10 Questions with ... Ace McKay

NAME:Ace McKay TITLE:PD/Morning Show Co-Host STATION:WAYT/88.1 WAY-FM MARKET:Tallahassee, FL COMPANY:WAY-FM Media Group Inc. BORN:Tennessee, FL RAISED:Alabama

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started in Birmingham and Huntsville working in mainstream radio. After 6 years I moved to Nashville to join WAY-FM and haven't looked back since.

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

I started in Oldies running the board for Dick Bartley's Rock N Roll's Greatest Hits. My Mom would call me and say you sound great tonight. I'd have to tell her that I'm not on the air and she would be quick to tell me that Dick would not sound so good with out me. Love you Mom!

My early influence, even today, is The Birdman. He taught me how to really have fun doing radio and not to be in pursuit of the next paycheck or title. He was an amazing Friend!

2) Describe your role on the morning show?

To bring a little of my life and the listeners life to a common area that we can share. I get to be on the air with an awesomely gifted co-host, Kelly Jackson, and together with her role it makes the balance. She is strong in areas that I am weak and vice versa. My role is to reflect the listener's habits, lifestyle and be myself. I get to laugh and cry with my listeners everyday and then let God encourage them through a common ground approach to his message.

3) How do you prepare for your show each morning? What's your biggest challenge each morning?

I observe! I watch my kids, I listen in the grocery aisles to conversations, I talk to my wife, I watch what she watches and read what she reads. Kelly and I have multiple hats at the station so we have to make time to leave the station each day and get into life out of the office so that we can be where our listeners are. If Jesus meets people where they live, I have to do the same to make the show even resemble something that they would care enough about to listen to,

4) What has made your show successful?

Be Local and Real! Kelly & I get to work with awesome people like Tommy Kramer who keeps us in line and speaks into our show every day. We have our filters on in everything we do and we don't let them down for a second. Kelly sets me up, I set her up and Tommy shows us how to spike the ball!

5) What is your most memorable on-air moment?

For Mother's day we asked people to submit emails about what makes their Mom great and after we chose the winning email, we called her and asked for her to say a message to her Mom; that ended up being very similar to the email, but it kept us from reading the email to the Mom. What we did was call Mom and play the message back from her daughter. There were tears, a night out for Mom and a day of pampering not to mention the Diamond earrings. We still get comments from listeners about that phone call.

6) What is your favorite morning show feature and what makes it successful?

The best feature to me is anytime we get to interact with our listeners on-air and can make them the star of the show. It's not about us! It's like Letterman or Leno, they host the show and the celebrities look good based on the host performance.

7) If you were just starting out in radio today, but you knew what you know now, would you continue forward?

Absolutely! I LOVE what I do. I'm a morning person, I have co-host that puts up with me which has only happened one other time and that's with my wife. It truly is the greatest and most challenging job!!!

8) What book have you read that has touched you or taught you the most?

"The QBQ" by John G. Miller and "The Fred Factor" by Mark Sanborn. These changed my life as to how I need to be serving others and making changes in me to make my team and my station sound GREAT!

9) If you could ask God about anything, what would it be?

Am I doing all that I can to be used by you and if not is there anything I can add to it. (This would be for a personal life evaluation and from the radio station perspective too.)

10) What is your favorite quote?

"We make plans and God laughs"

1) What's in your CD player right now?

I'm an iPod guy so it's a mix up between the new 4th Avenue Jones, The Beatles and The new album from Eric Clapton.

2) Do you have Musical Guilty Pleasures?

I'm not ashamed to admit that it's 70's love songs. My iPod is loaded with cheese!

3) Describe your favorite meal?

Crab Legs with smashed potatoes, corn and a truffle for dessert. Sweet Tea to wash it all down with.

4) Favorite TV program of all-time?

Quantum Leap