10 Questions with ... Tom Ferguson

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Part-time for 2½ years at Times-Shamrock WB/Scranton; Programmer for five months at WOWY/State College with Results Radio; then hired in November 2013 as the Brand Manager/APD/MD at Times-Shamrock Wilkes-Barre/Scranton...I've been in my position for 3 years and 4 months!

1. Why did WFUZ rebrand from Fuzz 92.1 to ALT 92.1?

The Fuzz brand certainly served its purpose with respect to establishing 92.1 as an Alternative station. Over a period of time we noticed that listeners would often ask "what does Fuzz mean?" "What is Fuzz?" "How does the name Fuzz relate to what you're playing?" Going forward, we wanted to ensure that every bit of focus and attention (whether from listeners, artists, labels, employees, clients, and employees) will be on our music and our dial position - not on a name. Accordingly, the smart decision was to brand the station in the most simple and direct way as possible...ALT 92.1. It says what we do and who we are.

One of our sister stations here in NEPA is legendary Classic Rocker, ROCK 107. Coincidentally, we're celebrating ROCK 107's 37th birthday this month and it's interesting to note that one of the keys to that station's incredible success is how amazingly connected they are with their audience. One of our core beliefs at Times-Shamrock is that the only way you can get more listeners listening...is to listen to your listeners. As hokey as that sounds, it's truly the foundational reason that drove the decision to rebrand 92.1. Through a combination of sources (social media, first-person, perceptual research, call-out) our listeners told us, in no uncertain words, that 92.1 could be doing a better job in terms of satisfying their musical appetite for exploration and discovery. Of course, that's a call-to-action we immediately took to heart and with our music now significantly more current-based, we felt that ALT 92.1 would strongly underline both the musical changes as well as our unrelenting commitment to being the best Alternative radio station in Northeast Pennsylvania.

2. The station's new positioner is "Sounds Different." Explain how ALT 92.1 Sounds Different.

Alternative radio, by definition, operates in a world that is slightly different from other formats. The alternative fan is looking for an escape from everything else on the radio so, logically, that is the fundamental root of the phrase. When listeners are asked why they tune in to 92.1 (or, really, any other alternative stations across the country), their answers always allude to -- or sometimes just flatly state -- that the station just "sounds different." As indicated previously, we are maniacal about "listening to our listeners." So, in addition to the strong musical statement that "sounds different" makes, we also believe it clearly communicates to our audience that we listened to them, we heard them and ultimately, we responded with the promise to "sound different." Lastly, the fact that FM 102.1 (WLUM, our sister station in Milwaukee) is one of the most successful Alternative stations in the country and originated "sounds different" years ago had absolutely nothing to do with our decision. Pure coincidence, I say!

3. Give us the 411 on ALT 92.1.

As mentioned earlier, ALT 92.1 will focus a lot more on new music exploration and discovery than we had previously. The objective is to provide a healthy mix of what they know and love with a new emphasis on songs they may be less familiar with but would probably be interested in discovering. Alternative spans a broad range of musical genres and one of our goals will be to reflect and respond to those trends throughout alternative music. All great stations grow and evolve over time. From an aspirational perspective, ALT 92.1 isn't just the next step in the evolution of the station, it's the foundational piece in our mission to be great.

4. How are listeners reacting to the change?

We're fortunate to have a strong, passionate listener base and we weren't surprised that there was a ton of feedback (positive and negative) on the station's name, logo, music, etc. That lasted for about a weekend...and then it dissipated. Once they listened, I think they realized the musical changes are for the better. Ultimately, I believe that it really doesn't matter what our station is called. As long as we consistently over-deliver on the musical and entertainment expectations that our listeners have for us, we'll be on the road to greatness. We have some legendary stations in our company (ROCK 107, FM 102.1) and I'd love to have ALT 92.1 on that list someday.

5. Tell us about the ALT 92.1's coverage area in Northeastern Pennsylvania?

Northeast Pennsylvania, while certainly not without issues, has been a great place to live and grow up in. There's definitely a small-town, "everyone knows everyone" vibe here, but in a way that enables the community to rally around each other in times of need. You've got the bustling, small-city feel of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, surrounded by the suburban sprawl of the towns surrounding them, and beyond that, the mountains, farms, and outer reaches of our area. It's really diverse, for such a small area. There's a chance to live and be in the heart of it all, or to be a little removed, but never too far away from what's happening. The NEPA area is full of hard-working people who have a fierce loyalty and love for their family and hometowns, and it's important for any radio station in our area to reflect that.

6. What is your favorite part of your job?

The fun part of my job, at least concerning Alt 92.1, is putting events together like our Private Artist Showcases, or our summer and Christmas shows. I love seeing people supporting the artists we bring to the area, whether they heard about them through our station or not, because I think it shows the passion that exists for the music we play on Alt 92.1. Seeing that excitement and energy, and watching the artists feed off of that...man, it's a cool feeling.

7. How do you discover new music?

I get it from all over. I rely on some of my music contacts to send anything they deem worthy along to me, but I also use Spotify, Twitter, Facebook...anything I see making the rounds, I'll try to make it a point to listen to. It's important to me, at least from a job perspective, to be on top of what's trending, but it also matters from a personal standpoint. I love being connected to what's making the rounds.

8. And now in for play-by-play, Tom Ferguson. Give us the scoop on your Penn State sports duties.

I was the sports director at Penn State's ComRadio, the College of Communications' student-run, web-based radio station, for my junior and senior years while in school at PSU. I did just about every sport you can put on the radio in my time there, including PSU football, which, obviously, was a hard experience to top. I was on the Big Ten Network's student-produced coverage of PSU women's basketball, which streamed on their website and aired on tape-delay on the Big Ten Network. Since my graduation, I've called high school football and basketball for WEJL, our ESPN affiliate at Times-Shamrock. I've also called the very first football season for a local college (Misericordia University), along with their first ever conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances in men's and women's basketball. I got the chance to call a national championship tournament with the USCAA a few years ago, and I've done a few state championship broadcasts when our local teams were lucky enough to make it there. I've won three awards state awards for broadcasting. I also like to play games where I'll have friends send me specific words to use during my broadcasts, and I try to work as many of them in as I can. My favorites so far have been cottage cheese, bifurcate, Darth Maul and amalgamate.

9. Tell us about your cross country road trip last year?

My girlfriend (now fiancée!) Gina and I decided late in 2015 to do something crazy: Drive across the country for vacation! I've always wanted to do it, but have never had the means or time to make it happen. In April of 2016, Gina and I flew to Seattle, WA, hopped in our rental vehicle, and took the wild and craziest trip of our lives, travelling down US-101 from Seattle to San Francisco, and then following I-80 back across the country to NEPA. We managed to see some friends in San Francisco and Cleveland, which bookended a family visit in Omaha. We also managed to not kill each other...in fact, we had so much fun that the plan is to do another one, this time starting in San Diego and finding out way back, for our honeymoon this summer.

10. What was your favorite part of the trip?

My favorite part of the trip is split between two very different sites. The first was the coast-line in Oregon. I was blown away by the size of the giant trees, and I loved that US-101 snaked its way around mountains and rocks, right up against the Pacific Ocean. It was such a cool drive. The second great site was Arches National Park in Moaab, Utah, which was supposed to be a small detour, but turned into a three-hour adventure driving through the Utah desert and the national park, checking out some of the awesome red rocks, with the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains looming behind them. I can't wait to get out and see more of this great country!

What is a typical weekend like for you?

My weekends are becoming increasingly "adult" and I'm not sure how to feel about that! I find myself running errands a lot on the weekends, getting groceries and other odds and ends we may need for the week. As is always the case with radio, I will often find myself at station events, whether they be expos, remotes, concert events or the like. That's the great part about our business; you never really know where you're going to be.

What music do you enjoy listening to when you're not at work?

I listen to a lot of alternative music, even outside of work, so it doesn't change too much. I have a lot of Bruce Springsteen and Led Zeppelin, so they make appearances, as does Muse, Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Interpol, Bloc Party, The Strokes, U2, The Smiths...I just love music.

What are you most passionate about?

I have a ton of passion for the radio business. I know how cynical this business can make people, and how difficult it sometimes can get, with budgets being squeezed and technology constantly changing. And there are days when I can feel that drag begin to weigh on me. In those times of hardship, I always remind myself how lucky I am to be doing something I love. I get to listen to music, program a playlist of music I love for thousands of people in NEPA, and watch and talk about sports...and I get paid to do it! How cool is that?