KDAWG Radio and Music Industry Conference

Four interactive question and answer sessions covering topics from music, music placement, radio, television, advertising, and more made up the first annual Radio, Music, TV & Webcasting Industry Conference - the most successful first year Intercollegiate Broadcast System conference in history - at the University of Redlands in a day-long event held Saturday, Nov. 15. The event, hosted by the college's KDAWG radio and Intercollegiate Broadcast System (IBS), featured 12 panels with 17 professional industry speakers hailing locally and even from across the country, some panelists traveling from New York, Chicago and Boston to participate in the event. KDAWG station manager Evan Sanford explained that Saturday's conference provided an opportunity for students at the University of Redlands and beyond - with students traveling from University of California, San Diego; UCI; Pierce College; California State University, Long Beach; and more - to learn about broadcast careers. Since U of R doesn't currently have broadcast journalism or communication departments, "This served as a great opportunity for students," Sanford said. "There were sessions on radio, music, music placement, TV and FCC regulations, and that's all things that aren't taught at the university but were taught at this event." Sanford called the conference "a legitimate educational experience for students." Bev St. Andrews, host of KCAA's "Let's Go Shopping With Bev," spoke on the role of women in the industry. "There were about 55 people there for the first panel," said St. Andrews. "I asked them, 'How many of you want to go into radio?' All their hands raised. I thought, 'This is cool. We're looking at the next generation of radio here.'" A career in radio was a lifelong dream of hers, St. Andrews explained. She worked with Lite 92.7, now known as Jill FM, in Riverside, 590 KTIE in San Bernardino and with KCAA 1050 AM & NBC News Talk Radio. Friday, Nov. 21, will be her 373rd "Let's Go Shopping with Bev" show. "When somebody has a dream and a passion, you put that dream and that passion together. If you get the opportunity to try it, try it, because you amaze yourself and everyone else. I truly believe this. If I gave up my dream, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing today." St. Andrews was accompanied by her colleague Mia "Mocha" Johnson, who also hosts a 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. radio show on KDAWG Monday through Friday. Johnson completed broadcasting schooling in four months and was hired immediately by Clear Channel Media in the High Desert when she got her start, Johnson explained. With a love of coffee, she nicknamed herself "Mocha" and spent six years working in the industry before beginning at KCAA, where she engineers and co-hosts many of the variety radio programs. In April, she got her start with KDAWG, where her radio show brings in 12,000 listeners a day. Johnson's two biggest pieces of advice were: "Toughen up your skin," she said. Second, "Keep going. Don't let anyone tell you what you can't do. Stick with it." When asked if she faced roadblocks as a woman in the industry, Johnson replied that she had. "You have to stand your ground. Be strong. Voice your opinion. It's not wrong to be a team player, but you have to have a voice. Recognize your talent." Sanford said the panelists weren't the only ones giving advice - though they were "phenomenal." "Some of the students were giving our panelists some advice on social media, especially," Sanford said. "So it was very unique to see the dynamic change like that." Sanford said with the success of the weekend's event and the support garnered from the community and industry professionals, the event will become annual. "I'm still on a high from it," Sanford said. "I'm already thinking about ways to take it to the next level."