10 Questions with ... Tom Oakes

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Oakes joined Scripps' five-station Springfield, MO, cluster in mid-August (Net News, 8/7), stepping immediately into an ownership change. (More on that below.) He arrived from Ohana Media Group in Alaska, where he had served as VP/Programming for the company as well as VP/GM for its stations in Anchorage and Wasilla. Prior radio jobs include VP/programming for New Northwest Broadcasters and PD of Federated Media's WBTY/South Bend, IN; as well as programming stints in Omaha, Madison and Des Moines.

1. How are you liking Springfield so far, especially compared to Anchorage?

I arrived on August 15th under some unique circumstances. I rolled into work at 8a working for Scripps Media only to find out at 10a that our Springfield stations, along with Wichita, Knoxville, and Omaha operations, were being purchased by SummitMedia. It may be one of the shortest stints I've had with one company - 16 days! Summit took over through an LMA September 1st, and as of November 1st officially own us. But it's all good. A lot of work to get done as we've switched all our websites, the back end systems, and the like, as you would expect with an ownership change. But on the air we keep rocking forward doing our jobs.

Springfield is great marketplace, we're only 30 minutes away from Branson, and Kansas City and St. Louis are only a couple of hours away. And of course we are the home base for Bass Pro Shop. Plus, it's a college town with Missouri State and a couple of other smaller colleges. It's a cool community and market to be in.

The biggest difference between Springfield and Anchorage is that I miss seeing the mountains every morning and talking with Bullwinkle when he would stop by the office to nibble on the trees. Over the years everyone who would ask me about Alaska mentioned how far away it is. But it is worth visiting. It's unique, beautiful, and worth seeing. I loved my nearly 13 years there. So go. See it. Explore it. (Hello Alaska Division of Economic Development ... you can send the check to me in Springfield!)

2. How has the ownership transition been so far?

As with any change, we are learning how SummitMedia operates. Any time the ownership changes, there's a new set of procedures, systems, and expectations. At the same time, we get to benefit from new resources we have available. The chance to work with a legendary programmer like Senior VP/Programming Bill Tanner is an opportunity of a lifetime, as well as working with our two outstanding VP/Programming execs, John Olsen and Beverlee Brannigan. I'm getting to know Bill and John, and I've known Beverlee for many years and admire her work and accomplishments, and now have a chance to work with her. Plus, having a chance to talk and share ideas and experience with our fellow PDs and OMs is great. To cap it off, we have great GM in Rex Hansen.

3. Summit is not as well known in the radio industry as some of the bigger players. What is your impression of the company so far, and its commitment to radio?

The best news was when we found out SummitMedia was purchasing our stations. We were gaining an ownership that believes in radio and is committed to creating great radio.

4. You spent a fairly long time programming Country music in Alaska. What is that market like for Country, and how does it differ from the lower 48? Any surprises most people wouldn't know about that market?

Anchorage is like any other market, listeners want to hear a compelling, entertaining, informative radio. Some folks may still think of Alaska as a remote place, and while its not attached to the lower 48, Alaskans hear and see everything that is going on either through radio, TV, and social media. What makes radio unique is based on where we live. Alaskan radio is unique and reflects the lifestyle of the state. It's in Alaska where you hear live, play-by-play of Iditarod sled dog racing or coverage of the Iron Dog-the world's longest snowmobile race. Or the on-air message boards, which relay news from family and friends in one part of the state to those in the bush communities or those out on the fishing ships who may not be into port for a while.

What people don't realize is how competitive Anchorage radio is. There are five News/Talk stations alone competing for the listeners' ears. Add in two Sports Talkers, and those alone shows you how crowded the AM dial is. On FM there's well over 40-plus signals ranging from the full power stations to translators, commercial, and non-commercial and, for the most part, at least two stations in every format. It's a great market of nearly 400,000 when you combine Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley.

5. In Springfield, you succeeded Mark Grantin, who was beloved by both his staff and the industry, and lost his battle with cancer in July. What is it like stepping into that role under those circumstances?

I had known Mark since the late '80s when he was programming a Classic Rock station in Duluth. He and I met through a college buddy of his who knew I was from the area and though I might be able to help Mark out. A year or two later, when I had a full-time opening on our staff at Q106 in Madison, Mark joined our staff and did everything from copywriting and promotions to on-air, eventually becoming PD after I left. He was rock solid, and I'm glad we had to chance to know each other and work together.

Fast-forward to 2018, and hearing the news of Mark's passing saddened me greatly. To be invited to step into his role to program KTTS gave me very mixed emotions. It was very gratifying to get the call, but at the same time, I know I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Mark. As much as I love the job, I'd rather have Mark here with his family and friends.

The transition was unique as I stepped into an open OM role, and also took over KTTS, replacing Mark. [I'm also] working with our CHR, whose PD left in July for larger market opportunity, then capped it all off with the sale of the stations. To say the least, it's been interesting, challenging, and fun. Best part of it all is Mark brought together a solid staff of dedicated pros and I'm proud to work with all of them. Their presence makes the job easier as we carry on Mark's legacy and work.

6. You had your own cancer battle last year. Can you talk about what you've gone through and how you're doing now?

I was diagnosed on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend 2017. It left me in a very strange void. I wasn't quite sure what to think or what to do. You know people who have gone through it, but never expect to have it yourself. The strange part was the cancer was on my tongue, which was a shock in itself. I have never smoked or chewed, and the kind of cancer I had was what you would find in someone who did.

When I announced I had cancer, the first phone call was from Mark Grantin, who gave me a pep talk and a lesson in how important a positive attitude is. I heard from Tim Closson, and Scot Michaels, as well my friend Jamie Miller in Anchorage who went through the same battle. They, as well as my family and friends, [were] extremely supportive as I began the fight. Seventeen months later I'm cancer free, continue my quarterly checkups, and keep a positive [attitude]. Jamie gave me a sign, which I have in my office today: "Cancer touched my life so I kicked its ass."

7. You recently went back on the air doing fill-in shifts after overcoming what you have described as a mental hurdle about your speech being affected by the cancer. How does it feel to be back behind the mic?

After my surgery, I became very self-conscious while my tongue was going through a rejuvenation of the nerve endings. It still feels like half my tongue is thick, so my perception when I talk is I hear myself screwing up the simplest words. So going on air, I became very afraid of sounding OK. But one Sunday morning the [air personality] called in sick and I had no choice. I was a nervous wreck, but happy I did it because it helped me re-grow that confidence.

8. How did your cancer battle contribute to your decision to leave Anchorage?

If anyone tells you that [you don't] give a great deal of thought to your life when you go through a catastrophic illness they're not being truthful with themselves. It played a great deal into my decision. Over the years I lived in Alaska my family all have had the chance to come see beauty and experience how special Alaska is. I loved living there. But at the end of the day, I was 2,400 miles away from my brother Steve and the entire family and all my friends. After nearly 13 years and too long of a plane ride to the Twin Cities, it was time to get home to be closer to Steve and family. No regrets on leaving Alaska as it will always be a very special part of my life and it will be a vacation destination for me.

9. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing country radio right now, and how do we overcome it?

There are a lot of choices today for consumers. With over-the-air, online, and on-phone streaming and smart speakers, we need to work even harder to keep our top-of-the-mind awareness. Creating compelling radio while making sure we're in step with our listeners' changing taste in music is at the forefront. Country music itself is different today than it was five years, let alone 43 years ago when I spun my first Country song on the radio.

10. KTTS just won the CMA Station of the Year trophy on November 14th. How did that victory feel for you and the staff, and how did you celebrate?

I'm very proud of the work and effort that our staff puts into creating a great radio station in KTTS. They understand the station's heritage role in the market, its importance to the listeners and community, and what we need to do to stay on top. From on-air to news to community involvement, we have a very dedicated group of folks to make it happen every day.

The morning we received the call from Jason Aldean it was champagne toasts for everyone led by our general manager, Rex Hanson. It was a day that was filled with big smiles and tears on what has been accomplished and thinking of our friend, the late Mark Grantin, who was a driving force behind the success of KTTS over the past several years. This award is a result of Mark and the staff's hard work and dedication.

What's the origin of your "Commander Tom" on-air handle?

When I joined WWQM (Q106)/Madison in 1988, the station was far, far behind our main format competitor, WTSO-AM, which was full service, had well established personalities and ruled the market with solid, double-digit ratings. We needed to help our air talent stand out. Working with the legendary country programmer Rusty Walker, we came up with nicknames. We had "Red Hot" Ken Scott, "Prime Time" Charlie Thomas, "Big Red" (who was big and had a head full of red hair), and it's where Mark Grantin became "Mr. Mark." Following the "Commander" title given to the afternoon host at KWEN/[Tulsa] and at Y100/San Antonio, I became "Commander Tom." It worked along with all the other elements we put in place as the station grew eventually to become #1 in Madison.