This week, Alex is joined by Shannon Moss, former Maine news anchor and reporter and current Public Information Officer for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
Podcast Transcript:
AS 00:06
I'm Alex Serra, thank you so much for joining us for this episode of Serra Speaks. I am so excited right now, because we are joined by the one and only Shannon Moss. Many of you know her from an illustrious career in Maine's media, but she is now in a new role as the Public Information Officer for Maine's Department of Public Safety.
SM 00:31
Hi!
AS 00:31
Hi! So good to see you. So Shannon and I met in 1999, 2000. When I was in law school full time and working at Channel 6 full time overnight. I don't recommend that. Don't try that at home. Not a smart idea. But Shannon was one of those people who really like took me under her wing and like showed me so many things, just the ropes. And you were young in your career, too at that point.
SM 00:59
I was. Yeah, we were babies.
AS 01:01
We were babies. But we had kind of this like journalistic sisterhood I felt right from the get and you were amazing to me. So thank you for that.
SM 01:09
Oh my gosh, you're so welcome.
AS 01:10
Truly. It's hard because you walk into these places and there's all these people that know what they're doing. And you when you're in the beginning of your career, and you're like where's the tape room?
SM 01:22
What is the tape room?
AS 01:24
What is tape? Actually, no one knows what tape is anymore because we don't use it anymore.
SM 01:29
It's all digital. It's hard being the new person in such a dynamic industry, any industry but especially news where you really need to be there to understand it and learn it.
AS 01:39
And with dynamic personalities, because you are with some of Maine's great journalistic legends. That's who you are like Susan Kimball, Pat Callaghan is still there. Rob Caldwell, Diane Atwood. Yeah, I mean, there's some real heavy hitters.
SM 01:56
Legacy talent. It's just, you know, they're still talked about to this day. And they still have an influence in the newsroom. So funny you mentioned Susan Kimball because I was just thinking of her. I will never forget my first, you know, week there. And I ran into her in the bathroom of all places where we always meet in the ladies room. And she looked at me and she said, "I bet youwish it was three months later." And I thought it was such an interesting comment. I'd never heard it put that way. But I said, Yeah, so you can kind of get through that, you know, initial awkwardness, meeting people not knowing where things are. And I said, I do. And I've never forgotten that because it is true. Even in my new job. I'm three months in, and all of a sudden, I'm starting to feel comfortable. So there is something Susan Kimball, the legend, the mentor.
AS 02:39
If you're listening, please come on our show. Oh, exactly. Got it. She's incredible. Anyway, do you think that in news, and we'll get to what you're doing now. But in news, women and finding the women that you can work with is as important, as in other industries or more important? Or do you think that in news, you're all in it, so gender is not really a factor so much.
SM 03:06
I really never thought gender was a factor in news, because, you know, there's so many opportunities for women and men. Of course, if you have too many men on the desk, they got to put a female in there, right to balance that out and be diverse. So I've never felt that. But I felt other things being a woman , for instance, not so much opportunity. But sort of how your thought of depending on your personality, I've always was told I had a strong personality, which is not a lie it is. But sometimes I feel like when men have a strong personality, and they're assertive, and they speak up, they're respected. But when women do it, they they're the you know what, the B word. And I know that I've had some of that at some times in my career. And I think that's just the way people look at women versus men differently.
AS 03:53
So Ted, when he first started working with me, I told him that this would happen in some meetings occasionally. And it actually happened. About two months into us working together. I said something in a meeting, it was a huge meeting. And they didn't hear me. And then I said it again. And they didn't hear me. And I wrote it on a piece of paper. And I said, say X, Y and Z. And he said it and they were all like, that's a great idea. Ted, what do you know? So, and he's like, he went home and he tells a story about he told his wife Beth, "this happened... I couldn't believe it. Alex said it would happen." Like just I was waiting for it. I'd never thought and it's absolutely true. There's just these kind of implicit bias moments in gender that we experience that we're so used to kind of coping with.
SM 04:42
Right, you're either ignored, or if you're so outspoken, and you're quote unquote, trying to get your voice across and you come but you come across instead of assertive you come across as pushy. And you know, we don't want to deal with her. We don't want to talk with her. We don't want to put up with that. Because women are supposed to be more quiet, right. And we're supposed to just sit there and say things politely. And, you know, in where I was, my husband likes to say I am zero to 60. Like, I'll be like, everything's great. It's wonderful. And all of a sudden something will happen. And you know, I'll just put, I wear everything on my sleeve as you know.
AS 05:13
I do too. I get it.
SM 05:14
No pokerface here, no, right your face. So it's hard.
AS 05:17
Do you think also because you are the first person we've interviewed for this podcast that had kind of public face to a role really everyone else has, I think kind of been, I don't wanna say behind the scenes, but just not on camera every single day. As a woman, do you feel like you got criticized for physical things other as opposed to men that just don't?
SM 05:38
How long is the podcast? Yes. For people who don't know, one of the biggest controversies in TV news, back in the 2000s was my hair.
AS 05:49
That's right.
SM 05:51
Yeah. And to this day, you live and, in fact, I pulled up to a crime scene the other day, and there was a fire police, gentlemen, you know, sort of blocking the road. And I was like, Oh, hi, my name is Shannon Moss. I'm the, you know, Public Information Officers. I know who you are the hair. You know, my gosh, you recognized you're from, you know, mile down the road. But you know, fortunately, he loved it. But yeah, so can I just tell you the hair story?
AS 06:14
I remember this because I feel like I was there for part of it.
SM 06:17
You were, you definitely were. So I was born with natural curly hair, I get from my grandmother. And I was I've wanted to be a broadcast journalist since the eighth grade. I had a local TV anchor, I'm from Rhode Island and Providence, that came in to our career day, I'm sitting there, I get my blue English folder in my lap, and I'm listening to him. And I'm like, that's it. That's what I'm doing. And that was my focus ever since the eighth grade, even in my yearbooks, you can see where my friends wrote, see on the evening news next to Dan Rather, or whatever, which dates me but you know.
AS 06:44
That's awesome.
SM 06:45
So, and I did it, right. So I went to college, and I earned a, you know, a degree in journalism and an outstanding Award of Excellence. I, you know, great. I was I was awarded that. But my professor, who I'm still in contact with today, said to me, Shannon, I have no doubt that you'll do great things in this industry. But the one problem you will face is your hair. And I was so like, what? What do you mean? Because it was you know, it was wild. It was you know, like, really? And he's like, Yes, you will. I'm like, okay, he was in the business. And so but he was a man, but he clearly just knew from working with other women that it could be a problem. So I remember then just trying to do whatever I could to make it right, the anchor Bob, this straight, the member right under your chin. It's very hard. We have naturally curly hair to keep it straight when you're a reporter and you're out in the field and it's raining or it's misty or it's humid, and they just it looks worse than actually wearing it currently. Anyway, long story short, I was ruining my hair because I was constantly straightening it and it was starting to fall out. So a year later, I went to the news director and I said, Okay, you're either going to have a curly haired anchor or a bald one. And they literally stopped and thought about it. I'll never forget it. And I was like, oh, okay, well, we'll do some test shots. And I remember being so embarrassed that I had to go downstairs and the anchor desk and and they're like well, can you try to put it up?
AS 08:16
I remember
SM 08:17
Yeah, it was it was a thing.
AS 08:19
And your hair is like for those of you, the four of you out there, who do not do not know what Shannon Moss looks like the supermodel that she is. She has like Nicole Kidman glorious hair that me and my like, I have like this thin hair that straight mousy brown and all that I've always wanted hair like yours. So I remember all this happening and just being like, but she's doing a story is really important today, can anyone pay attention to that? And you have this glorious mane of hair and that and I remember actually calls coming into the station, criticizing your hair. And it was awful like fans would call in of the news and talk about your hair.
SM 09:02
I remember Christmas Eve one morning the producer took I could hear and be like, I don't know, I don't think was very nice. The words he chose but I'm hanging up on her. And I was like, let's go clean up my hair. I actually felt really bad for you know, the people we worked with, for you, for other people that answer the phone, for the anchors for whoever, right for the producers because they had to listen, it was time consuming because it was such a big thing. People ended up hating it. Or they loved it. There was no I used to say I was the Hillary Clinton of TV news. People either loved me, my hair or hated it to the point where I remember getting called into the new structures office and when you're on air, they have what's called q ratings as you know, yeah. And they're just basically like how you you know, sort of register in the community, whether you're professional, whether people like you, personality wise, and he said as far as whether people know you it's very high. But when it comes to professionalism, it plummets. And the reason why is simply because of your hair, he says but the research also shows that once people meet you and get to know you, they love you Then it was up. So we might have to try to get you out in the public morn. And like, wow, all this because of my hair. And we'd have consultants come in. And I remember her saying to me, one of the recommendations from the male General Manager, and the male news director was for me to get a wig. And then I'll never forget when she wrote this is hilarious, she goes, I still have the paper somewhere and she goes, however, coastal winds mmay be a problem. There I am in a nor'easter. I'm reporting from it. So obviously, I never got one.
AS 10:34
Oh, but it's in today. I feel like we're working so hard on inclusiveness, and especially when it comes to hair and like hairstyles, and there's all these laws being passed about what you're allowed to do with your hair as it should be, which would be to celebrate any culture in any, you know, race and any demographic you can possibly think of. I would hope that a young reporter coming up today wouldn't face all of that, because it was a huge component to your career. It was that, how did that that must have been frustrating to you. And I wonder if it was a guy?
SM 11:11
No, not at all. I mean, we had, you know, people that we worked with, that, you know, would wear the craziest suits, you know, not to mention any names, but you know, or, you know, and nothing, you know, people became endearing people thought it was great, or there was one, I think was a meteorologist not in this market. But he wore the same jacket like suit like every single day for a year. And nobody noticed. You don't notice when they're here now. And it's not just me and my right. It's, you know, Cindy Williams will get calls about a blouse she's wearing or, or someone else will get something about a hairstyle. But this made people angry. And I never understood why, like, angry. I was in the grocery store with my two little ones, although they weren't so little now. I mean, when it happened, and I'll never forget, we were in the produce section. And a gentleman came up to me an older gentleman, and he said, I've watched you for years. And I was like, Oh, I appreciate that. Thank you. It was like ever since you had the curly hair. And I said, Oh, I because I had strengthened it, well, we'll talk about that real quickly. But I said Well, you never know if I'll you know, take it old school and he goes, Oh, God, please dont. That was hideous. And I never and I was like, Well, I'm sorry you didn't like it. And as I left my oldest, who was maybe like 10 at the time goes, Mom, why was that man so mean to you? And I never I never I never realized they were old enough to understand what that man just said to me in the produce aisle at Hannaford.
AS 12:30
Grocery stores the worst for tv people. People don't realize how much you have to like, gather yourself to go into a grocery store. While in the short time I was on air up in Bangor, oh my gosh, going to the grocery store was the worst. Partly because I was making the grand sum of $17,000 a year like luxury, gross, gross income. And so I don't have enough money on my debit card to buy this apple like that was like a constant stress, right? But everyone we looking at you because they kind of knew you're familiar, but they didn't know from where and they couldn't quite put their finger on it, like swipe my card. And I be like, decline. Oh my god. And it did a couple times. Because, you know, I was making a very, you know, plus student loans plus all these things right? Not a livable wage, but just to get into a grocery store and then get criticized just going about your day, especially in front of your kids. It's just a component that I'm not sure a ton of men who are on air have to deal with instead they're just kind of beloved.
SM 13:32
And more talked about their talent. Yeah, talked about, you know that. There's so few people that talked about my actual stories that I reported on, like, what about the story like, or I'd worked really hard. Yeah, I break a story and worked hard on it all day. And then of course, it was one of the things you're running around and you know, maybe it was a little rainy, maybe it was humid. I don't know. So I'm running on the air and the only thing people are calling about is my hair not not the story that I'm saying. But with that said that there were people that loved it and love that I was wearing the way I was born with Yeah, it wasn't like I went got a perm. Some people like lose the perm looks like a dead dog died on your head. I still have every single letter ever and email.
AS 14:10
You should publish that. You should. You really should.
SM 14:13
I've actually starting to write a book about it.
AS 14:16
Oh, good.
SM 14:17
Yeah, about the experiences because it goes back even further than TV which is interesting. It's really funny things that have happened all because of my hair. And it suppose it's not gonna be like it'll be serious, but also just really funny. Like funny things that happen like when fifth grade when I tried out for Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, but Sarah Brown got it. Well, Sarah Brown had long brown straight hair and I had like a fro go and I had like the frizz fro going in fifth grade. Like funny things like that. I'm not saying that was the sole reason because Sarah was good. I got Glinda the Good Witch. I got a crown and a wand. So I won. I won there.
AS 14:54
So tell me about your career in journalism. We know how you entered. Tell me, did you get to do everything you wanted to do in journalism? Do you feel was the decision to leave an easy one in that you knew you would come accomplished? You would you had arrived and accomplished what you wanted to accomplish?
SM 15:16
Yes, there was a time I think was 2013. When I was working, I left Channel 6, now News Center Maine, because I needed the morning because my husband, we would did split shifts. So he worked the evenings, I needed something in the morning. And I wanted to be there for the kids during the day. So I took it, which was a hard decision. So I went from the number one to the number three at the time station. And I was there for six years. But one day out of the blue I came in, I anchored the morning newscast, and then I was told my contract wasn't being renewed. And that was it. And that was the most part a personality conflict, I believe, but which whatever reason doesn't matter. News is fickle. We all know that. But of course, it's front page headline news, which is fine, but I didn't leave on my terms. And that always bothered me. And so I did other things, which was wonderful. You know, there I started the show called Split Screen with Shannon Moss where I interviewed different people. And so that was fun for a while, but it was too much because you know, you got to do all this. You got to sell it, you got to do it was just a lot, you know, it's just a lot. And the kids were still little, so I did different things. And I worked at Downeast Magazine putting some, take some of their articles and bringing them to life through video. But out of the blue actually, Ted, Teddy, he called me one day says, Do you feel like coming back to news? And I was like, do I? You know, I don't know. And there was an opportunity because Chris Rose, a veteran reporter, Right, right had been at Channel 6.
AS 16:40
Awesome reporter. Oh my gosh, and a gentlemen of a human being. A scholar and a gentleman. Truly.
SM 16:46
Yes. Very soft spoken. Just a great guy. He was leaving. And so the news director at the time wanted to like a veteran that could just go and just start right off. So I said, Okay, so I came back. And then I, you know, was there for three or four years and yeah, you know, came back and got to do some great stories and got an Edward R. Murrow.
AS 17:07
Major. How was that? How'd that feel?
SM 17:10
Yeah, amazing, especially because the story that I had won it for I had worked so hard on. It was taking a case that Portland PD, it was a murder they had done it was so interesting, because the woman, her body was found three months after she was killed in a car in a parking lot. And so for them to try to figure out during the winter.
AS 17:31
So it was a bit of a cold case.
SM 17:33
It was .They were able figure out fairly quickly where she was last living. But there was a hard to kind of pin where when her death was because for obvious reasons, it was cold. So there were just issues with the body being in the car, not to go too down that path. However, detectives got a tip to a house where she'd been living but the time they got there with the evidence technicians, the place had been sold the people moved out and it was being renovated. fFlooring was gone. Walls were gone . So they're like oh my gosh. But what are we going to we're not going to find anything in here right? So they do the first like we're not well at least try we have to try. They go downstairs in the basement they see evidence tech 15 years experiences that's a significant blood pool looks up sees that blood had been dripping dry blood from the floorboards says okay, it has to be ...
AS 17:46
Come on!
SM 18:18
This is amazing. The living room, they go into the living room, they get the luminol right and so they can say okay, here's a little bit there's a little blood over here. They went to where all of the paneling, the all that stuff was piled old on like the trim, they piece the room back together again, piece by piece. And they were able to see on one of the paneling, right there was a hole there like what's that they look there's gum on the other side that had not moved.
AS 19:00
That had DNA.
SM 19:01
That had DNA so they put it back, he put a piece of paper over the front to hide it so the bullet went through the wall. These poor construction people have no idea, they're just taking stuff down. How did that gum not become dislodged? They put all of the trim in this one room they were trim was in the bathtub, the day, the next day, all of that was supposed to go in the dumpster and gone.
AS 19:24
Unbelievable.
SM 19:25
So they said four days in this room, they literally put the room back together, found the gum that had DNA, found the bullet in the drywall and solved the case. And so I did a story I read I just oh my gosh talk to the ET, the teams that were involved, the evidence technicians and went through all of the photographs of the evidence and we got to see all the debris everywhere. And anyway, we got to put it together and that was the piece.
AS 19:48
Not only winning the Edward R. Murrow award for that but did that wet your whistle to have your current job? And make the move?
SM 19:56
It's funny. I have always been a huge supporter of Public Safety right? Law enforcement or fire officials. In fact, I read Get Out Alive. I did this series when I first started, it was all about public safety. Like, you know, to show people like, why do you stay low when you're leaving, you know, getting, trying to get out of a burning building? You know why?About situational awareness when you're out, you're female, by yourself. So I would love to do these stories. So I always thought that this job was something that I would be interested in. In fact, my dad said something so I don't know. I was like, wow, that's he said, You've been interviewing for this job without even knowing it your whole career, right? I was like, Oh, my gosh, that's the point. Right? So yeah, so when the man Steve McCausland had it for 35 years
AS 20:38
And again, let's pause, legend in Maine. Everybody knows Steve McCausland like, if you don't know him, just as a viewer, you would recognize and be like, Oh, yeah, I totally know that guy. He was amazing to work with, had his own kind of way of handling things. Was phenomenal to reporters, so great to work with. That's a big role to fill.
SM 20:43
It is a big role to fill, not just someone having that for 35 years. But also having right that reputation, right, as you said, so yeah, big shoes to fill. For sure. It's been three months, I got the job, which I was very happy about. And I'm also married to a law enforcement officer. So I always felt like I understood the delicate balance between, you know, what the media should know, can know legally, but also why law enforcement can't always tell a media, what they want to hear. So I understood that balance very well. And now I'm in a position to be able to help facilitate that and be that sort of liaison between the two of them.
AS 21:36
And how are you get how is the reception to having you there after Steve? And also are the is everyone accepting a woman in that role?
SM 21:45
They really are awesome. In fact it because I am really the only female and the leadership of the of that office and there's nine. So yeah, so this is where everyone kind of gets a little bit confused with a lot of people think Steve was just the PIO for Maine State Police, but it was DPS, which is like nine different bureaus, right? The fire marshal's office, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Capitol Police, Criminal Justice Academy. You know, dispatchers, emergency communications, EMF, Bureau of Highway Safety. Female director Laura Stewart. Yeah, she's been there for a long time and she's a rock star. I love working with her. She'd be a great one to have on here.
AS 22:27
I was like, I'm like making a mental note Laura Stewart. Yep. Got it.
SM 22:29
Yeah, she's really good. But as far as the command staff right where I am, you know, it's the colonel of the Maine State Police. It's two majors. And it's Mike Sauschuck, who is the Commissioner of Public Safety. But there's also Lieutenant Anna Love, just mushed that name all into one. And she's the only female Lieutenant right now in State Police. They're doing really well, recruiting.
AS 22:53
And yet another one to have on.
SM 22:55
Yes. Oh, she would be great as well.
AS 22:57
So what? So you win this award, you continue working for a while in news. And then you decide I'm ready for something new. And the reason this is interesting is because women change career paths much more than men do. Men are very much more prone to like, entering a career and staying in it for their whole career. Women evolve and grow and change career paths a lot. I've done it, every woman I know has done it. And now you've done it.
SM 23:30
And at 50.
AS 23:31
And so talk to me, I can't believe you're 50. You look like... I can't even. We're going to have that conversation later. But what was that decision like? Was that difficult for you? Did it feel natural? What was the?
SM 23:44
It was difficult. Especially because again, eighth grade, right? Like that was my focus.
AS 23:49
That's right.
SM 23:49
I never even considered anything else until I had to when my contract wasn't renewed, you know, but that was but also, I look back at that as a growth opportunity. You know, because failure is going to happen in whatever way shape or form whether it was something you did or something someone's doing to you. And how do you grow from that? How do you bounce back from that? What is next? When I wasn't moving to another market because my husband and my kids were there. So I look at all those kinds of steps as just a way for me to grow and to learn. I was thrilled obviously to get back in because that's where my passion has always been. I love to tell people stories, I love to meet people. I love breaking news. I like to be there on a scene as things are unfolding and unraveling and be able to inform people. So yeah to give that up and there's no other job like that so if you like news... You can't, there's no other industry.
AS 24:40
That's it. It's a strange bird that goes into, it is stranger bird that stays and then the strangest one loves it and I get it because I miss it so much every you know.
SM 24:51
Of course because there's nothing else like it.
AS 24:52
When we have like breaking news at the firm like things have to be handled. I'm like, okay, it's Sunday at 3am Is everyone ready? Like I love it. I love it and just I'm just a news junkie. I can't help it.
SM 25:02
It's true. And if you have it in you like you do, it's you can't get it out.
AS 25:06
It's a sickness.
SM 25:07
It is. So that is a hard decision to say, Okay, I'm doing what I always love. Do I leave it? Like, do I leave it right now? But again, this other opportunity was that other job that always was like, I think I would really like that. And you know why is because it's still involved in the news, I still talk with everybody in the media from Channel 6, like probably more. And also I get to be on those breaking news scenes, I get to be a part of the culture of public safety, which again, was such a passion for me. So I really feel like I'm dovetailing both of my interests.
AS 25:37
So great.
SM 25:37
Right?
AS 25:38
That's so great.
SM 25:39
So I really feel like it's like the best job.
AS 25:41
So what's your advice to other people, especially women that are facing a decision like this? How do you come to that decision?
SM 25:50
I think you got to go with your gut. I'm a firm believer in to sitting if you're just like stressed out about and you don't know what to do, and you're agonizing. First I've always also asked people, people that you trust and that you're really close with, and you respect their opinions. I would ask them, because they sometimes see you in a different light, where they might be like, No, I don't think this is really what you want to do. Or they might have some other piece of advice. But also, I would just sit still, and try to think about will this make me happy? You know, also try to fast forward a year. And think, you know, how would I be feeling still doing this job and not the other one?
AS 26:29
That's a good piece of advice.
SM 26:31
And that to me was very helpful. Because while I said, I know I will still miss news. I will always miss news. I can see growing in this new job and getting opportunities that I would never have had. You know, where before as a reporter, you get little bits of information, and you're trying to find information. Now I get all the information. I'm like, wait a minute.
AS 26:50
So juicy.
SM 26:51
Complete opposite.
AS 26:52
Do you love it so much?
SM 26:52
I was just very like curious, right? News people are so curious. And for spending 25 years of only getting, I mean, sometimes we get things off the record, obviously. Once you are trusted and yeah. But like they're like, you can't this isn't for release, but here's what happened. And it's like, oh, I'm like, Oh my gosh.
AS 27:10
Okay, so for a news person to get all the deets is like, yeah, another level a whole nother that's another level. Like you can never go back to news now. Because you'll be like, completely.
SM 27:21
Exactly, exactly.
AS 27:23
So but that's really good advice. I've not heard that piece of advice before. And I ask this question to a lot of people about how to make decisions and the thought that you envision yourself not having made that choice in a year. How does that feel?
SM 27:38
Right and having made, you can do it two ways, right? Like, picture yourself in this new job to a year later. And think, have I missed that other job? You know what I yeah, so hard in that moment, because emotion becomes such a big part of it. And you're, you're like, Oh, my gosh, what do I do? What do I do? You know, and also try to realize that there's still gonna be problems in the new job, you're never gonna get away right now. The grass is greener on the other side? Well, yeah, maybe in some things, but you still realize that there's going to be other issues? Is that still going to be, will that sustain you if that happens?
AS 28:06
Are the fleeting factors going to still be playing a role, the ones that are eventually going to go away? Anyway. So what advice do you have for young women coming up today, in this space, in this space of media, news, any young woman coming up who's 21 years old, 20 years old, finishing up college and looking at journalism, what do you say to them?
SM 28:30
I would just say, if you love it, you got to do it, you have to do it. And just don't give up. I mean, so much of it in this business is because there's a lot of competition in the news industry, you know that, and not everybody makes it. And just perseverance. If you want it bad enough, you'll get it. And I will say this, you have to be willing to move. There's so many young people now that you know, want to be able to save right where they are. And that's not necessarily..
AS 28:58
Yeah, that's how TV news work.
SM 28:59
That's not how it's not, you got to go to like Yakima, Washington, Market 200. And, you know, whatever. And you know, and start a small market and work your way up. And don't be afraid to learn how to use the camera. Nowadays, you kind of have to and edit and all those kinds of things and do what you need to do or be a producer, or something behind the scenes, a job behind the scene. And then work your way up. I do think that for young people, there's a lot more opportunity now that way than there was when I first started.
AS 29:25
Mm hmm. Because you're able to be your own one man band as opposed to...
SM 29:30
Yes, exactly. Exactly. And I do feel that some of the stations are allowing once you went into that, like producer role you've never really got out of it. You know, we're now there. It's more fluid. They're giving people opportunities and maybe we're lucky because there's three different market sizes. You got Presque Isle, you got Bangor and you got Portland.
AS 29:45
You can stay in Maine for a long time and still grow.
SM 29:48
You can Yeah. So if you're from Maine, then you can stay actually, right. Although when you go to Presque Isle you're still like another state away.
AS 29:55
Maine's a little big in the geography.
SM 29:57
Right, exactly.
AS 29:58
So the last question, I have, I ask everybody this one. What do you consume? Music books, television, what's in your? What do you digest on that daily basis?
SM 30:11
Netflix.
AS 30:12
Okay, now what on Netflix?
SM 30:14
Right now I'm actually obsessed with Outlander.
AS 30:17
I seen every single episode of Outlander.
SM 30:19
And I feel like I need to go to Scotland, right?
AS 30:21
Yeah, yeah.
SM 30:22
And I need one of those dresses. I do like I enjoy reading very much. I like music, but it's not my jam. How's that? So bad, so bad. But it's my it's my escape, right? Because there's so much with this job. That's heavy. Yeah, my husband's job, my job right? That I just like to escape. And so like Outlander, again. I need an accent.
AS 30:45
Listen, you're looking at someone who's watched every single episode of every single Real Housewives franchise on Bravo TV. And Andy Cohen is my spirit animal. And I'm gonna say that and it's not only real housewives, it's all of it. Anything that Andy Cohen has served up on Bravo I've watched every single episode.
SM 31:03
You're there for it.
AS 31:04
I show up. Like I don't have a T shirt but I do have a subscription to the Bravo TV app on my phone. I'm not gonna lie. Oh, like in a pinch i'll download like in an airport.
SM 31:12
Maybe we can get you a bobblehead of Andy Cohen.
AS 31:14
No, I really, I love, I actually have a little miniature of Andy Cohen. But that's another story. Um, I'm all for like the serious mental break. Like we deal with really heavy stuff at work. It's really intense and crisis columns is really intense and big issues and you need It's okay. I think it's Buddhism, they say stopping is a radical act. Just like stopping and watching anything that's just pleasurable. And then getting back to it. The Wall Street Journal is going to be there in the morning.
SM 31:44
Well, that's it. I feel like women in particular, don't do that enough. Because, you know, there's just so much going on. And I feel like we put a lot of pressure on ourselves more than men do. So you know, you can always feel guilty if you're gonna I could be doing the laundry. I could be doing this. I could... no sit your butt down and take a breath. That's my thing. I'm trying to breathe more sometimes you don't breathe. I'm like I know. Exactly. Yeah, yeah, whatever.
AS 32:07
Shannon Moss, so much fun.
SM 32:10
Thank you for asking. This is really an honor. Thank you for having me.
AS 32:10
Thank you so much for coming on. Oh my gosh, it's an honor to have you and thank you for making time in your incredibly busy day to come visit with us. Thank you so much. And we will see you next time on Serra Speaks. Thank you for joining us for this episode of Serra Speaks where we talk with women about business not about women in business. Please be sure to hit subscribe and stay tuned for upcoming episodes.