YEP Participant Interviews WVLS Station Coordinator

Timothy Arbogast is a participant in The Highland Center’s 2016 Youth Employment Program, and has been working at the WVLS studio this summer. His last task for the year was to contribute a news story, which he conceived of, wrote and produced himself.

Hi, this is Timothy Arbogast, a youth employment participant working at WVLS, and I will be interviewing my boss Scott Smith, station coordinator and reporter for WVLS, and news director for Allegheny Mountain Radio.  My first question is where did you work before this?

“I worked before this in Highland County. I’ve worked as a farmer for 30-some years since I moved out here in 1985. Worked a couple different odd jobs around here – worked at the live stock market, different things like that. My primary employment before I came here to Alleghany Mountain Radio was with The Highland Center working as the Agricultural Projects Coordinator, working on the farmer’s market, getting Allegheny Meats started here up and running, and built.’’

Another question is do you ever get nerves on air?

“Not too often. I did, and I think most everybody does, the first time they get on the microphone. It’s a little bit like the whole public speaking/nervous stuff but you get over that pretty quick. The thing that I get nervous about is not being on the microphone and talking,  but if something goes wrong – if the station goes down, transmitter goes down, we lose signal, or you know someone calls in and says you’re not broad casting over the air. That’s what makes me nervous – not necessarily knowing all the engineering fixes that might have to be done to get us up and going again.”

If you were given the chance to have more air time would you take it?

“It takes a lot more time and effort to be on the air than just the time you’re actually on the air. You know, you have to prepare for things and take readings and get your show ready, get your music ready and make sure everything’s right. And, you know, the combination of the time it takes to get prepped and being on the air and your post show time, I didn’t realize truly how much it was eating into the time that it takes me to do the other things that I do as station coordinator. So I like being on the air a lot, and I probably would be on the air more than I am if I could, but on the other hand, it’s probably a good thing that I’m not, because it gives me more time to do the rest of my job.”

Last, but not least. can this job be challenging at times?

“It can be challenging at times – it can be challenging from a standpoint of deadlines, a standpoint of equipment not working and something going wrong. It can definitely be challenging, but it’s also very rewarding. It’s good to know that you’re a vital part of the community here and that the community is getting good things from you, whether it be information they need, or entertainment, or you know, just some company.”

This Timothy Arbogast coming from the WVLS Radio Station in Monterey VA. For Allegheny Mountain Radio New.