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10 Questions with ... Tyler Reese
July 16, 2007
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NAME:Tyler ReeseTITLE:APD/MDSTATIONS:WMAD-The NEW 96-3 Star Country!!!MARKET:Madison, WICOMPANY:Clear Channel Radio-MadisonBORN:1982 Monroe, WisconsinRAISED:Monticello, Wisconsin
Please outline your radio career so far:
WEKZ-FM/AM-WQLF Green County Broadcasting 2000-2003 Overnights
WSUM 91.7FM University of Wisconsin Student Radio 2001-2005
Music Director-Show HostWHA-FM 88.7 FM
Technical Director 2003-2005WXXM Mix 92.1 FM
Swing man & afternoons 2003WIBA FM 101.5 FM 2003
Weekend WarriorWZEE Z104 FM 2003-2005
Utility (weekends, nights)WMAD 96-3 Star Country FM 2005-present
Assistant Program Director/Music Director1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
My first job in radio was doing overnights Monday -Friday at WEKZ FM. They showed me how to turn the mic off and on, then the night girl said, "Have fun, call if you have any questions!" I did my first break and I knew what I wanted to do the rest of my life.
I grew up listening to and recording Rick Dees every Sunday afternoon on WZEE. I always was trying to emulate the show. It's the effort that counts :)
2) Can you be a boss and also a friend to your employees?
This is one of the toughest things to do. You have to learn how to form a positive relationship both inside and outside the station, and then remember to find the switch to flip. Eventually your employees become like family anyway if they stick around long enough. It's bound to happen when you're around each so much!
3) Has the advent of Satellite Radio affected our biz? Explain!
Satellite Radio has and will continue to affect our biz in a GREAT way! People like options and today they have more than they know what to do with. Satellite radio will continue to force terrestrial radio to become MORE local. There are plenty of ways to continuously produce great local promotions and programming for our listeners to differentiate ourselves from satellite radio and iPods.
4) What can we be doing with our station's web sites to better our stations as a whole?
3 things:
1- Continuously update your station's page with material that is USEFUL to the listener; contests, pictures, video, and AUDIO!
If listeners know that when they go to your station website they can ALWAYS count on coming across something NEW, that's huge.
2. Stream your station.
3. Streamline your web presentation making it easy and clear for the listener to navigate your site. If listeners come across something that's too complicated or doesn't load correctly they move on. We're just a click away, and that click that got them to your site can just as easily take them somewhere else, perhaps to your competition.
5) What do you plan to do differently in the next year regarding work and family?
I was constantly finding myself buying only belated birthday, anniversary, etc. cards! I look to my family for strength and support and I've realized that 95% work and 5% family isn't going to cut it. I may have had some friendly reminders to help with this realization :)
6) Who are your programming mentors?
Jon Reilly and Kerry Wolfe
Jon is a promotion and programming guru. I've learned nearly everything I know, promotions and programming wise, from him.
Kerry is simply a wealth of country music programming knowledge. He's always an email or phone call away for me when I need some advice. Being able to have two people of their caliber just a click or call away is great.
7) If you could add any one full-time position to your budget, with no questions asked, what would it be?
Another Promotions Director without a doubt. When you're in a heated battle in your market and your station needs to win the battle in the streets having a person solely responsible only for remotes and station events everyday of the week would be key.
8) Favorite artist that you have met?
Mike from Emerson Drive.
I'm a little biased since he's marrying an old friend of mine! He's a great guy very down to Earth. He's the only artist that I can say gave me a ride through downtown Nashville in the back of his pick-up truck. I'll explain.
My morning show and I watched Emerson Drive perform at the Opry afterwards we went downtown for dinner needless to say we were short on room and I volunteered to ride in the back of his Chevy truck. I'm used to it you can't grow up in a town of 1200 people in Wisconsin and not have the opportunity to hitch a ride in the back once in awhile. I'm a veteran.
9) What's the biggest record that you completely missed on?
Jason Michael Carroll
10) Most surprising record of the past 12 months?
I can honestly say that I didn't anticipate Carrie Underwood selling over 6 million copes of "Some Hearts."
I have a slight crush.
Bonus Questions
1) Do you have Musical Guilty Pleasures?
Blues. Anything blues. My older brother Brad got me hooked at a young age. I hosted a blues show in college for four years. I took my show more seriously than college algebra and I had the grade to boot!
2) You are on a desert island what 5 CDs are in you portable disc player?
Portable CD player? I think my parents used to have one of those :)
Now my Ipod that's got everything from Andy Griggs to Zappa.
3) Describe your favorite meal?
A BIG rare steak with mushrooms, along with asparagus, carrots and baked potato. Topped off with a tall cool glass of Southern Wisconsin's finest microbrew "Spotted Cow." Dessert would have to be some of my mom's Rhubarb Pie.
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