Virgin Radio Host Chris Palliser Shares His Love for Radio

Virgin Radio host Chris Palliser’s love of talking wasn’t always a blessing. Years of getting in trouble for talking in class, and even receiving detention in college could have put a stop to his chattiness. Yet Palliser, who has always loved a little attention, stumbled upon a career that saw his love of talking as not only an asset but a requirement, soon enough, Palliser was on the radio.

“I saw a pamphlet for ACP, and I remember it said you could talk on the radio one shift a month, it was like one three hour shift on Village 900. I was like, wow, I get to talk on the radio,” says Palliser. From there he went on to complete the program, eventually moving on to a co-op in Nanaimo, then a full-time job on air in Fort McMurray. Palliser returned to the island just over a year ago when he was offered to co-host the morning show for Virgin radio Victoria.

“I am strong believer that radio is more than just your show, that’s a huge part of it, that’s how you connect.” Says Palliser. But his job goes far beyond the studio, “Just getting out in the community and meeting people is something that I have always been drawn to in radio.” Says Palliser. Virgin Radio is just one of many stations competing for listeners. When it comes to drawing people in, Palliser says “You’re always trying to find that different angle, and I don’t know if there’s a perfect formula, … Brittany and I base a lot of it on just personality and bringing our own life experiences to whatever the topic is.”

For Palliser, a career in radio fits perfectly, being paid to talk, and given opportunities to connect with his community energizes him. He has found a job that showcases his talents while constantly challenging him, Palliser sums up his love for radio when he says, “I’m 37 and I feel like I have avoided real work, and I’m trying to avoid real work at all costs, so I feel really lucky that it panned out for me.”