Summary: The next generation of great talk radio got his “start” in the 4th grade when he drew radio controls on his loose leaf binder and stuck a pencil in the center to be his microphone. The station “WILK-Oh W” and Andrew’s commentary in class was not appreciated by his teacher. In 1990 Andrew became a college DJ at 640-AM WDTU at S.U.N.Y. Delhi in upstate New York. The station was carrier current, which meant it could only be heard on the campus. His first show was a mix of punk metal and what became nineties alternative and whatever “politically incorrect” things Andrew could say or do to get people to call the request line. Within a semester he was the Program Director. Being the PD meant spending more time at the station just keeping it on the air than studying. Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes→ In the spring of 1992 Andrew transferred to S.U.N.Y Farmingdale back on Long Island and quickly made his way to the college radio station which was in disarray. The station was also a carrier current station, 640-AM WCTF. When Andrew became PD he began researching student listening habits, making relationships with record companies, staffing the station, training the DJs and airing campus news and events. For his efforts to turn around a chaotic station, Andrew received a tuition stipend from the school. While all of this was happening Andrew became an intern at Long Island’s alternative music station 92.7 WDRE. He worked as the morning show intern for Darren Smith (who now programs SIRIUS XMs First Wave 22). His day started with WDRE from 5:30-9am, then going to class, then performing the duties of PD at WCTF, then doing his own radio show in the afternoon. Click To Tweet! → Outstanding Interview With Andrew Wilkow! In the fall of 1993 Andrew moved to Gainesville, FL to attend school at the University of Florida. Andrew got his first chance at FM radio at ROCK 104 WRUF-FM. Initially, doing the overnight shift then weekend mornings before Florida Gator football games, a shift he volunteered for, since everyone else wanted to be at the game. After signing off the radio it was on to work at Larry’s Giant Subs. Andrew gave up all school breaks….including “Spring Break” to get as many on air hours as possible, in 1995 he was promoted to nights. As the internet came into play listeners could get all the band info they wanted from the band’s website, so began the change from simply talking about the music to developing his talent. His personal politics, were not exactly a welcome thing to the staff at a rock radio during the Clinton years. Andrew graduated in 1996 with a degree in Telecommunications Operations from the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. The first post college radio job was as a weekender at a Top 40 radio station, Z96 WZNS in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. To make ends meet Andrew DJ’d at local nightclubs including being the DJ and MC at a strip club near Eglin Air Force Base. In summer 1998 he was hired for his full time radio show at 100.1 WCLG-FM in Morgantown, WV. Andrew moonlighted as a bartender, doorman and DJ at local bars. Again his politics caused friction among his co-workers, something that became part of his radio show. This was the beginning of Andrew becoming a “talker” on the radio. It was an all out battle to get ratings and that’s what he got. In the summer of 2000 he was let go after helping move the station’s overall position into the top 3 in the market. In January 2001 Andrew was hired to be the mid-day DJ at Radio 104 WMRQ, an alternative rock station in Hartford, CT. In a cradle of political correctness and liberal thinking Andrew hit a nerve. He made immediate waves with the listeners and instant enemies among the staff. On September 11th 2001 the United States suffered the worst terrorist attack in history. Andrew left the radio station that day to volunteer at the Red Cross blood and supply drive. The program director, Todd Thomas,
