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10 Questions with ... Jon Manley
March 31, 2020
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Got my foot in the door back in 2002 and never said "no" to any opportunity is the short version. The long version is I began as a street teamer at KSLX in Phoenix. Then became a weekender for KEDJ in 2003 (thank you Dead Air Dave and Nancy Stevens!) and did everything there from overnights to production to morning show co-host. I was hired by Chris Ripley to do nights in Vegas at KXTE in 2010 and within 6 months I was Production manager/APD/MD/Afternoons. In 2014 I was hired by Garett Michaels to be APD and afternoons at the legendary KNDD in Seattle. During my time there we achieved the highest ratings in the station’s illustrious history. In 2019 it was time for a new adventure, which led me back to the station I grew up listening to, WKQX in Chicago!
1. Last August, you landed your dream job and returned home to fill the APD/MD/night vacancy at 101 WKQX. I joke that WKQX traded Walt Flakus to KNDD for Jon Manley. Of course, it was a little more complicated. Take us through the process of landing this coveted position. How does it feel to be back home?
Yeah, pretty amazing right? I was about to head back to Wisconsin for my aunt’s funeral when I got the disappointing news from Seattle, so after taking some time to regroup and deal with real life, Troy Hanson was gracious enough to give me a meeting before I headed back to the PNW. Nothing came of it at the time but when Walt decided to go for the KNDD opening, talks resumed. After sitting down with Troy and Marv Nyren I knew it was the perfect situation and it was time to come home! I really want to take a minute to thank everyone that reached out on my behalf and put in (mostly) good words for me with WKQX. When the chips are down you really find out who your real friends are, and I am a VERY lucky boy to have so many wonderful people having my back. I’m truly humbled and literally wouldn’t be here without you.
2. How did you convince your fiancée to move from Seattle to The Windy City?
Did my mom put you up to this? She is still just my girlfriend for now, but I know I’ve outkicked my coverage (ask anyone that’s met her) so I’m sure that day is coming. Funny story, on our first date she had just come back from a business trip to Chicago, and we spoke about how great of a city it was and how it was one of the few places I would leave for, no questions asked. As fate would have it, that’s what ended up happening.
3. What stands out the most from growing up in Chicago recording songs off WKQX (then-Q101) to play back later on your Sony Walkman?
A station like WKQX was the pipeline to cool! Everything, and I mean everything, sounded bigger and better coming through the speakers from 101.1 (still does, if I do say so myself). And it should, its Chicago! Q101, at the time, painted the picture in my mind of what Chicago was, and was so plugged in that I could name the hot spots in town even though I lived 100 miles away. I think about that a lot when contemplating what comes out of the speakers to this day. The power of local radio.
4. You’ve worked at CBS, Entercom, and now Cumulus. How different has it been working at KXTE/Las Vegas, KNDD/Seattle, and WKQX/Chicago?
I’ve been lucky in that each company has offered me amazing growth opportunities. Cumulus has been awesome so far, and I think they deserve major credit for continuing to push live and local content in an age where others seem to be going in the opposite direction.
5. What sort of things make 101 WKQX unique?
Everything here is very transparent. Everyone is always dialed in on the where we are, and where we are going. Also, our performance area, The Lounge, is second to none in both aesthetic and sound quality
6. What is your favorite part of your job?
I know everyone says this and it’s almost cliché at this point but it’s true, the people. It’s really fun here! When everyone is swimming in the same direction, great things can happen. All credit to Troy Hanson for that. He is truly one of the smartest people in the biz. The guy is 2 steps ahead always, getting to learn under him is most definitely an incredible opportunity. Brian, Ali, and Justin are as funny off the air as on. Lauren IS Chicago at this point, I go down to our Imaging Director Pants’ office to crack jokes at least 5x a day, and on top of all that I literally grew up listening to Tim Virgin and James VanOsdol, which means I get to work with my heroes on a daily basis.
7. Take us inside the music meeting at 101 WKQX. What’s it like?
Open and honest. Troy and I sit down on Mondays and discuss our rotations, what’s working and what’s not, what sounds good, what’s streaming, and what seems to be working in other markets. Streaming has become a bigger metric for us as the chart continues to become less of a factor (for a myriad of reasons), but we look at just about every bit of information we can in order to come up with the smartest and hopefully successful game plan when it comes to our playlist.
8. What do love most about being on-air?
I get to be on the radio station I grew up listening to in the best city in the world. How does it get any better than that?
9. Tell us about weekdays, 7p-midnight with Jon Manley on 101 WKQX.
It’s my hope that 7-midnight with Jon Manley is just like 24/7 with Jon Manley. I’m just your friend who has control of the aux cable and good taste in music, let’s have a beer and jam out to Foals/Tame Impala/Billie Eilish.
10. What would surprise people most about you?
Well, I think by now most people know that I am a pretty decent ball player, so I would say it might surprise people to know that I’m a bit of an artist as well. When I was a kid my dream job was to be the guy who drew caricatures for people at Six Flags…still may be my retirement plan.
Bonus Questions
What are your favorite places to eat in the area?
Well if you consider my grandma’s house “in the area,” then her Mostaccioli. Otherwise in no particular order: Bari, Sushi San, RPM Italian, Gene and Georgetti, Au Cheval, and Portillo’s.
Favorite Deep-Dish Pizza?
Pequod’s or Giordano’s
Favorite food?
Sandwiches!
Favorite drink?
A good bourbon! Currently on a Blanton’s and Redemption Wheated kick.
Favorite new band over the past year?
daBaby, Inhaler, and I cannot wait to hear more from KennyHoopla.
Anything else you would like to add?
Yes. WASH YOUR HANDS.
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