10 Questions with ... Justin Case

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Justin Case has served as Operations Manager for Scripps Media/Wichita's five-station cluster since 2012. His radio resume is impressive and includes some of the strongest, most successful, and iconic brands in Country radio: WZZK/Birmingham, WWYZ/Hartford, WDSY/Pittsburgh, WUSN/Chicago, and WYRK/Buffalo. Case has been in Country radio through many music cycles, dating back to the Class of '89, through the 90s boom, its recent success with younger listeners, and through Bro-Country. He's seen and done it all. All Access sought his perspective on how to curate a legendary brand, the state of air talent, the current music cycle, how to balance a playlist, and what is coming next.

1. Justin, thanks for taking the time for 10 Questions! I'm looking at the list of Country stations you've programmed, and it's pretty much an All-Star lineup of powerful, longstanding, and important brands in these communities: KFDI, WZZK, WUSN, WWYZ, WDSY. Oversight of brands like these is a tremendous responsibility - is part of the approach saying to yourself, "Let's try not to screw this up?"

(Chuckle) You would think, but actually it is more like, "How can I contribute to success?" Before even taking on a challenge you must ask if "I" am a good fit for the organization. Does my skill set get them closer to their goals? I passed on jobs, because I didn't think I was a good fit.

2. Part two of that - at what pace do you evolve a legendary radio station? All of them need freshening up at some point, but there's a delicate balance between evolution and revolution - go too far, and you blow your feet off. Move too slowly, and you are left behind. What has been your approach on that?

You listen - to your station, to the competition, to your team, to the research, and to the audience - and make a determination. You can amplify strengths and minimize weaknesses right away. Each station is different. WDSY was a gradual evolution. We moved WYRK right away. We planned and conspicuously rebranded WUSN with new voice, new imaging, logo, and positioning over a weekend. WZZK evolved twice, as I remember. Once, when I first arrived to fight the battle, and a second time when we landed Rick & Bubba. KFDI is a unique situation. It has news images and is THE severe weather station. It has more than just a music pillar.

3. A year or so ago, I interviewed you after you'd completed a year-long search for a new morning show on KFDI. Is this kind of an example of the above questions - that the hire had to be done right, the fit nearly perfect, and the audience instantly comfortable, or you risk shocking core KFDI fans?

Beverlee Brannigan and I would rather wait and find the right person than just fill a position. And, believe me, finding a person who wants to engage with the audience, do good in the community, and understands the heritage and other images of KFDI takes time. We are needy. If the fit is wrong, you will just end up doing it again.

4. Jumping off that point - and this is something we've discussed offline - finding really good air talent is getting harder every day, no matter the maturity of a radio station. As a PD who sees inbound airchecks and materials on a constant basis, what are current radio personalities getting wrong that they should be addressing to improve their craft, and advance their careers?

Talent may not be getting it wrong. It may be our lack of coaching and assisting in their development. Talent should be the most important part of our day, and many times that is not the case. When I was in Top 40, I had a consultant named Tom Zarecki who would fax over pages and pages of handwritten notes. He was listening in real time on a "listen line." The detail of critique and suggestions were so valuable. I would encourage talent to seek feedback and find mentors. Listen to other successful personalities. Some people just have it, while others can become very good at their craft through study and discipline.

5. Another concern you and I have spoken about is the sheer volume of music coming at radio. It's a firehose every week, and radio struggles to figure out the balance between exposing new stuff and remaining familiar. Record reps would say, "expand your list." Why is that not so easy?

Expanding a list is easy... and it would certainly make life easier. But, the "volume" issue would soon be back on your doorstep, because there is soooo much music. I have a tight list by choice, because I want the songs [KFDI MD] Carol Hughes and I agree on to get exposed in a meaningful rotation. When we believe in a song like Midland's "Burn Out," we expose it throughout the day. I see a math problem with the volume of releases. You'll have 152 stations on a song over here, 112 stations who have committed to a new artist over there, and maybe pockets of support for something else, but only in overnights. Every PD must pick and choose, so there is a risk that you have 1,200 spins with the early stations and 150 from the tail. Building lock-step consensus is getting harder. More songs - harder still. What I know is that there are not 45 #1s a year; that there should still be four-week number ones; that some song are not hits; and that playing the best songs for the right period of time means you have a real gold library years down the line.

6. KFDI is a unique radio station in many ways, but one example is the commitment to news and information. How many Edward R. Murrow Awards have we written about for your team over the years? With news and info more of an on-demand service for most, how does your team keep it fresh and informative? Is being local a big part of that?

The RTDNA has honored KFDI with 13 National Edward R. Murrow Awards since 2001 - two in the last three years. But, how do we keep it fresh and informative? We chase that answer every day by asking "What is news today for my audience?" A new coffee shop, ways to save money, ways to serve your community? Often you are reporting news that people already know. So, we must focus on the breaking local news and severe weather reporting. The digital platforms are another whole discussion.

7. Let's talk about KFDI, Wichita, and music tastes. The market has just over 500,000 in population, and - by our last count - nine Country signals getting in there. If you had to quickly profile what works for Wichita, how would you describe the most on-point music mix?

I wouldn't even try. I will say that there is an expectation of sound for KFDI that is unique from other stations I have worked at. We have a good support team and let the research guide our decisions.

8. What about Country music in a more global sense - where is it going? It's more Pop than ever; Rock and even elements of Hip-Hop and R&B are working at any given time. Traditional music serves as texture for Country radio now. You and I have been in this format long enough to feel the big difference. Is it a positive one?

All of those influences are fine. For me, it still comes down to balance. Again, you have to trust your team and research and program accordingly.

9. Will Country's core demo always be considered 25-54? Asking, because 18-34 has been the most consistent demo for Country in the last five years. With genre definitions falling fast, Millennials and Gen Zs dominating the workforce, and the country's population, is it realistic to think a Country station can still be the one-stop family reunion experience it has been, historically?

The center will always fluctuate based on trends. But, I believe that Country will always be an adult format because of the stories and content of the songs. Adult themes. People hear a song and think, "That's where I'm at right now in my life." I know Country will always be a place where people come to hear a curated list of high-appeal and relatable songs based on the tastes and values of the listener.

10. Last question - as someone who has been at this awhile, through many iterations of the format (90s boom, late 90s, Bro-Country, etc.), you still seem still excited about music and radio. How are you keeping things fresh - and yourself motivated - to come to the station every day and keep KFDI vibrant, fresh, and in a leadership position?

I love music - all kinds. I love listening to radio! I'm motivated by my team members and that every day is different. I love that my team is invested in the community and interacting with listeners daily. Music trends come and go, but living a legacy of service to a community is hugely rewarding and motivating.