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10 Questions with ... Kevin "McKay" Mangan
June 18, 2013
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
WJYY/03-06, WAPE/ 06-08, WKZY/ 08-11, WHHZ 11-Present
1. What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
My first job in radio was actually an internship that lead to a P/T gig with WJYY/Concord during the summer of 2003 with the morning show. This was more than your average "internship." Nazzy, the AM show host, really gave me the opportunity to experience all angles of being in programming ... inviting me to be on the air, work with the production department, etc.
Growing up listening to Boston radio, a lot of guys I looked up to included people like Matt Siegel, Dale Dorman and Gary LaPierre. I also had the pleasure of being able to bend the ear (for airchecks and advice) of Jackson Blue and Romeo and the guy who really ignited my passion for radio, Kevin Hilley.
2. What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?
It started with a drawing of a radio station in 3rd grade, WMOO (little did I know it was a real station in Vermont!) Through elementary and middle school, you would catch me making tapes for my new pretend radio station "WKJM." We were #1 with nine-year-old males on Warren Way! I even made an on-air sign out of a Lite-Brite!
3. How long have you been at WHHZ (100.5 The Buzz) and what makes this station so unique?
I have been with WHHZ since November of 2012, first as the midday jock and finally as PD in May. For the longest time, WHHZ struggled against market giant WRUF. When they flipped to Country a few years back, WHHZ was the only remaining Active Rocker in the market. This has been a huge gain for us, allowing us to pick up the very popular Lex & Terry show.
4. Besides your role as PD at The Buzz, you also do the midday airshift under the name Kevin "McKay." How do you balance your time so both roles are effective?
I usually end up voicetracking my shift most of the time. It's not an ideal situation but one I'm sort of forced to do at the moment. When the opportunity presents itself, I can still execute live contests during my daypart and run in to update tracks or go live in the event of severe weather or big accidents.
5. You follow those Florida legends Lex & Terry in the morning. While they are syndicated, I would assume they work very well for 100.5 The Buzz. \
They work very well! As mentioned earlier, when they became available to us, it was a HUGE game-changer. Ratings and revenue skyrocketed almost immediately. I'm fortunate to have a local producer for the show who really allows us to localize it. Lex & Terry are really great with helping us do that, too.
6. You are also involved with programming the other Marc Radio Group stations in the cluster. Tell us the other formats and your responsibilities.
I am the OM of our Christian Contemporary, 106.9 The Pulse. I also oversee the programming for our AM News/Talk simulcast. We recently took The Pulse from a satellite-delivered station to locally programmed under the guidance of our consultant, Keith Clark and new Programming Coordinator, Mike Gilland. That was a lot of work in a short amount of time, but we got it done and it sounds great!
7. Tell us a little about your owners in the Marc Radio Group. Where are they based and who are the principles?
MARC Radio Group is a private company based in Winter Park, FL. This is the only group of stations that MARC owns.
8. What's your take on current Active Rock music? Is it as good as six months ago, better, or about the same?
Heritage artists are coming out with newer music, which is great for the format. I am still getting a grasp on the Active Rock side of things. After spending the last several years in the pop world, I have much to learn.
9. How much does The Buzz and the other stations in your cluster use social media like Facebook and Twitter to interact with its listener's?
The Buzz uses Facebook as much as possible. Not having a social media director, it's a team effort amongst a few members of the air staff (whom also double as, in no particular order ... IT, production director and sales manager)
10. Okay, your web sitesays you're originally from New Hampshire, but is it safe to say that living in Gainesville has made you a huge Univ. Of Florida Gators fan?
Ha ha, how did I know this was coming? Yes, living in Gainesville has made me a Gator fan. HUGE? Not quite. But football is the most intoxicating of the programs offered at UF. Gainesville on game day is a sight to see. I mean, if ESPN comes out, you know it's big! I have become more active in watching college football in general, especially the SEC. Those schools have some great programs.
Bonus Questions
What do you like to do to relax when you're not in rock n roll radio mode?
A glass of wine and smooth jazz (kidding). I have the world's greatest dog, so trips to a few of the parks we have around town are usually in order on the weekends. I also volunteer with a local fire department. While it's not "relaxing," it's a great way to learn, stay more physically active and make lifelong friendships with the guys on your crew.
You're stuck on a deserted island and you only have five CDs with you. What are they?
Five CDs? What about food, water and Kate Upton?
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