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10 Questions with ... Robbie Mack
March 5, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Top 40 always gets into trouble when it has "too much" of one particular sound, particularly when we are in an "extremes" cycle and the pop core is lacking. A Top 40 station is a station for variety. The variety is in the different mix of songs we play. We were very early on "Broken" from Lovelytheband. That sounded like a Top 40 song right off the bat for me. We used dayparting to our advantage and gave a good amount of spins to "Have It All" from Jason Mraz during the day. That was probably a head-scratcher for some, but it had a catchy, care-free, memorable hook, and it sounded great last summer on the air
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- Intern/board-op: WHOT/Youngstown (2003-2004)
- Weekends/overnights/fill-ins: WKDD/Akron (2004-2007)
- Weekends/Nights/Afternoons/Imaging: WDJQ/Canton (2007-2014)
- Brand Manager/Afternoons: WJFX/Fort Wayne (2014-present)
- Brand Manager: WWFW/Fort Wayne (2014-present)
1. You're now programming WWFW (Soft AC) in addition to WJFX (Top 40). Strategic brilliance rolling into that format out of all-Christmas Music programming. How's the response been?
Response has been very good so far! People are enjoying hearing songs that they haven't heard in years. We have received many positive comments and are beginning to hear the station in more businesses.
2. Why the format change?
A bit of backstory first. We launched as a Mainstream AC when the heritage AC had been experimenting with Hot AC. We moved into their old territory and began scooping up their audience, coming within a share of them in the target demo during the workday. They moved back to their old position and recaptured a bit of their past heyday. The reality is, they have a huge class B signal and we are a smaller class A. And there certainly is no need for two identical Mainstream AC stations in the eyes of the listener.
Any time you have an opportunity to move yourself into a unique music position, you have to take it. I watched a few of the PPM markets last year with great curiosity, as the Soft AC stations continued to rise. By the end of October, I had decided this was the direction to take after Christmas. It was further cemented when the October PPM numbers arrived and Sacramento, Philadelphia & Detroit all gained new Soft AC outlets in November.
3. How would you describe Sunny's music position?
Complex. This is a modern-take on the Soft AC format, with familiar music centered around a healthy 80's library which is deep and tests great. We are Pop-based at the core. Billy Joel, Madonna, Michael Jackson. But there is also a healthy dose of artists heard nowhere else on the radio like Bette Midler, Air Supply, Lionel Richie, Celine Dion. The nice thing is these are all HIT songs, and many of them haven't received regular airplay in this market in as much as 10, even 15 years. So it feels fresh. As far as era-balance, I would say we are 40% 80's, 25% 90's, 20% 2000 & up, and 15% 70's.
4. How's the radio landscape in Ft. Wayne these days? There's some deep heritage in town.
Corporate radio doesn't exist here. iHeart, Cumulus, etc...none of the bigger companies own any stations in the market. It makes the market better, in my opinion. It makes everyone fight harder to win. From unique promotions, to marketing. If you drive from market to market and listen to stations, many sound the same...same jocks, same imaging, same promotions. They've become boring. You won't find that here, the stations have a more unique sound and flavor that reflects Fort Wayne. This is kind of a "radio-active" town because of that. Local radio, doing what it is supposed to do...serve the listeners in its community and sound like you're one of them, talking about what's important to them. Local radio is extremely important to me and I'm very passionate about it. Having local folks in the studio, talking to and interacting with the community, attending the same functions and living the same lives they are.
And you're right about heritage, which makes it a challenge for a station like 103.9 Sunny FM to cut through. Our unique music format should help, but Sunny is only a few years old. We have an AC with 35 years of history, a Hot AC with nearly 50 years under their belt, plus a Classic Hits with 25 years. Even WJFX, my Top 40, now has 20 years in the market in 2019.
The radio landscape overall...probably too crowded. Thanks to translators, there are more stations than ever fighting for shares, in a media landscape where there are more platforms than ever fighting for that attention.
5. We all seem to be wearing more hats as of late. How do you divide your time between the two stations?
I think anyone in a programming position like this works more than 40 hour weeks, that's for sure. Not only do I program them, schedule music...I'm also the Promotions Director for both, Imaging Director for both, and on-air every afternoon on HOT (WJFX). Dividing time is tough, but you have to prioritize. Which station makes more money and has more listeners? It has to get more attention, and deservedly so.
6. How does The Bert Show set the tone for the programming day on HOT?
We've been on-board with Bert for 6 years now, and have just re-upped for a few more! It was a show I inherited when I got here, but the promotion of the show was lacking the rest of the day on the station. We put a lot of emphasis on the show in other dayparts...from recyclers, to teasers done by Bert, to station promos...we knew it was a great show, we just had to get people's ears on it. Obviously any Top 40 has a target of 18-34. Bert has a wide appeal though, a woman in her 20's can and does love the show, just as much as a mom in her 40's. It helps bring in some of those upper-demo numbers that are more likely to stick with us in other dayparts. I think it's one of the best shows in Top 40 radio in 2019, and if I couldn't have a local show, this would be my choice. The show has evolved over time and remains just as relevant as ever. Bert has a knack for picking great talent to surround himself with.
7. What's your take on the state of the union as far as music goes for the Top 40 format these days?
2018 was rough, and I say that despite having our two best ratings periods in a long time in 2018 on WJFX. I'm hoping we turn a corner in 2019. One of the biggest things I think we did in 2018 that helped us was sticking true to what a good Top 40 station does...play the best music from multiple formats. Top 40 always gets into trouble when it has "too much" of one particular sound, particularly when we are in an "extremes" cycle and the pop core is lacking. A Top 40 station is a station for variety. The variety is in the different mix of songs we play. We were very early on "Broken" from Lovelytheband. That sounded like a Top 40 song right off the bat for me. We used dayparting to our advantage and gave a good amount of spins to "Have It All" from Jason Mraz during the day. That was probably a head-scratcher for some, but it had a catchy, care-free, memorable hook, and it sounded great last summer on the air.
The same listener who loves the latest from The Chainsmokers, also loves AJR, Post Malone, and Ariana Grande. We have a wider playlist than many of our fellow Top 40's. A year ago we were playing 22 currents outside of overnights. We made changes in March 2018 that paid off. I'm presently at 29 from 6am to Midnight, with some dayparting. Some will obviously disagree that tighter is better, but we are playing the songs that make sense for us and giving people a wide taste of what's popular and it's working well for us.
8. Has there been a record or two that kind of "came out of nowhere" in the past six months?
Probably "You Say" from Lauren Daigle and "Sicko Mode" from Travis Scott. The Lauren doesn't surprise me...but to see a Contemporary Christian artist have a Mainstream hit is interesting. We saw it pop in the market's streams as soon as it was released. The Travis wouldn't have gotten higher than top 25 a few years ago.
9. Who would you say that your mentors have been?
As a jock, there were several...as a programmer, without a doubt, John Stewart when we was our PD at WDJQ (he later crossed the street to WHBC). I worked under him as a jock for 6 years, he spent 10 there and took the station to the top. I soaked up what knowledge I could and wish I would have soaked up more. I often think back in hindsight to the ways we did things there. He was always thinking strategically and looking for ways we could get the station ahead at the expense of our competitors. He took chances on music and programming and it usually paid off. Also as a boss, he indirectly taught me what kind of boss to me to my employees. (He's looking for a gig right now, for the GM's and VP's reading this)
I'll also give a nod to my present Operations Manager, JJ Fabini, here in Fort Wayne. Everyone loves JJ...not just in the building, in the entire city...and he's always approachable and has shown me the kind of OM I need to be someday.
10. "Local local local" is still a major concern. What do you do to make sure that the stations are as top of mind as possible in the community?
We love getting involved with things happening around town. From events, to festivals, to sponsoring walks, being in parades, etc. It can also be as simple as what you say on the air. There are SO many ways to tie your breaks back into the community to let people know, I live here too, I'm one of you, doing the same things you are, experiencing the same things. Being interactive...putting your local listeners on the air, giving them a shout out after they sent a text or tweet to the station.
Bonus Questions
If someone were visiting town for the first time, what would you make sure that they saw during their stay?
Sweetwater Sound. It's a musician's paradise. Wait, I think that's what their commercial says. But it truly is...one of the biggest music instruments and pro audio dealers in the world, many of the major artists buy their gear through Sweetwater. Their headquarters are right here and it includes a music store. Great place to buy a mic and headphones!
There are no shortage of great restaurants here and downtown has really come to life, even in my 5 years here. Taking in a TinCaps game with the downtown skyline in the background is a great way to get a vibe of the city. The Riverfront development that is currently underway will open this summer and be a fantastic spot to hang, and the old GE factory is being re-done into a business, shopping, entertainment district called "Electric Works" outside of downtown that is going to be a gem once it is complete.
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