As I’ve been researching candidates for Radio World’s new series about young engineers, I was looking over an article on the same topic that we ran 20 years ago. (Read that article here.)
One of the people we featured then was Aaron Ishmael. I checked in with him to get an update on his career.
Radio World: In 2006 we wrote about the 23-year-old chief engineer of KPQ(AM/FM). Where is Aaron Ishmael today and what is his role in radio?
Aaron Ishmael: I’m in Knoxville, Tenn., and I am the co-owner of 14 radio stations located across the country in Knoxville as well as Albany, N.Y., Burlington, Vt., Wilmington, Del., Fort Collins, Colo., and Rapid City, S.D.
I co-own Loud Media and A & J Radio with my wife Jessica; I also own Mid Century Radio with business partner Karl Lieber and am the sole owner of Loud Media NJ. A list of stations is at loudmedia.com.
I also am the lead developer for Mr. Master, a company that provides software solutions to the radio industry.
RW: How did you get from that job to this place in your career?
Ishmael: Well, that’s a bit of a long answer so I’ll try to keep it concise. I followed my radio engineering career to Cumulus in Macon, Ga., for a year and then pursued an opportunity to build out new FM construction permits in the state of Wyoming for Northeast Broadcasting.
During that time I built 10 brand-new radio stations over a five-year span. Following this I became the chief engineer of ESPN-owned WEPN(AM) in New York City, where I was able to build a brand-new studio facility on West End Avenue.
Shortly after, I was promoted to director of radio technology for ESPN and moved to the headquarters in Bristol, Conn., until 2016 when I acquired my first radio station in Knoxville and moved into full-time station ownership.
RW: Common wisdom has it that few young people are interested in careers in radio and specifically in radio tech. What’s your experience?
Ishmael: I think over the years it’s gotten even more challenging to find young people who are interested in radio. The technology space in general has gotten so large and there are so many things that those with a technical mindset can thrive in that I think radio gets overlooked.
I appreciate the efforts of organizations like the SBE in mentoring and trying to get younger people involved.
RW: What aspects of your technical background help you in your work today?
Ishmael: I would say all of it! Every single problem I’ve ever solved was a learning exercise for the next problem. Being the owner of several radio stations means that I have to do engineering work daily and I love it.
RW: What’s next for you in your career, where would you like it to take you?
Ishmael: Great question, and I don’t know that there’s a simple answer. I have a deep love for the radio industry and I want to continue doing things to help radio not only survive but thrive and grow, whether it’s making software solutions that help operators do more or building up my own stations to be the best they can be.
RW: Any advice for young people reading this article?
Ishmael: If you have a knack for the technical side of things or if you’re a problem solver, radio engineering can be extremely rewarding … and there are great opportunities for bright, talented, young people in our industry. We always need a fresh set of eyes to keep radio alive and relevant!
[Do you receive the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter each weekday morning? We invite you to sign up here.]
