Craig Boddy joined Malaysia's Astro Radio in March 2014 as Integration and Content Consulatant for three of its stations – MIX FM. He studies at the New Zealand School of Broadcasting and has previously been employed with MediaWorks NZ, AMP Radio Networks, Kulama Lumpur and Invicta FM, UK. 

1. What led you to a career in radio?

Passion for music and stories. As a child, I would sit for hours listening to the radio waiting for my favourite song to play and trying to call the station to chat with the DJ. I was hooked from an early age and finally got my first break when I went to university and got a part time job doing the overnight show on the weekends.
 

2. What does your role as Network Content Manager entail?

I'm in charge of Astro Radio's English networks so that means I get to work closely with the teams on hitz, MIX and Lite daily on brand strategy and daily content execution.

I have a wide brief that includes talent recruitment and development, and create content campaigns to be executed on air and across our digital platforms. One part of the job that I never get tired of is the weekly playlist meeting where I sit down with the station content managers to decide on what songs we will be adding to the station playlist.
 

3. What is your favourite part of the job?

The fact that every day is different, no two days are the same and that I get to work closely with a group of talented and motivated people who are passionate about what they do.
 

4. Having worked in radio stations in both the UK and Malaysia, how would you describe both radio broadcasting landscapes?

I have been fortunate to have worked not only in the UK and Malaysia, but also in New Zealand and without doubt the radio landscape here in Malaysia is the most competitive and dynamic marketplace I have worked in.

The most obvious difference is the fact that here in Malaysia we serve our listeners across four languages instead of just one. Another difference is the ongoing investment in content and talent here compared to the more mature markets in the UK and NZ.

Finally, and also the biggest difference; the pace. Media in Malaysia works faster and harder to keep pace with our listener's demand for content that's local, new and engaging.
 

5. Any exciting plans for MIX FM, hitz FM and Lite FM in 2017 / 2018? 

Every day is exciting when you have three networks to look after, but I guess my first priority plan is to ensure all three stations are clearly positioned in the listeners and clients minds and aren't competing against each other.

I am excited about exploring how we can grow our stations digital reach and engagement. When I started in radio the only way we could engage with our listeners was via the phone or on ground. Coming in to 2017 we can reach out and touch our listeners via lives cross radio, on ground and now on mobile and on social platform, which means we can create and share rich and deep content experiences.
 

6. Who would be a “dream guest” to have on the shows you in charge for?

For MIX it would be Ellen, she's funny and quirky with great stories to share. For hitz, Ed Sheeran, as he's the hottest artist on the planet at the moment and from all accounts a genuinely nice guy. Lite is about real people and real stories so I'd love to have Tony Fernandez. He's got an amazing story to show so I'd love to have him on the Lite breakfast show.
 

7. What question do you find surprising that people ask you about your work?

Do announcers pick their own music? Once upon a time they did but in today's world of infinite music choice, scheduling has become a fine art so we have music executives in place now to make these choices for the announcers.
 

8. What advice would you give on pitching stories for MIX fm, hitz FM and Lite FM?

Come to us with unique stories and unique content opportunities, our fans and listeners are hungry for stories and content that resonates with them. Increasingly they are looking for content that's unique and local so if the pitch includes being able to work together to create content that can't be replicated anywhere else it's going to get my attention.

Interview courtesy Telum Media. Telum Media is a Singapore, Hong Kong & Sydney registered company founded in 2013 by former PR & journalism professionals who saw the need for a comprehensive media database in Asia. www.telummedia.com