Working for ESPN and Sirius XM is a dream come true for people in the media industry, and for Rene Canales, a SUNY Old Westbury graduate and a Queens native, that dream became a reality. Canales spends most of his free time doing the simple things like going for a relaxing walk, a nice evening drive, or going to sporting events. However, the former Media and Communications major at OW says it’s equal parts work and play despite securing two competitive jobs in the media industry.
Canales reflects on what it’s like for him to work for the sports department for two major broadcasting companies, “SiriusXM… it’s pretty cool working there, I got to see some big artists like Bad Bunny and Prince Royce. I work in their sports play-by-play department, so I get to listen and watch games from all over and have a hand in making sure it gets broadcasted,” he said.
A day in the life for Canales is commuting two hours to ESPN Radio Headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. The alum works as a board operator for various live sports talk shows. Rene spends his shifts collecting the proper audio clips needed and perfecting playlists for the shows. Production set up is followed by a pre-show meeting, and after that it’s showtime.
Canales says he spends time after the show sending out work emails, and then it’s time to drive back home. He doesn’t get much free time between his shifts. “Safe to say it hasn’t been easy, but it’s been a hell of a ride so far,” he said. The producer says if you ask him, his job is “a fun-filled 8 hours of sports talk radio.”
Before becoming a producer in the sports department for some of the biggest broadcasting companies, Rene Canales had to spend 4 years at Old Westbury perfecting his craft as a media major. Rene reflects on what sparked his interest in radio, as well as what he took away from his time at the college.
For Canales growing up as a kid who loved soccer and sports made him marvel at the people he saw on T.V. who got to talk about it for a living and Rene wanted to be just like them. He believes that the best part of being a media major at SUNY OW was the radio station. “All the people I met at the radio station, they made that experience ten-thousand times better. They were so welcoming especially with someone that doesn’t… incorporate with strangers so easily. I was able to really turn myself around and become the person I am today because of them,” he said.
Additionally, Canales applauds his mentor and the station manager at the college’s radio station (OWWR). The former student states, “shoutout to Professor Manfredi for basically putting me in the position to succeed at OWWR. Without OWWR I wouldn’t be where I am today. If he didn’t throw me into the fire the way he did, I never would have believed in myself the way he did in me.”
As Canales reflects on his past and where he is now, he talks about the advice he would give others who want to do work like him. In such a dog-eat-dog world Canales says, “don’t ever give up. Rejection doesn’t mean you’re not good enough and if you are determined you can accomplish anything you want. I was told no dozens of times before I received that first yes.” Canales believes the best advice you can give to someone who wants to make it in the media industry is to “always, always believe.”
