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10 Questions with ... Jay Crockett
August 16, 2005
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NAME:Jay CrockettPOSITION:Operations Manager / MorningsSTATION:KSKG - KINAMARKET:Salina, KSCOMPANY:Eagle CommunicationsBORN:Paducah, KYRAISED:Southern Illinois
Brief Career Synopsis:
- Director of Programming WRIK, WNTX, WIBV, WKRO, KLUE, KZMA
- Program Director KBXB, KRHW, KBHI, Cape Girardeau
- Afternoon Drive KGMO
- Operations Manager WZZQ, WBUZ, WBOW Terre Haute IN
- Program Director WOOZ, WUEZ and APD WCIL (Marion / Carbondale)1. What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
My First radio Job was at WKYX/WKYQ in Paducah, KY. Good company, good people...but my job there was BAD! I think my life will be complete if I never see another Rabbit costume as long as I live! Early influences would be Jimmy Fish...he has taught me a lot...and also Bobby Cook, morning guy at WKYQ. I really don't think I have ever had a real conversation with him unless I was in trouble...but he was (is) so smooth and polished on the air. Always liked his style.
2. Can you be a boss and also a friend to your employees?
I battle that everyday. I think that the answer is yes. You just have to keep in mind that being someone's friend is personal and being their boss strictly professional. I have worked with a lot of people who I did not like, but who did a great job and vise versa. I just keep in mind that I am not here to win a popularity contest. At the end of the day we can all relax and hang out as friends...but when we're at work...we're here to get-r-done!
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?
I think it would be talent development. I am lucky to have a very good team here. They are all ready to punish the competition just for being there...and they are eager. As a PD I feel like the radio is my canvas and programming is my paint. I spend so much time perfecting my art that I have little time to help my up and comers. I think that is a challenge for a lot of PDs.
4. What do you think of National Contesting? Is it effective?
I have seen the statistics that say that only .4% of your audience will ever call the radio station. That's not too many. I would think that the number would be lower with a different phone number from the station's normal listener line, but I digress. If you are contesting to appeal to P1's and to try to move your P2's on to P1's (which most of us are) then I don't see why you would even bother with the national deal. Since so few people will call anyway the idea is that you can hear "Sally" from down the hall in accounting win a prize. Then Sally is your connection. Contests, like anything else we do, have to have some sort of connection to the listener. If 99.6% of the audience is not calling anyway we have hope that our .4% will have a lot of friends or we're spending a lot of money and time in vein. I don't think the chances are too good that my listeners know anyone in LA.
5. Who's your favorite air/personality not on your air staff?
I am a huge fan of Rick Dees. He played the big market game without being vulgar. It does not take a lot of talent to trash talk on the radio. Howard Stern has made a career and a lot of money trash talking on the radio, but not because he's a talented air personality...Howard is a talented marketer.
6. What is your favorite radio station outside of your own market?
I know I am a country guy...but I have a lot of love for WCIL-FM in Marion/Carbondale...it is a station I will always be proud to have worked at. As for stations I love that I have not worked at...Even though I would only close enough to hear it once a year I was sad to hear that they blew up Zeta in Miami.
7. What's your take on current music? Is it as good as say, six months ago? Better than it was? Same? Elaborate please?
Well I think the music is always better in the Summer. I love to hear the summer songs every year. That's how you know what the year will be like. Just listen to the summer songs. They're always the ones that you remember the most.
8. If you could add any one full-time position to your budget, with no questions asked, what would it be?
It would be nice to have a full-time Promotions Person. We are always going somewhere and doing something. It would be nice if we had someone who not only set that up for us, they could sell the events too! We are an employee owned company...so I make is a goal to increase revenue whenever I can.
9. In your opinion, what is the greatest song ever that never made it as a hit?
I wish the question was "what song never should have made it." That would have been a lot easier...but it would have taken up a hard drive space on Mr. Denver's website. The list would be long then.
10. Most surprising record of the past 12 months?
Van Zant "Help Somebody" It's just not doing it for me. I play it...and I play it...but I don't get it. This one might have been on my list for question 9.
Bonus Questions
1) Do you have Musical Guilty Pleasures?
I am a huge fan of the group Live...Green Day is good too...Oh, and I am a huge fan of Enya.
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