Lara Scott hosts middays on Audacy’s K-Earth 101 Los Angeles, as well as sister stations Big 94.5, KOOL in Phoenix and Sunny 98.1, KXSN in San Diego. The Florida native grew up like everyone else in radio, listening to all the local stations. Pretending the personalities were all her friends and making DJ tapes for her mom. Self-training for a lifetime of success on the microphone.
When she was 17 and living in Central Oregon, a friend dared her to call a local radio station and ask if they were hiring. Despite the friend’s motive of hoping to hook up with the new morning guy, who “sounded cute,” the dare worked out for Scott more than for her friend.
Having no idea how to get a radio job, she took the dare and made the call. She went in for an interview, hoping maybe she could at least get an office job. The station was short-staffed, and they needed bodies to keep it on the air. When the PD asked her if she had any experience, she told him she used to make DJ tapes for her mom. He hired her on the spot, gave her one day to train, then put her on the air, and the rest is history.
“I was hooked from my very first shift and knew then what I wanted to do with my life,” she says. “My hope is that when people listen, they hear a friendly voice and feel connected to what’s happening in their city.”
“I love sharing info about events happening in LA and Orange County. Talking about what shows and movies everybody is watching, and I love putting listeners on the air and letting them shine, whether that’s giving a shout-out to their kid, talking about the Dodgers, or winning a contest.”
“My mission from the start has been that whenever somebody hears me, their day will be better. I always want someone to feel uplifted after listening. That goes for social media, as well.”
“I’m constantly prepping for my show,” admits Scott. “I love doing research, so it is fun for me. I have a prep sheet document, and I’m constantly adding to it. Everything goes on there, from celebrity birthdays that are coming up, to events I’ve heard about, to the names of offices/businesses I’ve walked into that have K-EARTH playing that I want to shout out to. You name it, it all goes on the prep sheet!”
“The wonderful thing about radio is that it differs from listening to something on your phone because with radio, everyone experiences it together. An artist can release a new song, and maybe when it first comes out, everybody is checking it out, but not at the exact same moment, which is what you get with radio.
“The community experience and being live is so important – you see it in moments like the Southern California wildfires that happened in January, where we weren’t just giving out important information, sharing where people could donate and help out, but also giving our audience a space to share and grieve and heal.”
“How great is it to play music at work every day? How fun is giving away incredible prizes like cash and concert tickets, and making people happy? And how cool it is to meet your favorite artists. And get to go to concerts and movie screenings? Bringing back remotes and getting out into the community can get younger people excited about radio, as well.”
“I remember begging my mom to take me to a department store on a Saturday afternoon because the afternoon guy at my local station was going to be broadcasting at the mall, and I was so curious about what he looked like. I still remember that because the energy at that remote broadcast was electric.”
So, how do we get the younger generation excited about radio like that?
“There are so many wonderful things about radio!” says Scott. “All these years later, I still absolutely love my job and talking about it with younger people. Occasionally, we have groups of students who come through. Even the kids who may be hanging back when they first come in or looking a little bit bored, when they hear their voice on the radio, their eyes light up.”
“Often, I will record them and then play them back while they’re in the studio. It’s mesmerizing for them. They will inevitably ask, ‘Wait—everybody just heard that?’ So, I think it’s important to show the younger generation how awesome it is and not just tell them.”
Outside of radio, Scott is a big fan of writing, blogging and traveling. “I am working on two books right now,” she informs us. “And my dream is to write a Christmas movie one day. I love expressing my creativity. I’ve gotten good at using pockets of found time during each day.”
“I work and I have a commute. I am a mom, taxi-driving my kids around to their sports games and practices after work. I’ve always got my phone with me. I’ve always got a charger or an extra battery pack. When I have five minutes here or 15 minutes there, I put it to good use.”
Follow Lara Scott on all socials: @Larascottmedia
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Charese Fruge’ is an award-winning Content, Broadcast, and Marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, San Diego, and Las Vegas. As the owner of MC Media, she works with radio brands and individual talent, especially young women, helping them grow their brands and negotiate on their own behalf. She is also a Voice Actor and Voice Over Talent as well as a Freelance Writer for International Broadcast Outlets. Find her at @MCMediaOnline or www.mcmediaonline.com.
