Alyssa DiTomasso is an on-air personality, Digital Manager, and Morning Show Executive Producer at Audacy Atlanta’s Star 94.1 (WSTR). Born and raised there, she’s been in the business for about ten years now, joining Star in 2021.
She started as an intern for an online publication, which eventually led to several internships at smaller radio stations while attending college at Kennesaw State, where she earned her bachelor’s degree.
“I can honestly say it’s truly such an honor to be the Executive Producer on a #1 rated morning show in my market, a top 10 market,” admits DiTomasso. “And while I’m only part of a larger ecosystem in my workplace, I’m really proud to say I work on a completely female-led team, I know it’s a very rare gem and I cherish this deeply.”
“Over the last decade, I’ve had some amazing experiences. I’ve gotten the chance to interview incredible people, including the legendary comedian Lisa Ann Walter, the cast of Tyler Perry’s Duplicity, and Actor Braelyn Rankins, who starred as Young Mufasa in the 2024 Lion King prequel.”
“What I’ve learned over the years I’ve been in the business is that it’s time for change!” insists DiTomasso. “As industry professionals, we’ve seen so many iterations of ‘digital radio,’ and there is something missing from all of it because they all fail. We keep trying to glue the old pieces together, hoping for a mosaic, when what we really need is a new medium entirely.”
“I’ve been blessed to work in an environment that has allowed me the chance to tap into my creative side to really problem solve the question at hand, and I’m excited to say I’m beta-testing new play clocks that address this missing piece of the puzzle that is being overlooked. And if you want to hear more about what is going to be a game changer in radio and digital, email me.”
DiTommaso says what’s needed to be A+ talent in the industry on all levels is “Resilience, adaptability, and flexibility. If someone were to tell me 10 years ago that today’s me was spending all my extra hours testing a new and on the verge idea of how we look at radio and digital content I wouldn’t believe it because even just 10 short years ago radio – and equally as important digital – looked very different than it does today.”
“I remember 6 years ago leaving a low-paying, small internet radio company to become an unpaid intern for a large, syndicated show in hopes of it getting me to the next chapter of my career, and it worked. The world of radio has changed, and I feel optimistic about its future. The industry is diversifying, and in order to meet the ever-changing and demanding needs of the industry, we must remain mentally agile and flexible to new technology, new training, and true grit.”
“One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced so far is bridging the gap between leadership and the next generation. As someone with nearly a decade in radio, I’ve had a foot in both worlds, advocating for change while honoring where we came from. We want to move into a future-proof place to secure radio.”
“Right now, there’s a lot of growth happening within and around our industry with new technology, new ideological values on how to connect with communities, and remaining trendy. But let’s be honest: we’ve spent 15 years dipping our toes into digital instead of diving in. I’ve spent the last five years doing the hard work to understand how radio and digital can actually merge, not just coexist. I’m working on building strong foundational blocks that I believe could change the trajectory of content consumption through radio and digital.”
“We’re also missing mentorship, meaningful networking, and opportunities for upward mobility, especially for young talent in programming. I get it, most pros today are wearing five hats, so mentoring someone can feel like an added stress to our already busy lives. But when we lose spaces to connect and share, we lose stories, wisdom, and perspective that can’t be Googled.”
“I commend leaders like Megan Taylor, the brilliant mind behind Women In Radio, and the incredible team that puts together Morning Show Boot Camp for creating a space to make new friends, learn about the future, and how to better ourselves. I would love to see more opportunities in the future for networking because the connections and lessons I’ve learned from these conferences were very insightful and uplifting.”
DiTomasso has an insightful view on the use of AI in the industry as well. “I use it on a regular basis. It’s my executive assistant for building schedules and organizing data; It’s also my think tank to bounce ideas, and it’s also my co-captain on certain projects to ensure my work is sound, and to the highest quality I can possibly make it.”
“Incredibly, after listening to how Meg Dowdy uses AI in her daily functions at MSBC, it helped me to realize how to properly use AI, and while I can’t speak for everyone, AI has actually helped me improve my skills immensely. I find that I am a stronger version of myself today than I was even a year ago because of it, and not because I try to pass it off as my own. I truly study AI, its behavior, and style to sharpen my abilities, mostly because the thought I have in my mind is ‘if AI did this, then how can I do it better?’ I don’t want to become a relic of the past or replaceable by the next, whether that’s a human or a computer, I have to continue to want the best for myself in every aspect of my career and life.”
“In the meantime, I will continue to beta test and collect data for the new clock theory I’m testing. And while I love Atlanta, I hope in the years to come I get the chance to experience life in new markets to see how the community and culture vary from what I believe is the best city on earth.”
Follow Alyssa DiTomasso on all socials @alyssadonair
