The Tribune

By LESH

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

FOR years you have heard their voices; they are a familiar and entertaining presence on the airwaves, and now you will get to put a face to your favourite Tribune Radio House personalities.

Giving listeners a view into his radio life this week is Y98’s Anthony “AC” Coakley, who spoke with In Ya Ear for the very first edition of “Behind The Voice”.

For AC, being a radio personality is more than just a job, “it is one of the most fun activities a person would ever want to take part in”.
“As far as the pros, being able to be an uplifter, encourager, and in some cases a motivator and most of all a friend to every single listener, this is a great feeling. You have a relationship with every single listener and you are able to have a positive impact on their lives in some way,” he said.

“Every day I get to enjoy starting someone’s day with great music, laughter and good conversation.”

He initially got started in radio at the ZNS Radio Network back in 1994. There, he worked as a board operator on 30-minute programmes.

Throughout the years he developed his production skills and eventually became one of the audio engineers for the national radio newscast. Additionally, he filled the role of deejay on all of the ZNS Network stations – 1240 AM, 104.5 FM and 1540 AM.

“I stayed at ZNS and in the year 2000 I left, went off to school in Florida and got my degree in Radio and Television. I returned home in 2002, went back to ZNS, where I worked as a senior radio announcer, and then I also was elevated to the position as music director for the ZNS Radio Network. I stayed there until 2006 when Tribune Radio made me an offer to move on down the hill, and that’s what I did,” said AC.

During his time at Tribune Radio House, AC has served as the operations manager responsible for all five stations – 100 Jamz, Cool 96, Joy FM, Y98 and Classical. He has also served as the assistant programming director. Presently, he is primarily filling the role of morning show host for Y98.

“The morning show is called ‘Morning Sickness’ and it sort of pushes the envelope, but not in a risqu� way. The show is really geared towards families, so the topics and content are never really anything that is very adult. It is always presented as fun and it is kind of a thing where music meets a game show. It is also very conversational between myself and the listeners, because even though they can’t really answer me back, the entire presentation talks to them and is not really talking at them, and I am AC, their buddy,” he said.