-
10 Questions with ... JJ Cook
September 12, 2006
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
NAME:JJ CookTITLE:Regional VP of ProgrammingMARKET:Des Moines, Omaha, Quad Cities, Lincoln, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Sioux City, Mason City, Ames, BurlingtonCOMPANY:Clear ChannelBORN:1963 Grand Forks ND
Please outline your radio career so far:
Clear Channel Regional VP Programming 2003 - Present
VP of Programming - Clear Channel Group Sales 2001
VP Programming Intranet Clear Channel 2000
General manager Nest Marketing Critical Mass Media 1997-2000
Consultant Broadcast Programming 1994-1997
Group PD Heritage Broadcasting 1992-1994
PD WNTQ Syracuse, NY Osborn Communications 1990-1992
OM KFOR/KFRX/Lincoln/Summit Broadcasting 1987-1990
MD/APD KWTO/Springfield, Summit Broadcasting 1985-1987
Ingstad Broadcasting, Rapid City/ Fargo/Grand Forks 1985
KREO/Santa Rosa, CA 1983-84
KNOX/KKXL/Grand Forks, ND 1982-1983
KFJM Grand Forks, ND 1980-821) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?
I always liked pretending to be a DJ with 45's at home when I was in junior high. I developed a pretty good knack of ad-libing, which led to the high school speech and debate teams and eventually to a full-ride debate scholarship to college. And as fate would have it, I worked PT at the campus NPR station, which led to PT at the local NT and PT at Top 40 KKXL. Fraternity life helped me realize that there was more to life than studying, jeopardizing my scholarship. I left on a student exchange program to Cal State Sonoma to get my GPA back up. While I was living in Santa Rosa, Bill Richards hired me for part-time at 93 KREO, which was still one of the best sounding stations I have ever heard...and we still used index cards there. Bill wrote me a note before after he let me do afternoon drive for a week with something I always have remembered, "A man can achieve only what he believes. You must believe in yourself" I still have that note somewhere in a box of my old radio stuff, a box stashed somewhere by my wife.
2) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
Likely law. I would probably be a DA somewhere or a highly paid lawyer for an architectural firm.
3) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?
700 WLW Cincinnati. They are cutting edge and loaded with personality. They have the best writers and production IMO. They are so on top and ahead of the market that the station never seems dull or boring. Their personalities are all real people with minds and intelligent oration skills.
4) What led to your station's recent ratings increase?
The two competitors spend about 100K in marketing and promotion. We have $0. How do we do it?
A. We put a mole inside their stations who tells us what they are going to do and are ready to counter before they even start every promotion or change in programming.
B. We put an army of 100 women (fake profiles) in their music survey database that vote positively for weak songs and give them dumb ideas
C. We have a dedicated staff who puts in the time and effort it takes to make the station more successful.
D. A pharmacist friend of the station who secretly substitutes placebos for the rival morning show host's Viagra, which makes him frustrated at home, causing him to be not very nice on the air..(Says research).
E. All or some of the above.
The Bottom line, We play better music and are more in touch with the core. We've gone from #8 with a 3.2, 25-54 in Spring 03 to #2 with a 10.3, 25-54 in Spring 06. The two main competitors have gone from 11.3 to an 8 and 12.9 to a 7.1. The last three years has been a slow painful death for them.
5) Just about every market has a station flipping to "Jack," "Bob," "Max," etc. What are your thoughts on this new format? Will it go the distance? Or is it just a fad?
It was a breath of fresh air and a reality check for some. We actually launched one such station in KDRB Des Moines. We call it The BUS. It's not like any of the other JACK, BOB or MAX stations.. It was tailored to Des Moines and has been very successful. It's still holding steady #2 25-54. Our PD John Mckeighan is doing a great job in keeping the station within the scope of the image we had laid out, while putting his own twisted ideas into the day-to-day programming. I think the off-the-shelf JACK format is a great market entrance format or station flip format, but it really needs to pick a direction to one part of the audience. After the newness and novelty wear off, what do you have left?
6) What is the most rewarding promotion or activity your station has ever been involved with to benefit the community or a charity?
It was a radio-thon to promote awareness of domestic violence and abuse. We broke format and stopped the music completely. Lots of education and discussion was sparked in the community and we actually saved several lives of a few women and children who were in a dangerous situation at the time. That's making a difference.
7) You're stuck on a deserted island and you only have 5 CDs with you. What are they?
Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits
Beatles - "St Peppers"
Michael Jackson - "Greatest Hits"
Pink Floyd - "Dark Side of the Moon"
Anything from Bob Marley - (A must have on an island)8) What was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you at a remote?
When I was a young and foolish night jock about 20 years ago, I was the one who always volunteered to do really crazy stunts at remotes, primarily to build name recognition and meet hot women. Anyway, one time I did a remote at a liquor store to promote bottled Purple Passion. The promotions person wanted me to do the whole remote from a bathtub filled with the alcohol. I figured it was no big deal. I was going to wear a wetsuit. After about 2 hours in the tub, I became intoxicated without drinking any of the stuff and when I stripped off the wetsuit, not just shrinkage- purple shrinkage...the liquid had dyed my entire body purple, which lasted about ten days. Picture made it around and I think that's how PBS came up with the idea of BARNEY.
9) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Genuine work ethic is the number one quality to look for in people. Either they have it or they don't. There are no guarantees in radio, but don't come to work without it.
10) What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?
If you are going to stay in the business and want to get married, marry a nurse. You won't find a city where there isn't a need for a nurse.
Bonus Questions
What do you do in your spare time?
PTA, Coach Sports, Boy Scouts, Knights of Columbus, and try to spend as much time as I can with my wife Colette and kids Jordan, Jasmine, & Jacob. Hopefully one of them will come and visit me when I get old and put in a home.
Who are a few of your favorite PD's?
Greg Chance at KKDM/Des Moines - he should be in a top 10 market and will be if I relocate to one.
Michelle Matthews at the Brew in Omaha - fantastic detailed PD, creative and solid jock;
Tim Sheridan at The Blaze in Lincoln - One of the best active rock stations in the country, consistent yet unpredictable.
Jim O'hara - WLLR Quad Cities - Often challenged but has kept station on top for a long time.
How many unsolicited T&R's do you receive in a given week?
Not enough. Send them anytime. I am always looking for solid talent and green talent who have the desire to get into the company. We actually have a few needs right now. Including N/T Mornings, AC PD, and a Top 40 MD/Afternoons.
-
-