For Katie Rae Meyers, producing top-rated lifestyle television comes naturally. As a young professional who moved to San Antonio to produce KSAT 12’s SA Live, she launched the show with number one ratings that have stayed that way ever since. Now moving on to the Houston market as the Executive Producer of KPRC’s Houston Life, Meyers is earning quite the industry accolades. Also a podcast producer and Host of her new show, Coffee with Katie, she is quickly gaining momentum interviewing female entrepreneurs and celebrity business-owners, uniting her listeners around the common theme of women’s empowerment. Meyers shares her thoughts on television production secrets, her plans for the podcast and why she idolizes Ellen DeGeneres.
On the journey to where she is now:
My career has really been the product of a series of leaps of faith. I’ve always been interested in programming, but in an effort to receive a paycheck right out of college, I took a role in news. For more than five years, I produced, anchored and reported on hard news, three years of which were working on an overnight shift.
I became so unhappy that I took another chance, quitting my job and following my heart to Georgia. After a year and a half break from the industry, I jumped at an opportunity with KSAT 12’s SA Live, which had just launched. That vaulted my career into the field I’ve always been passionate about. Very few local television stations are investing in non-news programming, so to find an opening with a show as unique as SA Live was an amazing opportunity.
On the essentials of TV production:
To create a successful television production in any genre, you have to have a crystal-clear vision and a deep understanding of exactly who your audience is. You also need a solid, multi-skilled team who shares that same vision. KSAT 12’s SA Live has been number one in the market since launch, and I believe it’s because of our team’s immense knowledge of who’s watching and dedication to our show’s format. We believe in active elements over “sit-and-talk” interviews. We believe in silliness and spontaneity, always putting in the extra work to make something “sizzle” and making the people who live in San Antonio our priority.
It seems so simple, but I see so many traditional “lifestyle” programs or talk shows forgetting to implement the very basics, or relying too heavily on their hosts’ personalities before taking the time to develop a “secret handshake” with the audience. I look forward to implementing the above strategies into KPRC’s Houston Life, in my new role as the show’s Executive Producer.
On passions outside of work:
I recently started a podcast called “Coffee with Katie and Kickass Women.” In each episode, I sit down with a woman who’s kicking ass in their own way–someone who’s working multiple jobs, following their dreams, starting businesses and nonprofits and families and everything in between. We learn about their struggles and successes and get the courage to do it ourselves. It’s been an incredibly fulfilling project, as it’s allowed me to have my own voice and contribute to a conversation about empowering women that’s desperately needed.
I’ve heard from listeners that they got the last push they needed to quit their jobs and follow their passions because of an episode they’ve listened to, or that they were able to run an extra mile because of how inspired they were from an episode. It’s an incredible feeling to know that I can help give someone that confidence simply by elevating these amazing stories through the podcast. There are so many opportunities to strengthen this community the podcast has created.
On her personal female hero:
My mother is always my number one. She owned a publishing company while I was growing up, and taught me everything I know about writing, photography, design, branding, and most importantly, creating community through content.
Ellen DeGeneres is also a personal hero of mine. What she’s been able to accomplish through her television show is nothing short of amazing. The show has evolved, grown and changed over more than a decade without touching what is at its core: a celebration of others. She is able to give back with everything she does, and to work with her in some capacity one day is a major life goal.
Connect with Katie Rae Meyers on Instagram @hey.katierae, and follow her Coffee with Katie Podcast @coffeewithkatiepod.
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Edited from an interview by Eleanora Morrison.