Meet Your Local Broadcast VP

Markus Goldman is the vice president of broadcast for the SAG-AFTRA Philadelphia Local, as well as a member of the air staff at WMMR in Philadelphia. We spoke to him about his experiences working through the pandemic.
 
How have you been holding up during the pandemic?
 
We have been in this pandemic for nearly two years. We've all learned much during this time. Much about ourselves, our friends, our family, our associates and acquaintances, and the world we live in. We are exhausted, drained both physically and mentally, and worn out. But, we’ve all had something or some things that have kept us going, moving forward and slogging our way through this challenging time, hopefully coming out better on the other side. 
 
What changes have you noticed?
 
I have been working in radio at a music station that is still live 24/7, and I can tell you for a fact, people turned to radio as an escape. People have tuned into radio who have not tuned in for years or even a decade or two. People found a renewed love for radio and listening to radio during this time. Our texters have been busier than ever, with people checking in and thanking the WMMR staff for being there live during such crazy times. 
 
I know that our sister union stations, XTU, WIP, Q102, TTWN, KYW and WHYY, which also have a lot of live radio, saw the benefit of being in the studio live for the people. To have a warm, local, friendly voice on the other end of the music made a big difference for the people. Same goes for our union TV stations CBS, NBC and Telemundo. 
 
What have you learned during the pandemic?
 
We are social creatures by nature. That connection is so important. Music provides both an escape and a connection. This connection, warmth and escape was needed and welcomed warmly by the people of the Delaware Valley. I'd guess that the other radio stations in the area have seen an uptick in interactions during the pandemic, because we are there for them and with them. This connection and interaction are needed now more than ever, as we come out of the pandemic to find a new normal to move us forward. The one constant connection is local radio and TV.
 
The local TV stations have been magical in connecting with the community and been wonderful at strengthening their bonds with the community during the pandemic. Providing live and local news that shared many positive moments, events and happenings during the last two years has been extremely important in keeping our communities together. This positivity has been needed. Local TV is such an integral part of Philadelphia and one of the glues that bonds the Delaware Valley.
 
How do you see the industry evolving as things slowly return to normal?
 
Now, more than ever, we need live local radio and TV. We need the TV/radio community to come together and push for more live and local programming. We need to add more stations to the union to strengthen our numbers. We have a fantastic Philadelphia Local Board that wants to work with member and for members. We want fair wages for all. We want fair pay for extra online content and likenesses as the tech changes and evolves. We want to make sure you are treated well by your employers. 
 
So, please feel free to reach out to any of us on the Philadelphia Local Board with questions, comments, etc. With Monica Avery from CBS and Jay Gleason from XTU-FM on the Board, we have great people that are here to work with members.