From shame to success: Power FM’s Sam Blacker tackles tough topic with new podcast series

Sam Blacker is one of many trying to make his way in the Australian radio industry. It can be a long road to success, often plagued by doubt and sometimes even shame.

Blacker explains that the concept came about while he was trying to think of a new project to undertake, and after coming up with nothing initially, his mind wandered to a memory of something he did years and years ago that even now he still feels a fair bit of shame around.

“These sort of thoughts can often lead to a bit of self-judgement and it was in the middle of a bit of wallowing in self-disappointment that I started wondering if people who had actually ‘made it’ still had these sort of thoughts, or if they let it affect them at all,” he said.

In each episode Sam sits down with successful guests and asks them to share stories of things they have done that they are ashamed of.

In the first two episodes (available now) Sam chats with Pete Murray and Maz Compton about those moments of their lives that they aren’t proud of, and future guests include Gretel Killeen, Osman Faruqi from Junkee and Hit 104.7’s Ryan Jon and Tanya Hennessy.

“I had one or two people admit to things from work they were ashamed of, but quite often their stories went all the way back to childhood!”

As for the one shameful moment in his career, Blacker recalls a time early on when he let a bit of pre-recorded audio go to air that had a word that should have been beeped in it.

“That feeling where my gut just dropped, coupled with how everyone else in the studio looked at me in shock, haunted me for months.”

“I just couldn’t believe I’d made such a simple mistake. But as everyone says, once you make a mistake you don’t make it again!”

Blacker adds that, like most in the radio industry, “I’m willing to do pretty much anything and don’t feel too ashamed of it, and if I have done anything, I’ve moved past it.” 

“Because otherwise I’d be a nervous wreck!”

You can find Shame Feeder on iTunes and most other podcast services. You can hear a preview from the first episode below.