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10 Questions with ... John Stewart
June 23, 2009
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NAME:John StewartPOSITION:PD/Imaging Dir./afternoon-drive personalitySTATION:WDJQMARKET:Canton-Akron, OHOWNER:D.A. Peterson
Please outline your radio career so far:
87-89: The Wave/Tampa, 89-91: 95YNF/Tampa, 91-94 Production Director WARM-WSUN-WCOF/Tampa, 94-96: Mix 96/Tampa, 96-97: PD at KBKS/Seattle, 97-99: Kiss/Tampa, 99-2002: MD/middays WSSR/Tampa, 2003-present: PD/Imaging/afternoons WDJQ/Canton-Akron.
1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
Back in the day, there weren't many jobs for 15-year-olds that didn't involve a spatula and a paper hat or a lawnmower, so I felt lucky to be pulling 45s, AP copy and fetching donuts for the morning jock at our local station! Eventually the 7-midnight jock called off and I filled in for him. Not a bad gig for a kid.
2) What led you to a career in radio?
My dream was to be a play-by-play announcer or color guy. It seemed like the best gig ever to go to all the sporting events and get paid. Unfortunately, since I never played or coached past college ball, my chances were very limited. Last week, I interviewed John Elway at a charity golf tournament and it's one of the highlights of my career. Truth be told, I'm still star struck when we go backstage to hang out with rock stars, and I'd do this job just for that (don't tell my boss, though).
3) How would you describe the radio landscape in your market?
PACKED! We are located extremely close to four other markets. Cleveland is an hour north; Akron is 15 minutes away; Youngstown is 45 minutes east and Pittsburgh is about 90 minutes east, so there are a ton of signals to choose from. WDJQ is a small, privately owned mom & pop-owned-and-operated station surrounded by all the corporate monsters, but our product separates us from the herd.
4) What makes your station unique? How would you compare it to other stations you've worked at?
Q92's uniqueness lies in our live, local and very vocal jocks and the mix of rock hits with your normal Top 40. I'm not sure if the phrase "Rock 40" still applies in this Facebook/Twitter world, but we fit the bill. Case in point: Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch" was an enormous hit for us and most Top 40's wouldn't touch it. The same could be said for most Three Days Grace, Theory of a Deadman and Foo Fighters songs.
5) Are you wearing more "hats" than you have in the past?
Absolutely adapted or get out, but I really wouldn't have it any other way!
6) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?
That my wife and I spent the better part of 2008 adopting a little girl from Russia.
7) What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
I grew up listening to Dick Purtan and the morning crew on CKLW. I still think the Big 8 epitomized what radio should be in the late 1970s. In the summer, I would normally fall asleep with headphones on listening to the Detroit Tigers with Al Kaline and George Kell on WJR; Rich Michaels and Danny Stewart on WVIC in Lansing was a great station to listen to in high school.
8) Do you have a favorite hobby outside of radio?
I have two interests outside of radio. I'm trying like hell to get my golf handicap below a 10. And I LOVE to snow ski out west.
9) What music do you listen to when you're not working?
My favorite artists are the Dave Matthews Band, Beck, Nickelback, Keb Mo's older stripped-down stuff, John Mayer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are always good, and I've just discovered K'Naan who is incredibly diverse.
10) What would you like to do to save radio from its "dying-industry" image?
It's time to go back to the mom & pop days of live and local. The audience needs to feel that personal connection to this device that they consider an appliance, and I believe it's up to us to connect the dots. Give them the opportunity to call into a live person to either state an opinion, win a prize or make a request and we've made a start. Once you've accomplished that, do some research in your target demo within your own market and ignore the national charts so you can super-serve the locals.
Bonus Questions
What ringtone do you have on your cell?
Theory Of A Deadman, "Bad Girlfriend."
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