THE INTERVIEW: RADIO LEGEND DOUG MILES! (PART 1 OF 2)

Legendary newsman Don Blair (left) for Mutual and NBC Radio News and author of "Splashdown, NASA and the Navy" in WIBQ studios on 'Suncoast Magazine' with Doug Miles.

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Actor Geoffrey Owens (left) from The Cosby Show and Asolo Conservatory stopped by the WIBQ studios on Dec. 2 as a guest on 'Suncoast Magazine' with Doug.

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The "Night of 1000 Stars" party for the Sarasota Film Festival at Michael's: Doug is joined by Congresswoman Katherine Harris, Robyn Lynn (whom I'm forever asking Doug about), Actress Audrey Landers (not pictured) with Tim Wilkins and Actor Dennis Farina.

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Whoa, talk about a Legend!! Here's Doug with pal and Actor Jack Klugman of "The Odd Couple" who stopped by for a visit.

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Introduction from Michael: I'd like to welcome my First Guest on "THE INTERVIEW" for 2007: Doug Miles, one of the truly Good Guys in an industry I've spent 17 years working in: Radio. I met Doug in the Spring of 2006 as I was walking down Main Street in downtown Sarasota, Florida. It was a nice warm day and out of nowhere I heard an English accent overhead from a canopy mounted speaker. I looked up in time to see a very large picture window with Doug's colleague Cliff Roles conducting an interview "Live" and "On the Air"! So, I walked into the radio station and struck up a conversation with a man who happened to own the station! We swapped "war stories" and got along famously. So much so, that he asked me to meet his Production Manager and Co-Host of a program called "Suncoast Magazine". At the time, I was still pursuing a "hard news" job with Radio or Television and after I was introduced to Doug Miles, I discovered that he knew of my dear friend and Radio Legend Jim West---and for a very good reason! Doug's station, WIBQ "Sunny 1220" News/Talk AM Radio is a Nostalgia (Big Band and Great Singers) format--one of many radio formats I've worked with in my career. Jim West is responsible for syndicating "The Music of Your Life" on over 400 stations from Maine to Florida and then Florida to California! In a pleasant surprise, Doug asked me to consider becoming a Guest on his show after I returned to Ohio! This was the beginning of a wonderful friendship with a very generous and very kind man who finds everyone interesting. I wondered what I had to offer as his Guest? But after we started talking "Live" on the air we were laughing our fool heads off as I reeled off tales about the eccentricities of Cincinnati (which you can go hear on my REEL Page). I'm sure Doug won't mind. Lastly, before we get started, I wanted to share a heartwarming story.

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When "The Rick Springfield Benefit Concert for Sahara Aldridge", the 12 year old girl who is battling a stage IV glioblastoma malignant brain stem tumor came to my attention via Rick Springfield's website, as many of you know, I wanted to contribute somehow. For me that meant a "grass roots" project in support of Rick's generous vision from afar. The concept for me involved filling a tour bus in Cincinnati, Ohio where I currently reside with Rick's fans to attend the show in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. I was in-between positions at the time, and this project and purpose was far more important to me than a job search that was stalled the last 45 days of 2006 anyway. So, long story-short, I took the "pencil to the paper" and outlined a way to involve Cincinnati--one of the most dangerous cities in America to live in--and lend an opportunity to our new Mayor Mark Mallory (who graciously worked with me) to show the nation that "Love and Compassion must transcend state lines". The Cincinnatri News Media--(much to my annoyance and the City's embarrassment) behaved very badly and refused coverage with the excuse that Sahara wasn't an Ohio resident and that stations were embroiled in a television ratings period many of you know as "sweeps". Turns out I am the last one to realize our world and it's priorities have changed! I fought hard not to feel bitter about my colleagues' misplaced sense of what really matters most.

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Doug Miles saw what was going down and quickly came to my rescue. It just so happens that Sarasota has a very large Cincinnati and Toledo Ohio contingent of residents known as "snow birds" who have retirement homes in Florida. Doug and I put our heads together by e-mail and over the phone. If I could reach the Sarasota contingent of Cincinnati and Toldeo seasonal residents, we reasoned, I could fill a tour bus of people who would receive and respond to a "Call to Action" --yes--from literally a phone call from one of their Sarasota relatives to buy a very affordable concert ticket and take advantage of a great hotel lodge rate to support Sahara and her family with a great show! (Doug's radio interview taped with me during those 16-hour days spent affecting this outcome between November 6th and December 7th of 2006 can also be heard on my "REEL" Page at www.michaelmanning.tv). Doug's attitude was: "We certainly want to do whatever we can for Sahara and this is a worthy cause with the great Rick Springfield". THAT's the kind of rare friend Doug Miles is. And...he ran that interview 4 TIMES as we attempted to motivate people to participate. It was a valiant effort and I am forever grateful to Doug and all the wonderful people at WIBQ who moved on this important event rapidly to help out when my own hometown media community failed shamefully. With this bit of background in mind, Doug most deservedly needed to be MY "Guest" for a change, so each of you could come to know him and of late, to listen to WIBQ 1220 AM Radio via "streaming" on the Internet. Without further adieu, it is my pride and privilege to welcome a friend and a colleague: Doug Miles!

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MM: DOUG WELCOME TO "THE INTERVIEW". IT'S NICE TO TRADE PLACES FOR A CHANGE SINCE YOU'VE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF MY ENDEAVORS AND HAVE REGULARLY INTERVIEWED ME ON SUNNY 1220, WIBQ "NEWS/TALK" RADIO. TELL US HOW YOU WERE FIRST BITTEN BY THE BROADCASTING BUG AS A KID?

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DM: I've always loved radio. Growing up in NY, I got to listen to the best in the business. Don Imus on the old WNBC was a favorite. I listened to Marv Albert doing the Knicks, Rangers and NY Giants football games on radio. Marty Glickman, who invented radio play by play for the most part, was also a favorite. And when we played street hockey or any sport, every guy would do play by play as we scored or made a great play. I'm still fascinated by radio and am always turning the dial to see what's on.

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MM: WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU WHEN YOU FIRST STEPPED BEHIND THE RADIO MICROPHONE AT WBAU 90.3 FM AT ADELPHI UNIVERSITY? I KNOW YOU FOUND YOURSELF THRUST INTO HE MIDDLE OF COVERING A NATIONAL TRAGEDY? (Doug went on the air just as John Hinckley was apprehended after trying to assassinate President Ronald Regan).

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DM: Believe it or not, it took me about a year and half to get up the nerve to walk into the campus station at Adelphi University, WBAU on Long Island. I finally went through the door and have never looked back. I started doing news for the AM side which only broadcast on campus before working up to the FM side which covered a good part of Nassau County and got into the city. That first week on the air, the UPI ticker alarm rang constantly and we knew there was big news going on. It was the day President Reagan was shot. I was on the air doing updates for several hours on that story. At WBAU, I was Sports Director, handled all the play by play of Adelphi sports, hosted all kinds of shows including the Big Band Sound which continues today as the Big Band Files on WIBQ in Sarasota.

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MM: I'VE NOTICED THAT SPORTS AND NEWS FIGURE PROMINENTLY IN YOUR CAREER AFTER GRADUATION FROM COLLEGE. HOW CAN YOU DESCRIBE WORKING IN NEW YORK RADIO STATIONS AND YOUR WORK TODAY IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA ON THE SUNCOAST?

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DM: I worked at Sports Phone for awhile as well as doing various stringing for different stations around NY City and Long Island. I moved to Tampa and did weekends at WUSF-FM in Tampa and was a copywriter at WLFF-AM in St. Petersburg. I also hosted a nationwide sports show on The Sun Radio Network which at that time was based out of Tampa. Tampa radio has an interesting history and there are a ton of stories there, but that's for another interview :)

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MM: HOW DID THE BIG BAND RADIO FORMAT COME INTO YOUR LIFE?

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DM: I've always loved the standards and big bands and jazz. I grew up listening to my parents records and station WNEW-AM which played American Popular Standards. WNEW-AM was one of the great radio stations in the country. I've had the opportunity to interview Jim Lowe who was the program director there and Mike Eisgrau, who was a news anchor on WIBQ. I started the big band show on WBAU and continue it today on WIBQ on the weekends.

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Join us tomorrow as we conclude with Doug's current projects!