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10 Questions with ... DJ Boogie
June 16, 2009
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NAME:DJ BoogieTITLE:PDSTATION:WAMOMARKET:PittsburghCOMPANY:Sheridan Broadcasting companyBORN:Brooklyn, NY, 6/15/73RAISED:Queens, NY
1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
I started off as a mixer and intern here at WAMO.
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?
I never thought about being on the radio until a former mixer here (Nick Nice) heard me at a club and asked me to guest DJ. Back then, I recorded the mixes on tape and would drop them off prior to the show airing. When I listened to my mix in the car with some friends and saw the reaction of the people who were listening to it, I knew at that point I wanted to be a part of this business. Kris Kelly (who was the MD here at the time) really took me behind the scenes of radio (for example; music scheduling, the art of mastering, "saying less is more"). Kris really made me truly enjoy and respect the radio industry.
3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?
Yes, I would. I AM A FAN OF MUSIC. That's why picking music is so much fun to me. I can listen to the radio as a fan and a programmer. I tell the majority of mixers I encounter that being a PD or MD should be something to consider as a career. Programming a station is like DJing. The club is the radio station and the listeners are on the dance floor. Your job is to keep them on that dance floor at all times.
4) Where do you see yourself and the industry five years from now?
As far as the music industry is concerned, I see myself running my own online radio station and or working for a record label (as an A&R).
5) How you feel about being asked to wait on a record you hear until the research validates it?
Some records are "bonafide" hits. Those are the ones that need to be played ASAP. If you say to yourself; "Well ... I don't know...." that's a sure sign to wait for research. At the end of the day, music is still a gut call. Research helps to support that gut feeling. Picking music is natural to me and that is due to the fact that I am part of the target demo (1) and (2). I surround myself around the demo in and out of the work environment.
6) How do you feel about syndication? Does it affect significantly on the number of hours that you have control over the music that you play?
The answer to this question solely depends on what the GM or sales department is looking for. If they are looking for high share/ratings and do not mind the lack of sales inventory or mind the fact that it will be challenging to do remotes(live) with those jocks, then I can work with it. For a programmer, syndication makes life a little easier but challenging when it comes to localizing.
7) Because of callout research, are today's Urban and Urban AC programmers going to be slower in adding and playing new music? What is the maximum number of spins a record in power rotation could be expected to receive in a given week on WAMO?
This is a tough question. With people meter, the people who are in the music research may not reflect the likes or dislikes of the people who have the people meter (hope that makes sense). I have seen some callout research that were high, but when looking at the people meter, the same songs did not perform as well. I still think stations/PDs are really going to have to know their audience(market) and move on only records that they know their audience will like.
We have to go back to the basics. Let "Mixshow break the records and PDs are going to have to meet with their mixers on a weekly basis to see what is working in their market." Good example; we were one of the few stations playing Gucci Mane when other city had no clue who he was or felt that he wouldn't work for their market. Gucci Mane, before people really knew who he was, sold out every show in Pittsburgh. We had to support him.
8) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?
There is always room for improvement. As far as being a jock is concerned, I would love to do more community work. As a PD, I would like to improve my organizing and delegating skills.
9) How do you account for and what effect do you feel the recent sale of WAMO is going to have on the Pittsburgh market? Do you feel that another station may convert to Urban?.
The community is crushed -- especially, the black-owned businesses. I had one listener call and tell me how upset she is that she won't hear songs like Vivian Green or Drake unless it's on satellite radio. As far as another Urban radio station coming into the market is concerned, it's a possibility. Radio buyers want to see what the people meter does first in the Pittsburgh market, in July, before marrying into any long time commitment.
10) As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?
The only thing I regret, again, is not being more involved with the community. I have a great relationship with the Steelers and major advertisers, but never had the chance to tie everything into one, for a greater cause on a personal level.
Bonus Questions
What would people who think they know Boogie be surprised to know about you?
That I really am a shy person ... and mix every night at the house just for fun and work.
What's been your biggest disappointment in radio today?
Biggest disappointment in radio is that many programmers/labels think that just because an artist (group) may have a name, it means that each record is going to work. The average listener doesn't care. If the song doesn't catch their attention within the first 30 to 60 seconds, they are gone. In the PPM world, that can kill a station.
How do you feel about Arbitron's PPM eventually replacing the diary?
Pre-currency begins here in July, so we will see. The only thing that troubles me about the PPM is the number of meters distributed and where and to whom they truly go to with that little number distributed.
How important are the clubs and the mix DJs in the Pittsburgh market?
I think mixers are overlooked and underrated. They are closer to the audience more so then some Pd's. I think Pd's and mixers should have a tight relationship.
Do you feel that urban stations should be more careful not to blindly copy formats, but tailor them specifically to the age and racial make-up of their own markets?
That has always been my belief. Yes, there may be only five real hits, but it's those other records that can make or break your station. That's why stations should be careful of placing too many syndicated shows on their station. Some other station with a good ear to the street could give them a run for their money.
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