One of this year’s highlights at the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters Granite Mike Awards was seeing Chris “Doc” Garrett be named “Broadcaster of the Year 2023.” Tracy Caruso, Executive Director of the NHAB, actually picked Doc to do this year’s introduction of this award, with Doc not realizing the person he would be introducing as the winner, would be himself.
Since He Was 5 Years Old
When Chris realized he was the person who had been named to win this coveted award, his enthusiasm for radio broadcasting exploded on the stage. He shared with the audience that he wanted to be in radio since he was five years old. That resonated with me, because like Chris, I also knew at a very young age what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. But, I can’t help but wonder if five year old’s today have the same burning desire.
A Radio Life Well-Lived
Chris Garrett would begin his radio journey at WKXL in Concord, New Hampshire in 1981. Over the years, Chris would adopt the nickname “Doc” as in “Doctor of Rock.”
Chris’s career spans WGIR in Manchester, WHEB in Portsmouth and Clear Channel Broadcasting where he served for over twenty-four years as a company Program Director.
Like most broadcasters our age, Doc has done every job in a radio station, saying “you can never be satisfied with where you are, you need to always be looking down the road and embracing new technologies, giving listeners what they want, and where they want to receive it.”
42 Years in Radio
After over four decades in radio, Doc is still full of enthusiasm for the business saying: “I’ve always wanted to be in radio, so I have a hard time thinking of something else I’d want to do. The reason I got into radio is because I wanted to be a jock. That’s why we all love doing this.”
Fellow broadcasters are quick to point out that Doc always brings light of enthusiasm wherever he goes, and an uncanny ability to see the big picture, focusing on the small stuff to reach company goals. “Doc is one of those people you want to work with, and are willing to make a change to do just that,” said Angela Anderson-Connolly, a journalism instructor at Emerson College in Boston.
General Manager Stripes
Chris “Doc” Garrett wrote on his LinkedIn page in February of 2013, “I am now the General Manager for 106.3 Frank-FM in Nashua as part of the Binnie Media Regional team. I am thrilled to be part of this great group as we continue to grow and become the largest regional media outlet north of Boston.”
Doc has been fortunate to have lived his radio dream for over 40 years, and lived all of it in his home state of New Hampshire – an impressive feat for any radio broadcaster.
“Hats off to the Doctor of Rock!
Nobody is more deserving, you’re always an inspiration.”
-Heath Cole, VP-Programming, Binnie Media
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