Wayne Ayers Represents Black Excellence In Media And Entertainment
How did you get your start in the world of media and entertainment?
I was a videographer for my sister Kiki Ayers when she worked as a reporter for multiple publications.
When you started WHEREISTHEBUZZ in 2017, did you have prior knowledge regarding website traffic, SEO, or any other technical aspects needed to generate revenue through content?
I sure didn’t. I’m still learning more things about it as I continue to grow, though.
When we spoke in 2017, we talked about red carpet events and how black media outlets tend to get overlooked and placed in different locations than their contemporaries. Has this changed at all?
Before COVID-19, there was no change at all. We haven’t done any red carpets since things have been opening up, but I recommend any journalist that’s looking to interview a particular person should reach out to their reps directly. Last year was the most interviews we’ve ever done, and 97% of those came from reaching out to talent reps directly for an interview.
Hopefully, things will change one day, but sometimes you have to create your own room to be successful.
Podcasting has become a professional springboard for people who have a unique perspective worth sharing. When did you realize it was the right time to start The Wayne Ayers Podcast?
Many people hit me on social media to do a podcast. I started it in 2019, and it was doing well, but then I stopped to focus more on Where Is The Buzz. Since I’ve started the podcast back up, we’ve been flying. The podcast was ranked in the top 50 in over 37 countries. I’ve been a little inconsistent with it but I plan to be more active with it.
How do you handle having to report on difficult topics for WHEREISTHEBUZZ?
It’s actually really difficult. Some of the stories that hit our desks are really depressing and just flat-out sad. Stories like Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, and George Floyd are heartbreaking. No family or friend should have to go through that. Stories like those will have you up at night thinking this could happen to anyone I know.
Then you get stories like Darian Townes and Tamala Horsford who lack media attention but have the most suspicious things happen to them. Vanessa Guillen’s story is heartbreaking as well. No woman should have to go through that and all those things happened to her while she was protecting our country. It’s truly shameful.
Both WHEREISTHEBUZZ and The Wayne Ayers Podcast have received media coverage from media companies such as LinkedIn, Blavity, and Forbes, to name a few. You’ve also been nominated for several awards in the media space. What’s next for Wayne Ayers?
We want to start expanding. I would love to have teams on different continents to get real news and hopefully have the world on the same page.
I remember growing up and seeing on TV how Africa was a terrible place to go. It was advertised on TV as a scary place to go. Now that I’m grown, it’s the most beautiful continent that we have, which truly shows you how the media might have the biggest impact on our lives. I really want to have teams in every country, if possible, so we can have everyone telling their stories and truths. I think the world would be more connected that way.
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