Keri Rodrigues
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Keri Rodrigues also known as Kerianne Rodrigues (born 7 February 1979 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American Talk Radio Personality. She is the youngest female talk show host in the United States, hosting her program weekdays in afternoon drive on 1480 WSAR in Fall River, Massachusetts. Rodrigues describes herself as a “pitbull Democrat” and has a distinct talk style that is unique from other so-called “liberal talk show hosts”. Although she doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and is quick to attack conservative callers, she is also willing to call out Democrats she feels are acting outside the public interest.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Rodrigues was born February 7, 1979 in Atlanta, Georgia. She spent a large portion of her childhood moving around the country with her native Bostonian parents, making stops in San Francisco, California; Fairfield, Connecticut; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and finally settling in Somerville, Massachusetts her sophomore year of high school.
While attending Somerville High School, Rodrigues performed in many professional theatre productions and starred in two independent films, winning several awards at national film festivals. Rodrigues is also an accomplished musician, studying cello, percussion, and voice; winning awards at the New England Conservatory of Music for classical performance, and awards for jazz percussion from Berklee College of Music.
Rodrigues attended Temple University studying broadcast journalism and political science. It is in Philadelphia that her professional broadcasting career began, although not at her college station.
[edit] Radio career
Rodrigues began her career in radio at WBZC in Pemberton, New Jersey, a small community station located in South Jersey. Rodrigues parlayed a “special project in journalism” covering the elections into a permanent position as the News Director of the station. During that time, Rodrigues also hosted the popular, “Radio Anarchy” program mixing her eclectic musical taste with political and social commentary, winning her accolades from the local media, including The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Rodrigues then worked as a producer for 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia, working with hosts including Dom Giordano, Michael Smerconish and Rollye James. At the same time, Rodrigues also worked as the Production Director and Program Coordinator for 1540 WNWR also in Philadelphia. From Philadelphia, Rodrigues went on to become an executive producer at 640 WGST in Atlanta, where she was also a traffic reporter for 96 Rock, Cool 105.7 and Lite 94.9. She also worked as a hub news anchor for 710 WNTM in Mobile, Alabama. It was in the southeast that Rodrigues established her reputation as a “take no prisoners” producer under the tutelage of legendary talk producer Eric Stanger.
Mentors then guided Rodrigues toward a tour of duty in a newsroom, and she relocated back to Massachusetts taking a position as an afternoon news anchor for heritage Worcester news/talk station 580 WTAG. Rodrigues then began covering stories for CBS News and the Clear Channel News Network where she was first heard nationally. She was one of three reporters selected to cover both national political conventions leading up to the 2004 elections, for which she earned the 2005 Associated Press Award for Special Events.
Rodrigues was then promoted to a position at the Clear Channel cluster in Providence. (Upon leaving Worcester she was awarded a key to the city.) In 2003 Rodrigues was working as a reporter at 920 WHJJ in Providence when she was thrust behind the microphone, filling in for the legendary Arlene Violet on a moments notice. After that, Rodrigues did a brief stint as a morning show personality on WWBB (B101) in Providence, but always knew her destiny was to be a talker.
In October of 2005, an opportunity presented itself when management at 1480 WSAR invited Rodrigues to tackle the position of program director and afternoon drive talk show host in the nearby Fall River market. Rodrigues jumped at the chance and hit the ground running, her very first show featuring Fall River Mayor Ed Lambert, Congressman Jim McGovern and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Rodrigues also writes a popular newspaper column published in the weekly publication "O Jornal" called "Keriocities" where she discusses local and national political issues.
[edit] Personal life
From a very young age Rodrigues had an interest in broadcasting. She often talks about “incriminating audio” that may be circulating created at the age of seven, when she first started dreaming of hosting her own talk show. She began calling into talk radio at the age of seven, hoping to interact with her broadcasting mentor David Brudnoy of Boston’s WBZ 1030.
Rodrigues was briefly engaged to a fellow broadcaster from the Philadelphia area, but is currently single. She often jokes on the air about giving up on men and marrying radio instead.
She devotes much of her free time to volunteering within the community and attending civic meetings. She has been a tireless advocate against a proposed LNG facility set to be located in a Fall River neighborhood which is facing staunch opposition from the community as well as local officials.
