you know everything -- especially when you are starting out. Be humble. Get a mentor and really take what they say to heart. They have "been there and done that before" before you, so you can definitely learn from their experiences. Also, make sure you are well-read, well-informed, and can express yourself through writing. These skills are immeasurable. If you are planning on becoming a TV reporter/anchor, know that it takes more than a pretty face. You have to be a stellar writer, have an inquisitive mind, and be able to learn something new everyday and then TEACH it to the rest of the world like an expert. You also have to be able to handle stress and work on deadline. If you get into TV news just because you want to be on TV, you won't get far. Stations can see if you are not about your business.
H: How does working in television differ from working for the radio? What are some of the similarities?
LM: I am completely ME at the radio station. WDKX is all R&B, Hip-Hop, and Reggae. My morning show is a mix of music, entertainment, sports, gossip, and political and community discussions. I love it! A lot of times, it doesn't even feel like work because I enjoy it so much. With TV it's different. I love to write and I enjoy being on camera, but the deadline crunch and the flow of the day definitely reminds me it is work! Still, I love the challenges both present. In both situations, you are trusted to disseminate information accurately and quickly, as well as be engaging and quick-witted.
H: How do you maintain success in all of your endeavors?
LM: The key is to never be satisfied. Once I achieve a goal I set for myself, I set another one HIGHER. I definitely get that from my parents and surround myself with people who are just as driven. If you keep good influences around you, you will be more likely to succeed and help others in the process of helping yourself!
H: What are some of the greatest challenges you've faced with your career so far?
LM: The greatest challenge I've encountered as a TV journalist is trying to get stories covered that I think are important and others may not. There are times when I really have to FIGHT to make sure that people and concerns in MY community are covered accurately, fairly, and completely. It can be extremely frustrating when peers or those in management do not recognize that importance right off the bat, but it is part of my responsibility as a journalist to fight for those stories.
H: Who inspires you to work hard? Who are some of your role models?
LM: My parents -- definitely. They instilled in me the value of hard work and education at a very early age and ALWAYS DEMANDED THE BEST OF ME. That was extremely important. Because they demanded it of me as a child, I continue to demand it of myself as an adult.
H: On your bio on your Web site, it says you're a community advocate. Tell us a little bit about what you do in the community and why it's important to you to give back?
LM: Mostly, I speak with children, young adults, and college students about the importance of being driven and staying in school. I speak to them about the challenges they face and the challenges they will face in the future. I also try to be a good example and mentor for those who are interested in journalism. When it comes to education, there is no excuse good enough not to get one. In this day and age, you have to in order to just make it. If you want to do more than "make it," you have to go beyond the minimum input and give your all! It's important to me to reach out to the community and speak up on issues of education and violence because it directly impacts my community and our young people -- both of whom I care deeply about.
H: Although you've accomplished a lot, what else would you like to do?
LM: I would like to take what I do on radio and do it on TV -- basically more personality-driven programming. I am thinking TV Hosting is the way to go... a show on a cable network would be great!!! Definitely working on that, hence the website: ELSA-M.com.
H: If you could give our girls any advice, what would it be?
LM: Never let anyone, ANYONE, tell you that you can't or that something you want to do is out of reach or that someone else is already doing it, so your chances are slim. If you prepare yourself for the future with hard work and make sure you have built the skills you will need in whatever field it is, you will get there. Just stay focused, be determined, be willing to learn, and be willing to work hard. NEVER MAKE EXCUSES FOR NOT GETTING SOMETHING DONE BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE WILL DO IT INSTEAD. Be a go-getter OVERACHIEVER!!
Name: Liz Medhin aka Elsa M.
Age: 27
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
College: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Honors: Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Spot News Reporting
