-
10 Questions with ... Mark Phillips
May 15, 2006
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
NAME:Mark PhillipsTITLE:Program Director/Morning PersonalitySTATIONS:WWGRMARKET:Ft. Myers, FLCOMPANY:Renda BroadcastingBORN:1963 in Postville, IowaRAISED:A small town in Southeast Iowa
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
PD WWGR/Ft. Myers April 2000-Present
PD WFMB/WCVS/Springfield, IL Dec. 95-April 2000
PD WGIL/WAAG/Galesburg, IL Nov. 91- Dec. 951. What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
My first job was doing evenings while I was in high school at KMCD/KBCT/Fairfield, Iowa. I did a 2 hour "easy listening" show followed by a 2 hour rock show and a 20 minute news block. The early influences in my career were the jocks on WLS-Chicago: Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards, John Records Landecker, back when AM Radio was boss. I could barely pick up the station but I listened to it and was hooked from an early age. Another person who influenced me greatly was Country DJ Hall of Famer Bob Grayson who passed away last year. Even though our personalities were completely different, he showed me the right way and the wrong way to deal with record people. I still draw on many of the skills that he taught me years ago.
2. Can you be a boss and also a friend to your employees?
Good question. I think that you have to relate to your subordinates based on their performance as an employee. I think as a PD you have to be many things to your air staff- boss, coach, psychologist, friend, critic. I think it's easier to be "friendly" than it is to be a friend.
3. Of all the skills that you've gained as a programmer, which area are you NOT as strong as you would like to be?
Writing and updating the station's imaging. I can do it I just have a hard time getting excited about doing it.
4. If you are wearing more hats today, than say last year, what area is suffering, and what are you doing about it?
Excellent question. I handle the morning show and PD duties. I think that updating and writing imaging sometimes tends to suffer because of all the other things I have to get done. Sometimes it also gets hard to find time to air-check the jocks as often as I'd like to.
5. What do you think of National Contesting? Is it effective?
I think it was much more successful when it first started than it is now. I think the audience has figured out how it really works. Part of the effectiveness of contesting is how the jock staff plays it up on the air and having excited winners on the air. Most jocks running national contests have a hard time getting excited about it because they don't believe in them. Then you never hear excited contest winners. None of us got in the business to do this kind of "smoke and mirrors" radio.
6. Will the advent of Satellite Radio affect our biz? Explain!
I think it already is affecting our biz. A lot of talented people have left for satellite radio. In country music that includes people like Eric Logan, Scott Lindy and Carl P. Mayfield. Plus of course we all know Howard Stern is now at Sirius.
I think it's still too early to judge the long term effects of Satellite Radio. I think their business model is still suspect. They've gotten very deep into debt, luring away quality programming which I'm not sure their subscriber base can support. I can see a day when XM and Sirius will merge in order to survive.
I think country listeners still like having the option of a local station with local personalities, that their community can bond with.
7. What do you like best about your job? Least?
Having someone tell me how much they love the station is one of my favorite things about the job. My least favorite thing is dealing with the sales department when they want a value added promotion or tickets for their clients.
8. What can we be doing with our station's web sites to better our stations as a whole?
I think the website can give a visual element to the radio station which can further bond listeners to the station. I think using the website to build a database is essential these days. Plus website advertising opens up a whole new revenue stream for the sales department.
9. What do you plan to differently in the next year regarding work and family?
I plan to work less and spend more time with my family. I've had those plans for the past 10 years and frankly it just doesn't seem to work out " as planned".
10. Who are your programming mentors?
As mentioned above Bob Grayson was a big influence on me. My consultant, Joel Raab, has also been a good mentor.
Bonus Questions
1. Do you read.....everything? Books, Magazines, etc. Nothing? What's your favorite reading material?
I try to read all the local papers, USA Today and Maxim Magazine. I would like to be able to read more books but frankly I don't have the time to read as many books as I'd like to.
2. Do you have Musical Guilty Pleasures?
I enjoy all types of music except rap and classical, but 95% of my time is spent listening to country.
3. You are on a desert island...what 5 CDs are in you portable disc player?
Hmmm. George Strait Pure Country, Kenny Chesney, Songs from an Old Blue Chair, Garth Brooks No Fences, Boston's 1st album(which I had on 8 track tape) and John Berry's Christmas CD.
4. Describe your favorite meal?
I'm from Iowa the land of corn and cows. A steak, baked potato and corn on the cob sounds pretty good to me.
-
-