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10 Questions with ... Matty Jeff
February 5, 2012
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I have been in radio 14 years, starting at Classic Hits WNNJ in Newton, NJ. My country tenure started with the same group as Music Director for WHCY. I have been a Country Program Director since 2003 with stops at WOTX and WNHW in New Hampshire, landing here at WPOR in 2007.
1) Well Matty, what's new and exciting at WPOR for 2012? What can you tell us about that you have planned so far?
We saw a lot of growth with online, social networking, and mobile in 2011 and I am really excited to see how we continue to grow on these platforms in the coming year. Maybe it's the radio geek in me, but I love monitoring how listeners interact with us on these platforms and the real time data we can see shows us how we are really doing. I think we're hitting our stride when it comes to our execution with all things interactive, and we have a great opportunity to take the WPOR brand to another level. As far as plans for 2012, loose lips sink ships so you'll have to listen to hear more! But I will say it's going to be an exciting year for WPOR listeners. From the several concerts we put on, to a rapidly growing concert and club scene throughout the state, it's going to be our biggest year ever for live Country music in Maine. Lots of big WPOR promotions planned, lots of great shows to see. I think that speaks volumes about the following country music has here, and it's pretty exciting to be a part of growing concert scene.
2) What do you think separates WPOR from other stations in the area?
The biggest thing? I think we have some great, well programmed stations in this market. But I think the biggest thing that separates WPOR from the pack is we really own the image of our format in the market. When Portland Country fans think Country music, they think WPOR. Being the heritage station give us a big advantage here, but I also think we've continued to build that perception by being Portland's connection to everything Nashville.
3) It gets harder and harder to break through-how does the station do that with all of the noise out there?
It all comes back to great content. A compelling morning show, fun jocks, the right playlist, localism, listener interaction on-air and on the streets - it's more imperative than ever to have all these right so listeners continue to choose us. Also, we need to embrace what we perceive as 'the noise' to breakthrough. Yes, we're competing with online, mobile, and social networking for listeners' time. But they are also great tools we can use to make our own noise to continue to build relationships. Our listeners are living on these platforms; we can live there with them.
4) How do you create a synergy between the station itself, your Facebook page, Twitter etc?
I don't think we've necessarily created a synergy with social media, we've more or less recognized where that synergy naturally exists and how to take advantage it. I think great radio stations build a sense of community with listeners, and that's what Facebook and Twitter are all about. It's social media. It's about interaction and conversation. We can take on-air topics off-air to continue the discussion, and vice versa. We can talk with listeners when they are nowhere near a radio, and like I said above - continue to build relationships and awareness for our brand. Powerful stuff.
5) Tell us about your on-air lineup and what makes them special.
Besides their ability to execute on-air, the thing I love most about my air-staff is they provide great ideas and they're invested in everything we do. Jon Shannon, the driver on our morning show, has been here for years. So has our Midday jock Randi Kirshbaum, who is also PD of our sister Hot AC. They both have a great feel for the market and our listeners and are great sounding boards. But, we've also got some new blood. Jake Navarro has been part of the morning show since May, and has brought a lot of great, fresh ideas to the table. I encourage all our staff to chime in, and it adds up to a great end result. At the end of the day - me, and WPOR, are as strong as the staff. And we have a great group here.
6) Congrats on getting engaged to your girl Stacy! When is the big day and how did you meet?
The big day is October 20, 2012. We met at the gym in 2004. I pulled my best Ron Burgundy - I gave her 2 tickets to the gun show, and she liked the goods. I haven't been to the gym since.
7) Is Stacy cool with you working 24/7, weekends, listening to the radio non-stop in the car, working on music from your laptop and home computer, etc, etc. I think she might be a saint?
Not only is Stacy a saint, but she's really hot. I am definitely marrying up. All kidding aside, she really understands I love what I do. She can get frustrated at times with the long hours and working at home. But when she's with me at a big station event or we pull of a huge promotion on-air, and she sees the satisfaction it brings me, she revels in it as well. It also helps that she is a huge Country fan and she gets to enjoy a lot of cool experiences with me.
8) What do you two do on the weekends, you are in such an awesome area for day-trips.
Portland is such an amazing city with great restaurants and nightlife. So we spend as much time as we can soaking it all in. And the coast of Maine is breathtaking and vast. We love taking day trips up to places like Boothbay Harbor and Rockland, and heading up to Acadia for some weekend camping getaways. We also have some great beaches here in Southern Maine, so most weekends during the summer you will find Stacy and I at Pine Point catching some rays.
9) There's tons of great music out there right! What new acts are you high on right now?
That's a tough question. In my time in Country radio - I have never seen so many great, new artists. The influx of new talent has really made the format so much stronger than say, 3 or 4 years ago. The Band Perry has been one of my favorites since their first single "Hip to My Heart." Kimberly has a magnetic voice and she has a real unique approach to melody and phrasing. David Nail is another guy who stands out, and I am really impressed with Dustin Lynch as well.
10) How do you integrate the music shows from television into your presentation on-air? Or do you-shows like The Voice, Idol, etc.
Shows like The Voice and Idol have become big content generators for our morning show. The shows generate a lot of interest with listeners, so the content coming from them is always topical and relevant to our audience. The music moments, good and bad, and the commentary from characters like Steven Tyler and Blake Shelton, have also become great starting points for some very entertaining moments with our Morning Crew.
Bonus Questions
1. If I was in Portland where would you take me to for the best lobster roll and fried clams?
The Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth. Right on the Ocean, and the food is just as amazing as the view. Best lobster roll I have had in Maine.
2. What Christmas song do you never want to hear again?
Easy - Dominic the Donkey.
3. What is one or two TV 'guilty pleasures,'-you know, "Jersey Shore," "Teen Mom," "Storage Wars," etc.
Being a Jersey boy, I'll watch Jersey Shore here and there. Seeing that show, it makes me feel good about how I turned out as a human being. Thanks Mom and Dad!
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