About Audio GayTL
'Hearing' a vision ...
Hi, I'm Ron; CEO of "This is Gay Media, LLC" and even launching a business with that moniker, let alone a streaming audio station with the word GAY in its branding, seems a bit surreal.
I'll get into my story below, but wanted to share with you how Audio GayTL came about first.
"Radio" brought me to Atlanta in 2018 - the "dream job" I'd coveted all of my prior 25+ years in the business had finally come to fruition. It lasted all but a year, but the end result was my getting to call Atlanta home and laying down roots here. As you'll read below, that was the plan, and the plan went awry a bit, but suffice to say, seven years later, I'd still find myself home in a city I love and one that I doggedly believe will provide for me and me for it, too.
That's where Audio GayTL comes into the story. It's actually the side hustle of another former career radio person that caught my eye, err, ear. A man in a destination beach market launched a completely online streaming audio station serving guests and locals with a well-formatted playlist and loaded with local event and weather information in-between with minimal commercial interruption.
"Radio" use to be like that, too, but the AM/FM dial is loaded with commercially bogged-down stations with little (if any) local presence and no regard for "service to community."
I soon realized the Atlanta LGBTQIA+ audience was being completely under-served in that regard. That's why I and some friends began crafting a playlist - "our music choices" - to create the base for what Audio GayTL would become. Dance hits and throwbacks - many of them "by us" but ALL of them "for us" and adored by us, over the years.
So, after weeks of crafting that playlist, Audio GayTL went "live" May 22nd - a week prior to June Pride Month. The mission? A lot less "sales pitch;" a lot more "dance bitch."
Crude, a bit, but the cleaner pitch - "our proud voices + our music choices" - really drives the recipe home.
On Audio GayTL, you'll hear 56+ minutes of music, conversation and entertainment, and in most hours, it's mostly just our curated music collection - with your input always welcome in that regard, by the way.
Those 3-4 minutes we're setting aside? For the business and non-profit community that aims to serve the Atlanta LGBTQIA+ community. Sure, commercials come at a (admittedly small) cost, but we're keeping our overhead costs low so our business community can afford to partner with us to grow their brands as we grow ours. If your business serves the Atlanta, Georgia and/or American LGBTQIA+ population in general, touch base with me and let's collaborate on the pitch-perfect marketing plan for you on Audio GayTL.
What really excites me, though, is getting to collaborate and foster this "audio town hall" to allow for our non-profit partners to be able to utilize us as well, to promote their service(s) to the "GayTL" community, too - and at no cost to them. There also comes whole show "takeovers" for our non-profit partners, too. If an event or date or advocacy for a mission is needed, it's granted. Again, at no cost. If you're working in a non-profit capacity, please reach out to me.
I'm very excited at what we're cooking here, and can't wait to interact with you - the listener, the non-profit ally, the plucky LGBTQIA+ businessperson - to create a sound space for US to do what GayTLiens do best: come together to better our existence as community.
About Ron
I came to Atlanta in 2018, having secured what I believed would be my DREAM job - managing the legendary "Star 94" in the city I'd always wanted to live and work in.
Fast forward a year later, and despite some early successes there, long-established turmoil and company merger pains (and egos) found me in the crosshairs, and eventually, "under the bus."
I'm proud of the work I did there and hold relationships made at Star close to my heart. That said, I suddenly found myself ending my 28-year career in broadcasting due to contractual non-compete agreements and my decision to stay in Atlanta to let my then-husband pursue the dream job he'd just gotten. So I transitioned into real estate - just before the pandemic. That's been a rollercoaster ride in and of itself, but finding out a divorce I didn't see coming was imminent, too, proved to be a lot for me to grapple with fiscally and emotionally.
I sought therapy to improve my "rock bottom" mental wellness, and that led me to seeking out something that made me passionate again ... hence my political podcast: "The Ron Show." That was October of 2022, and continues - airing weekdays on AmericaOne Radio & via podcast. Not only did it put me back in the audio business, so to speak, it gave me a reason to get out of bed and stop wallowing in my own misery each morning. Baby steps.
I've also spent the past three years devoting free time into serving on the Hotlanta Softball League board, securing sponsorships for the league I've enjoyed playing and coaching in the last five seasons.
I thought my plate was full and my mind and heart again somewhat fulfilled, but it turns out I wasn't really as satisfied as I believed I was.
A conversation with a former radio colleague guided me to this - Audio GayTL. He'd, himself, launched a streaming audio station serving a destination beach city and its business community with a focused audience: tourists. That's when it dawned on me: I didn't need to get back into broadcasting; I needed to venture into what I call niche-casting.
The Atlanta LGBTQIA+ community is strong and vibrant, but also separated in so many ways: by gender, identity, race, national origin even and a few other variances that make us individually unique but as a community, not always on the same page. So my mission with Audio GayTL was to provide an audio "town hall" space - the foundation being the music that brings us together with the opportunity to have meaningful conversations as a "community" on the issues that matter most to us. Also to provide a platform to elevate "our proud voices" along with "our music choices," and to be a conduit for our non-profit community to express their needs and promote their programs and events.
So here we are. Here I am. I'm glad you found us.
The Audio GayTL family
Let's start with our morning show / podcast - GayTLOL.
Kia Barnes is a stand up comedienne, as well as an advocate for equality and diversity within the LGBTQ community. Her repertoire also includes event production, education, entertainment, and she’s a reputable social media influencer.
A former teacher and researcher, Kia chaired Atlanta Public School’s LGBTQ Taskforce’s Curriculum and Policy Board, and she also sits on the Fulton County District Attorney’s LGBTQ Inclusion Board.
Kia also served on the city’s first LGBTQ Advisory Board under Mayor Keisha Bottoms.
Having left the classroom in 2014 to pursue a career in standup comedy, Kia has performed on stages across the country and has been featured on Netlix, BET, LOL Network, Popsugar, NBC and more.She has collaborated to cultivate queer safe spaces with numerous LGBTQ organizations and events, including: the OUT GA Business Alliance, the Human Rights Campaign, Georgia Equality, Atlanta Pride, Pridelines Miami, Clexacon Las Vegas, Women of Color Weekend, SisterSpace, and the list continues to grow!Kia also produces two nationally touring LGBTQ engagements, the Lez Laugh Comedy Show and the Andro Fashion Show, and she was instrumental in producing Atlanta’s first “Equality March,” in commemoration of the Pulse Orlando tragedy. Simply put, Kia “Comedy” Barnes is not just jokes. Keep track of her upcoming comedy dates and more HERE.
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Misti Shores is an Atlanta drag staple, who can keep you in stitches in our out of wig!
You can find her gracing the Charlie Brown Cabaret stage at the infamous Atlanta Eagle or bump into her alter ego - Michael - as a master stylist / colorist at Jon Van Salon and/or on softball fields playing in Atlanta's LGBTQIA+ leagues
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