Tuning In: Q&A with Ken Carberry '80

This article appears in the Fall 2020 Edition of Curry Magazine

By Lynda Curtis

As an undergraduate majoring in communication, Ken Carberry was very involved in the on-air sound and operations at the Curry College student-led radio station, WMLN-FM. Today, after four decades leading in the Boston broadcast radio industry–including roles that span news reporter, disc jockey, talk show host, production company president, station owner, and award-winning voiceover actor, to name only a few–Carberry returns to campus as the interim director of the radio program to teach today’s Curry students the ins and outs of the business.

What led you to a career in broadcast radio?

I was raised in the industry. My father was in the business and worked as a disc jockey during the 1950s and 1960s on Boston AM radio stations. Later, he became a manager and station owner. He knew everyone in the industry, including Roger Allan, who had worked at WRKO-AM and taught as a professor at Curry College. When I was ready to start college, my father told me to see Roger at Curry College. My career began here. As an undergraduate, I jumped right in and was on the air as a first-year student. I then got involved in operations as a station manager during my junior and senior years. After graduating, I started a media services and audio production company, Chart Productions, with my classmate Jordan Rich ’80. My brother Kurt Carberry also attended Curry and graduated in 1987.

Why was it important for you to return to the radio program today as an alum?

I’m thrilled to be back. I thought it would be interesting to become involved again with the radio station. After 40 years in the industry, I’ve done a lot, and I’ve learned a lot, and I hope to give that back to our students today. As an undergraduate majoring in communication, Ken Carberry was very involved in the on-air sound and operations at the Curry College student-led radio station, WMLN-FM. Today, after four decades leading in the Boston broadcast radio industry–including roles that span news reporter, disc jockey, talk show host, production company president, station owner, and award-winning voiceover actor, to name only a few–Carberry returns to campus as the interim director of the radio program to teach today’s Curry students the ins and outs of the business. You’ve worked in a variety of roles in the world of radio.

What aspects of the industry do you look forward to teaching the most?

I hope to expose students to the real-world experiences of what’s happening in the industry today, everything from the day-to-day operations to the business models of major radio or production companies. I will bring those real-life stories into my classes to help students learn the business. I also hope to help them make valuable connections with guest speakers from the field. Yet, what’s also equally important are the foundational skills that they learn as part of the liberal arts curriculum here at Curry. When the microphone is on, you have to be knowledgeable, speak well, think quickly and critically, be well-read, and many other things that are critical to success as a professional in this field. If you aren’t a well-rounded communicator, you won’t go as far in the business. Today, radio has to compete with streaming digital media and music apps.

As future practitioners, how can students lead creative, relevant programs and stations?

With the popularity of podcasts and satellite radio stations, many critics are quick to say that radio is dead. In reality, it’s still the best way to reach most people. It’s also the most personal medium, and people enjoy turning on a station that they know with hosts that can often feel like loyal friends they see or hear every day. No one has a favorite television station, but they do have a favorite radio station. It’s essential that we convey that to our students and that they, too, see how that connection is powerful and unique to radio.

What’s next for the radio program and WMLN?

I look forward to expanding the programming for WMLN to build out its news and public affairs coverage. Most of all, I’m excited to take what I’ve learned in the industry to continue to move the program forward.