a major consolidation. How has that affected you?
Consolidation is one thing that has messed radio up. You do horrible at one radio station in town and that radio station happens to own four other radio stations in town where you could possibly get a job. In addition, you now have non-compete clauses. It really tests your resolve as a human being about what you’re going to do about your career. For me, I know that if you’re not on the radio, you are as good as dead. We see it constantly in popular culture. As loyal as the audience says they are to you, they turn like wild dogs on their favorites because we have short attention spans. And it’s a fool who thinks they can leave radio for a month or a couple of years then all of a sudden be that star that they once were. It’s not like that.
Given the changes in the industry, is local radio dying?
Yes, local [radio] is going to fade away. I feel for the local person because it’s going to be all syndication and automation, and whoever is not already established has missed the boat. I wouldn’t even say grind harder in radio. I would suggest that you grind harder in your Plan B.
Your television talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, recently had its debut on Fox. Tell us about that.
The show is live, five days a week. And I did not have to do a pilot, as is common in the television business, so it’s been lights, cameras, action. We’re on in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Dallas. I will have six weeks–30 shows–to wow these four cities and turn them on with my smile. Hopefully, I can give the audience the Wendy treatment the only way I know how. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.