Josh Olek: “There’s honestly so much to enjoy about this job”

Whether it’s changing a listener’s life with an amazing prize or helping his favourite bands release new music, there’s no doubt Josh Olek has found his happy place.

Next month, Josh celebrates four years of hosting weekday Afternoons on Triple M Brisbane.

And as he tells Radio Today, every day brings a new adventure.

“Making radio in one of the country’s most competitive markets just lights a fire in your Content Cauldron.”

Brisbane has also proved an interesting place to live.

“Broadcasting through devastating floods AND a pandemic grew me an instant connection to this city,” says Josh.

“Seeing the positive response from our listeners and feeling that local connection makes this job feel so special!”

It’s a world away from the days when Josh would spend much of his time holed up in his bedroom, playing Call Of Duty.

“I basically finished high school and couldn’t settle on a responsible job,” Josh says.

Growing up in Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs, Josh had been around radio, microphones and XLR cables from an early age.

His dad Eddie – now Senior Commercial Producer at SEN – would take young Josh along with him to the various radio stations he worked at, including 3UZ (now RSN 927).

Josh decided to study sound at RMIT and spent a couple of years honing his on-air skills at community station SYN.

“I got to learn the ropes behind the scenes at SEN before I launched myself into radio fully,” he says.

“Dad had seen my interest in radio before and suggested I come in and learn how to panel. Maybe there would be a Sunday shift available every now and again so I could make a bit of extra cash.”

Josh agreed to give it a crack. He was instantly obsessed.

Going on to land a full time gig at 2XL in Jindabyne, Josh was unfazed by the prospect of packing up and moving to the New South Wales Snowy Mountains.

“Honestly, I was so excited. I was fresh from missing out on an opportunity at a SCA station (which unfortunately happened outside of anyone’s control) and was just desperate to give something somewhere a go.”

Josh says the announcing and production role at 2XL provided an incredible first opportunity, not to mention the odd challenge.

“Leaving Melbourne and the new studios we had at SEN and moving into the Jindabyne studios where panels had knobs instead of faders was a bit of a leap,” Josh remembers.

“But you learn to do what you can with what you have.”

“I also loved that freedom that came with living by myself for the first time.”

Having access to the nearby snowfields wasn’t a bad job perk, either.

Josh’s radio journey went on to include stints at Wollongong’s Wave FM and K rock in Geelong.

 Josh – an ACRA winner – says along with this dad, there have been many people who’ve influenced him along the way.

“Aaron Chilcott, Deano Kesby, James Speed, Scott Menz, Jamie Angel, Matt O’Reilly … the list goes on!”

Proud dad Eddie (pictured above with Josh) tells Radio Today it’s been wonderful to watch his son’s radio career blossom.

“As a parent you always want your kids to do better than you in whatever path they choose to follow.”

“All my kids have done well. Josh is the one who followed me into radio however, and has had a very successful career.”

“I couldn’t be prouder Josh. It makes me smile every time I hear him on air in Melbourne when he’s doing a national shift at the Ms.”

As to where he thinks radio might be headed in the future, Josh says it’s impossible for him to say.

But something he’d certainly like to see over the next decade is more hyper-local content.

“Radio’s point of difference is always going to be the immediate connection it provides for people in the place where it broadcasts.”

“As technology gets better, the industry has GOT to continue to look for ways to innovate.”

“Integrate social media more, get your playlist front of mind more for your listeners!”

Josh would also love to see radio stations take a more creative approach to their music libraries.

“In a world where everybody has access to the internet, it’s easy for music directors to just look at the top 20 songs on Spotify and go ‘Yep, that’s the playlist.’”

“Yes, Music Radio stations should always be servicing their core audiences with the tunes they love, but when you take a risk on an artist that’s unknown, you have the opportunity to help build a musician’s brand, which builds their loyalty to the radio stations brand, allowing you to grow together.”

“If you do that for an artist that is local to your area, you can turn it into a local interest story that’ll lean into the other core pillars of your station.”

Josh believes investment in the next generation of radio talent is key to the future of the industry.

“Radio is going to fall apart if younger people don’t want to get behind the mic.”

“It’s hard to justify moving to the middle of nowhere when at the end you’re going to make so little money that you’ll struggle to live.”

“Make the lifestyle worth it so people want to invest in the art of radio again.”