Radio Imaging

Honestly, radio wasn’t my ultimate goal in school. I went to college to become a television broadcaster. When I went to a television broadcasting summit, one of the anchors said I should have at least 3 internships by the time I graduated…so I did 4 (yes, I am an overachiever). The first was at Channel 3 News in Chattanooga. It was wonderful and thrilling but when the reporters would tell me stories of their encounters, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be good at it. Instead of getting the story, I’d want to hug that woman who just lost her son. I knew I’d get too attached. That’s when I decided to intern at a radio station. I figured that was a little more light-hearted. I LOVED it! That was also my first introduction to voiceover.

After college, I booked an on-camera hosting job at a small cable channel in Atlanta but a year in, the radio station I interned for said they created a promotions position for me. Shortly after I returned to that station, I was offered evenings because the current DJ was leaving. I was so grateful because I really learned how to connect to listeners during this time. Because it was a smaller station, I was able to “work out my kinks” and my 1-900 voice. When I first went on air, my program director told me I should warm up my voice a bit. It just sounded a little too high-pitched. Oh did I warm it up. Everyone at the radio station called me the 1-900 lady. What was even worse…it was a Christian station. Oops. Eventually, I found a good middle ground that didn’t put me in an uncomfortable situation when people met me at remotes.

After a while at that station, I got a job just working part-time at 104.7 The Fish in Atlanta. I was on-air on the weekends and filled in during the week. I wanted to jump to a bigger market, so I figured this was my chance. That began an 8-year career at 104.7 The Fish. After a while, I was hired full-time to report traffic in the afternoons. Then I did a split shift, contributing to the morning & afternoon shows and reporting traffic.

I then came to a tough place in my career. I didn’t want to do traffic anymore (if you’ve been to Atlanta, you’d understand why) because I loved the creativity of contributing to the shows. I wanted to create for my own shift. By then, I was married to my husband and fellow radio DJ Mike Stoudt. I got great job offers all over the country but with us both being in radio, it’d be near impossible to find two jobs in the same city. He also was really set on doing acting as well and Atlanta was up and coming. That’s when Mike encouraged me just to quit the radio station, explore other creative outlets (I was already doing acting & voiceover on the side) and see what happens. So that’s what I did.

Until 3.5 years in and I was missing radio. I started working part-time at B98.5FM in Atlanta on the weekends and fill-in. It was great to be back. After all, it was what pulled at my heart years ago. I was on-air for 2 years at B98.5 and it was a great experience, but I had to end it after we opened up Atlanta Voiceover Studio. It became too much juggling a full-time VO career, acting, running a voiceover studio AND part-time radio personality.

From my 1-900 days, I never thought I had a voice for radio imaging. If you’re looking for a booming radio announcer, that’s not me. If you’re looking for a voice talent who can connect, be real and maybe a little sexy (see…that 1-900 is paying off), then I definitely can deliver. I’ve done a couple stations from family-friendly to more hip-hop and cool. If you’re looking for a radio imaging voice that can also improv and ad lib liners, that’s me. Not only did I write some proposed liners for my previous station, I also took improv classes and was a part of an improv performance group. I love to improv and create things!

With radio station imaging, availability and a great studio set-up are must-haves. I have both. I’m a full-time VO talent and I have two studios available – my home studio and Atlanta Voiceover Studio (with phone patch & source connect). I’m proficient in Adobe Audition which I’m sure you probably use (it takes me back to Cool Edit days in radio).

Whether you’re a rock station that needs a cool, young sound…a Christian station that needs a friendly, relatable & kind voice…a Hot AC station that needs that a cool mom sound…or a station that needs a more sexy, sultry read…I’d love to send you an audition! Email me at: Heidi@heidirew.com or leave a message at: (404) 403-5674 .