Program Director Bill Wax may have gotten in on the ground floor, but in this case the ground floor is located about 22,241 miles above our heads. Bill works for XM Satellite Radio. His programs get transmitted from XM's two satellites, lovingly named "Rock" and "Roll," to the entire North American continent. XM Radio is a subscription service. Public radio folks call that "listener support."

I first met Bill Wax in Memphis, Tennessee in 2003 when we both accepted "Keeping the Blues Alive" awards from the Blues Foundation--me for my website, and Bill for XM's Blues-based advertising campaign featuring B.B. King.

XM Radio has more than 120 channels, and it's not all music. Almost half of XM's stations are dedicated to non-music news, public affairs, drama, comedy, entertainment, sports, and more. Some AIR members are already selling their wares to XM.

In an effort to learn more about this potential market for independent producers, I interviewed my friend (and fellow Blues lover) Bill Wax.

P.W. Fenton: Bill, let me start by asking you how you started in radio?

Bill Wax: I first started in radio in college as a freshman doing an oldies rock and R&B show in 1966. My first professional radio gig was with KOPN in Columbia, Missouri in 1978.

Fenton: What kind of experience do you have prior to XM?

Wax: I have been program director for two community radio stations, KOPN in Columbia, Missouri from 1978 to 1982, and KBOO in Portland, Oregon from 1982 to 1985. I was executive producer for Pacifica National Programming from 1987 through 1996. I worked for Feature Story as an editor/reporter from 1997 to 1999. Throughout all the above years, I did Blues, and Rhythm and Blues, shows for various public radio stations.

Fenton: Are there currently opportunities for independently produced features on XM--not just at Bluesville, but at all the stations?

Wax: I would say there are opportunities for independent producers to get their work on XM. Each channel has it's own staff, and if a producer created a show or special that fit one of our formats, I am sure the program director of that format would be interested in good programming. There already are some programs produced by others outside of XM for use on our air.

Fenton: What does XM have planned for it's future?

Wax: I am not sure I can speak for the plans of the other formats, but in the next few years there should be more staff positions opening on each channel as we grow closer to profitability.

Fenton: So tell me a little bit about your corner of XM Radio.

Wax: Bluesville is a 24-7-365 nationwide Blues music channel. We celebrate the music and the musicians who created and are still creating good Blues music in all its forms. I do a live show five days per week each afternoon from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. EST. I voice track the other hours.

Fenton: What's a typical day like for a program director at Bluesville?

Wax: I usually tell folks I work half a day at XM. That is 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. I have to schedule each day--voice track, do my live show, book guests and bands for the programming, as well create specials for the air. I also keep contact with Blues record companies and Blues artists and preview new music. The hours are long, but I am getting to create programming about the genre of music that I love and personally support.

Fenton: Is it possible for an independent producer to produce a regularly scheduled program wherever he or she is that can then be broadcast on XM?

Wax: We are technically capable of having a program produced off site, but we have not yet moved to that model. We have two remote studios, one in New York and the other in Nashville at this time. Plans are to expand that as time goes on and we move closer to breaking even.

Fenton: Tell me a little about XM's economic situation. Is everyone being paid as employees?

Wax: I get paid a full-time salary for my work at XM. All staff members get paid. We do use some interns but they are students at local universities.

Fenton: How about us independents? Can we get paid for our work?

Wax: There is, at this point, some limited amount of funds for outside programming. We do have some producers who are delivering their shows for free in exchange for announcements on the program about other pieces they have for sale. We also are paying some of our outside sources for their material. There is no one scale of pay--it all depends on what is negotiated between the producer, the program director and the financial folks at XM. If independent producers have programs they think would fit on one of our channels, they should contact the program director of that channel and pitch their shows.

Fenton: Well, thank you so much talking with me.

Wax: As a former member I am always happy to be of service to AIR.

You can explore XM Radio and find the names of a hundred or more station managers by exploring http://www.xmradio.com/.

P.W. Fenton's award-winning website is located at http://Bluesland.Net. His e-mail address is: pwfenton@p-dub.com.