Today we’d like to introduce you to Doug Meisinger.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Doug. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I came to the Clear Lake area after spending a good deal of time in the record business with EMI (Capitol/Virgin/ Blue Note). Looking for something different and something that would allow me to be home more, I went to work for Digital Texas in 2010.
Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of running Clear Lake Today and in 2015, I started a podcast with my friend Bertrand McHenry. As the podcast audience grew, we decided to create an upscale networking event called Vinyl Draught. Admittedly, I may have been a little too clever for my own good with that name. Draught is the Old English spelling of draft. The name equates to Records and Beer. 3 years later, I still find myself telling people it’s “Draft”, not Drought. Soon enough, the Vinyl Draught Podcast evolved into Vinyl Draught Radio.
In May of 2016, I was elected Director of Galveston County WCID 12 and the following June, was appointed by Kemah City Council to the Board of Directors of the City’s Economic Development Board (KCDC). I also serve as the Media Committee Chair on the Executive Board of the Bay Area Alliance for Youth and Families and sit on the Board of Directors of the Clear Creek Education Foundation and the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth, but it’s been amazing. We struggled with finding the right equipment and software to make it a legit radio station. We put so much time and money into the studio (which is sponsored by ACU of Texas). The payoff is when people like Dayna Steele and Atom Smasher call it the nicest radio studio they’ve ever worked in.
Content has been smooth sailing, for the most part. Some shows just didn’t work and we’ve had to cancel a few. I’m probably not a great judge of whether or not a show is good. All you can do is look at audience numbers and sponsors. If neither is there, tough decisions have to be made. You just remind yourself that it’s business and move forward.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Vinyl Draught Radio – what should we know?
We call Vinyl Draught Radio radio done differently. Our aim is to bring the best features of terrestrial radio and marry them to the endless advantages of online radio. We feature talk shows by local personalities, as well as some genre-specific music shows.
When we aren’t doing that, we play classic rock. There are at minimum tens of thousands of home-based radio stations and podcasts and that’s great. It can be a fun hobby and a way to make a few dollars on the side. We’re doing something different. We are creating a full-fledged media company. We have a 4,000+ square foot office suite, in the NASA area of Houston.
Come by and you will see our amazing staff and partners doing radio, video production, website design, social media marketing, photography and more. I’m proud of everyone that has contributed to this and supremely proud to have a business partner that is first and foremost a great friend.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I believe in people. People that understand the vision and aren’t looking for a spotlight. I think most races are won, as soon as you decide who you’re running with. We know our roles and make every effort to stay in our own lanes. I’m also not interested in spending time and energy trying to impress people or make Vinyl Draught Radio seem bigger than it is.
I’d rather focus my efforts on growing it into what I know it can be. Listen, if you pull the sword out of the stone, you don’t have to tell everyone you’re the King. We’re trying to accomplish something special and talking it up takes time away from building it up.
Oh yeah, I’m also never late for anything. If you have a lot of plates to spin, nothing will turn your day into a trainwreck quicker than being late for everything.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1002 Gemini St Suite 200 Houston, TX 77058
- Website: www.vinyldraughtradio.com
- Phone: 281-210-4608
- Email: doug@vinyldraught.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vinyl_draught_radio/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vinyldraughtradio/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/vinyldraught?lang=en
- Other: www.vinyldraught.com
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