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10 Questions with ... Tom Ferguson 'Ferg'
July 23, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. From a personal taste standpoint, I wish the format would embrace guitars a little more, but I know that's not necessarily where we are...yet. But there's always hope! I say that, while also wondering where the gold for alternative is going to be in a few years. Songs that make up the backbone of an alternative gold library (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, STP, etc.) sound increasingly out of place when paired next to what is currently big at the format (Billie, Panic!, etc.), and lest we forget that we're coming up on the '90s being 30 years ago. I'm interested to see if and how the format adapts to that big time gap
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I started as an intern in the summer of 2010 at Times-Shamrock Communications with our cluster of radio stations, eventually getting hired part-time, then leaving for full-time employment in State College, only to return to be the Brand Manager for WFUZ and WEJL in December 2013. I've been in the market ever since, spending some time at Entercom Wilkes-Barre from July 2017 until May 2019, when I was hired back at WFUZ as the Program Director.
1. You love Alternative music so how does it feel to be back programming ALT 92.1 again?
It feels like I'm back where I belong. Alternative music is in my framework. It's the music and format I've listened to since high school and it has constantly influenced me. Working in a format I love, coupled with doing it in my hometown...man, that's what it's all about.
2. After a couple years away at cross-town Entercom, what led to your return to the station?
A friend of mine alerted me to the PD position opening at WFUZ...just seven days after I had finally accepted a full-time position with Entercom, after being part-time for a year and a half! Needless to say, I was torn about what to do, and where to go, but my time spent at Entercom afforded me the opportunity to work with and meet some great radio professionals, who empowered me to chase what I wanted to do. So I applied, hoped for the best...and here we are. Back where I started!
3. What are your goals for growing the ALT 92.1 brand in NEPA?
92.1's biggest obstacle is visibility in the market. The listeners who know the station, love the station, and are fiercely loyal, but there aren't enough of those listeners. The public at large has no idea what ALT 92.1 is or what we do. It's my job to get us out in front of people, to be the face of the radio station, and show them what we're all about. We need an identity, and it's my task to give us one.
4. How would you describe your approach as a programmer?
I'm trying to come up with a way to answer this that isn't cliché or general. Ultimately, I want my programming to reflect what the listeners in NEPA want to hear. I want to give them fun, compelling on-air content, prizes that drive them to participate in our contests, and music that keeps them engaged. I don't want to be stagnant in what I do, and I want to come up with creative and different ways to drive listenership.
5. What is your favorite part of your job?
There's a lot that I love about my job, but one of my favorite things to do is get out of the office and see the people of Northeast Pennsylvania. I did a ticket drop the other day where I stood in front of the county courthouse in downtown Scranton with tickets to our summer show, and I had so many people come up to me and tell me they heard me broadcasting and ran over after work snag tix, or got the text and chased the van while I looked for a place to park, or how they appreciate all the "cool stuff" our station does for NEPA. Knowing that the effort we put into the station has that effect is my favorite part.
6. What do you love most about being on-air?
I love doing contests on-air, and getting callers that are excited to win (Every jock's dream, I know). It just makes my day that much better when I know the person who took the time and effort to call in to win whatever we might be giving away is THAT jazzed and happy. Making people feel good, that's a good feeling.
7. What's your take on the current state of the alternative format?
From a personal taste standpoint, I wish the format would embrace guitars a little more, but I know that's not necessarily where we are...yet. But there's always hope! I say that, while also wondering where the gold for alternative is going to be in a few years. Songs that make up the backbone of an alternative gold library (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, STP, etc.) sound increasingly out of place when paired next to what is currently big at the format (Billie, Panic!, etc.), and lest we forget that we're coming up on the '90s being 30 years ago. I'm interested to see if and how the format adapts to that big time gap.
8. How do you use social media?
Probably not as well as I should. I find the majority of the interaction with our station still comes from Facebook, but the younger listeners are definitely more active on our Twitter and Instagram pages. I try to make sure I'm posting there as often as I think of it, which, again, is probably not as much as I should. I want the pages to reflect the irreverent, self-deprecating style that our listeners expect, while also making sure to post about the local stories that are impacting the people who like and follow the station.
9. What is a typical workday like for you?
Its radio, man, there are no typical days! There might be a music meeting one day, a promotions meeting the next, an emergency promotions meeting about something that just popped up, maybe a last-minute remote broadcast that was sold, plus scheduling music, writing promos and imaging, producing them...and that's just before noon!
10. You recently became a dad. How much has that changed your life?
Well, I've only just come to terms with the fact that I'm never truly going to sleep soundly again. My son's name is Nole, and he's 8 months old. He just started, almost out of thin air, crawling and sitting up on his own, so now we're in trouble! He flies around our living room, bypassing all his toys and going straight for the baseboard heaters, because...well, can we truly blame him? Having Nole has taught both my wife and I a ton about having patience, but also about reaffirming what our priorities are. I don't come home bent out of shape or in a funk from a trying or hard day at work, because I get to come home to him every day. And I'm so thankful for that perspective.
Bonus Questions
What are weekends like for you?
We've been super busy the past few weekends, but mostly it's catching up on time spent with Nole and getting the house back in order. Things are about to get crazy busy for my weekends though: We're only 5 weeks away from the start of HS football in PA, so kiss my weekend's goodbye!
Rank your favorite sports teams in order of passion.
- Does LeBron James count as a team? Cause he's probably #1.
- Liverpool FC - Good thing about having a baby and being up at 7am on Saturday mornings has meant a lot of Premier League Mornings for the boy and I.
- Penn State Football - Already worrying about when they lose to some combination of Michigan/Ohio State/Michigan State this year and the fanbase has what I'm sure will be a very reasonable and even-keeled reaction.
- Philadelphia 76ers - Trust the Process.
- San Francisco 49ers - Can Jimmy Graps take the next step?
Favorite new band over the past year?
I really like what IDKHow... is doing. They've got a great sound on the songs I've heard, and "Choke" is in good standing with WFUZ.
Favorite places to eat in NEPA?
My wife and I had Arcaro and Genell in Old Forge cater our wedding. They're the gold standard, in my mind, when it comes to great Italian food in NEPA, especially when it comes to Old Forge pizza. That being said, Drinker Pizza in Dunmore has the best wing bites, Alfredo's Pizza Café in South Scranton has the best double-crust white pizza, and B3Q in West Pittston has some pretty great BBQ specialties.
Anything else you would like to add?
I would, but the baby is currently growling and I think there's a dirty diaper in my near future. Ain't parenthood a dream?
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