Polka Time is LIVE

On January 8, Polka Time officially became a live radio show. 

The road to get here happened one step at a time. I started recording the show at home last August. That step helped me learn how to put a show together and record digital files for the radio station. Home studios can’t compare to the quality equipment at the station, so I moved to pre-recording the show at WVMO-FM’s studio in the fall. That let me practice using the station’s equipment and sound board. 

I only had one training session before my first live show. Actually going live was a little more stressful than I thought during the training. I was flying solo due to an unfortunately rescheduled Packers vs. Detroit game. I took comfort in the belief that maybe people were more likely to be watching the game than listening to my radio show. If I made mistakes, there would be few witnesses. 

Mistakes were made. But I got through it. The miracle of modern radio meant the station manager could log in remotely and fly the plane when I couldn’t decipher my notes in order to play announcements during a break, and when I was unsure about how to turn on the automated music system when I was done. But I learned a lot in that first experience and the next week was better.

I’m still so grateful to have the incredible resource of WVMO-FM. People like Wisconsin Broadcasting Hall-of-Famer Lindsay Wood Davis founded the station knowing it would create opportunities for people to experience the joy of radio. The studio is a little zen bubble where I’ve been able to establish this polka project I hope will grow and evolve over time. 

Thanks for listening. You can listen live on Sundays at 7 p.m. and also catch a rebroadcast of Polka Time on Saturdays on WVMO at 7.