 Matt
Sammon
I'm not sure if it was the mock "channel 13" newscasts
I would do with my stuffed animals or the numerous weather books
I read because Roy Leep made it look so easy, but I knew I would
do something in TV or radio very early in my life.
A native of Rochester, New York, but a longtime
resident of bustling Seffner (stop your laughing), I kicked my
career into gear when I was about 15. Thanks to Dan Patrick,
Keith Olbermann, and the late Chris Thomas, my broadcasting focus
was on TV sports. Thanks to Tom Crowe and the TV facilities at
Armwood High School I got a start in TV, and even managed to
get some stories I did on channel 10's "10 Ultimate" (reincarnated
over and over again to it's current form as "Fox ThirTEEN" on
channel 13).
One weekend in 1994 changed my focus from
TV to radio. While scouting out the campus of the University
of Alabama, I was unimpressed by the TV facilities but knocked
over by the student radio station. I was knocked over because
it dawned on me I did not have to shave, bathe, or wear nice
clothes while having fun on the radio. The change was made and
my bank account hasn't thanked me since.
Four drunken years at U of A also turned
out to be productive ones in my career as I bounced from one
radio station to another: Saturday nights at New Rock 90.7 (the
student station), weekends playing classic rock at Fox 95.7,
overnights at Alabama Public Radio, a couple of internships at
W-101 and 100.7 KISS-FM (now Mix 100.7)in Tampa, producing a
talk show at 1230 WTBC, and finally weekends back at Alabama
Public radio. Granted I didn't do this all at once (it was spread
out over four years) but it did seem that way at times.
While finishing up school I moved back to
Tampa and worked weekends at 1250 WDAE. One thing led to another
and I was working fulltime at WDAE (now at 620 AM) and weekends
at Star 95.7 (now 95.7 the Beat). During the past (almost) five
years I have had the great pleasure of producing "Hardcore with
Sandy Penner" and "The Chris Thomas Show" while working with
various people who have been in and out of this building.
I continue to produce Sandy's show and the
new "Ron Diaz and Ian Beckles show" as WDAE's executive producer.
I also occasionally pull a weekend shift on the new home of the
Buccaneers, Thunder 103.5.
Feel free to e-mail me at matt620Wdae@yahoo.com. |
