AUGUST 12, 2019 RADIOINK•COM 19
Radio Ink: Tell us about your path to
Townsquare.
Wilson: What brought me to Townsquare
was my love of music. Growing up, I always
listened to the radio — as my family would
watch TV at night, I would be listening to
the radio. I have always been passionate
about it. I knew as a teenager that I wanted
to be in music and entertainment. I aspired
even at that young age to run an entertain-
ment company.
I went to SUNY Stony Brook and got
my BA in economics and a BS in business
management. I went back and got my MBA
in finance from Rutgers University. When
I graduated with my MBA, I started as an
assistant. I had many job offers at the cor-
porate level, but I did not want a corporate
job. I wanted to learn the ins and outs of
the music industry.
Getting into the record labels at that time
was really difficult, so you usually started
in the mailroom or as an assistant back in
the day. I worked diligently to get an inter-
view at Arista Records. I started as Richard
Sanders’ assistant in the early ’90s to learn
the business. I worked with artists like
Sarah McLachlan, Kenny G, and Notorious
B.I.G. It was not really a job, but rather it
was further education in my passion. I was
blessed to be there.
I was there for five years, and my boss
suggested I interview for a job at the par-
ent company, which was Bertelsmann Music
Group — today it’s Sony Music. I was fortu-
nate to move up at BMG to head of world-
wide marketing. I felt like a kid in the candy
shop. I was doing what I love and never felt
like I worked a day there.
Around 2001, so much was happening
in digital, and I was recruited to AOL. They
wanted to build a content business and get
their users consuming content, as well as
putting content on the open Web for non-
AOL subscribers. I was fortunate to become
the president of AOL Media. I was there
nine years; it was a tremendous opportu-
nity to build brands and connect with con-
sumers.
As to how I got to Townsquare, Steven
Price and Stu Rosenstein, who were the
co-founders, had heard about me through
mutual acquaintances. They reached out
to me and said they were looking to start
a company. They said, We love radio and
want to take a traditional radio business
and make sure it’s healthy, and build and
scale a multiplatform digital business
focusing on small and mid-sized markets in
America.
Given my love of radio and my knowledge
of digital, content-building, and brand-
building, it seemed like a perfect fit. In
2010 I joined Townsquare. It was at about
18 markets back then. Today we’re in 67
markets, with 321 radio stations. I could
not be happier with each of my career deci-
sions.Radio Ink: What were you thinking
when you were recruited to radio while
working in the music business and AOL?
You don’t hear about a lot of people
doing that — jumping into radio.
Wilson: That is a challenge for the industry
today, and one of my focuses as the CEO
is attracting and retaining great talent. It
was my passion for music and passion for
radio growing up. I always felt that connec-
tion. To me, radio is not only the discovery“We are thrilled that Bill is
leading our company. He
is the right leader for our
company at this critical
time. And supported
by the best team in the
business. He has a unique
understanding of music,
local markets, traditional
broadcast, and digital.
And the intersection
of those is the heart of
Townsquare. Since our
founding, Bill has been
instrumental in first
helping set a local-first,
digital-focused media
company, and now leading
our industry-leading
efforts.”
Steven Price
Executive Chairman of the Board
Townsquare Media“Bill is an exceptional
leader, combining a true
passion for our industry
and the importance of
keeping it local, nonstop
innovation with a constant
eye on the future, and
a relentless focus on
continuous improvement.
Most importantly, he
truly cares about our
employees, and working
together with them to
build the best company
possible. Plus, he’s just a
great guy to work for and
with — I am fortunate to
be teamed up with him.”
Erik Hellum
Chief Operating Officer
Townsquare Loc al Media