All Access Exclusive: Q&A With WUSN PD Kenny Jay

I wish Country radio had some equivalent of the Elias Sports Bureau so we could research this stuff, but it's quite possible Kenny Jay is the first person to program three major market Country stations within a two-year period: KMNB/Minneapolis, KMPS/Seattle, and – as of this week – WUSN/Chicago. Actually, the nearest and best thing we have to Elias is KILT/Houston APD/MD and ratings savant Chris Huff, a.k.a. "The Human Calculator," who pointed out to me that Jay may be in elite company. “The only person I can think of who would come close would be Erik Logan,” remembered Huff. “He had a rather whirlwind climb though (then-Country) KYCW/Seattle and KYCY/San Francisco, followed by WQYK/Tampa.” Logan's run (see what I did there?), according to Huff, spanned Spring of '96, to late Spring/early Summer of '98. Wanna know what else Logan and Kenny Jay have in common? WUSN. Logan served as OM for the station in the early 2000s.

PS: If you've never heard of Erik Logan and worry he faded into obscurity, fear not. He's riding waves in Los Angeles and running the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). I think he'll be fine. In fact, if Oprah does make a successful run for the White House in 2020, I wouldn't be surprised to see Logan named Secretary of State, Attorney General, or – better yet, knowing Logan's zest for nonstop, upwardly mobile activity – Secretary of Energy. Hell, he could probably handle all three cabinet gigs.

But, I digress.

I bring all this up because earlier this week, Jay was named PD at Entercom Country WUSN/Chicago, one of the properties acquired in last year's Entercom-CBS Radio merger. To recap his journey toward Chicago, let's recall that Jay had programmed legendary Country station KMPS from January 2016 until the station flipped formats – first to All-Christmas music in November, three days after the Entercom-CBS marriage was consummated. Two weeks later, KMPS ditched holiday music and took the station AC, relaunching with new KSWD calls, while branding as "The New 94.1 The Sound."

Prior to his January 2016 arrival in The Emerald City, Jay already had big time radio chops, previously programming KMNB (BUZ'N)/Minneapolis. He first joined BUZ'N as MD, shortly after its December 2011 flip to Country, and helped build it from the ground up before rising to the PD chair in 2014. Even that wasn't his first programming rodeo though; Jay led WUBB (BOB 106.9)/Savannah, GA for two years before the BUZ'N move. His radio roots also include time as MD with WWQM/Madison and PD for KQYB/La Crosse, WI.

But, he's in the Windy City now – market #3 – at another set of legendary calls, WUSN. After the last two years, and – paraphrasing here – "what a SHORT, strange trip it's been," immediately come to mind.

I reached out to Jay for his thoughts on the move, 'USN, and how his prior experience might shape his approach to programming this legendary brand, while fending off a competitor, iHeartMedia's WEBG (Big 95.5). Here's our brief Q&A.

RJC: Since KMPS flipped to Christmas music in November, everybody wondered about your next move. Between the flip and the holidays, you had some time away from the format to gather your thoughts – was there ever a doubt you'd end up at a Country station again?

KJ: Never a doubt. Even if I had stepped into a VP/Programming role somewhere, Country would have to be part of the format portfolio. I love all kinds of music, but 21 years would be too much equity to throw away. It takes a special personality – that I don’t have – to program some gold-based formats, and it helped me realize that no matter how bad of a day we have in the Country format, it’s still the best format to be a part of.

RJC: Also, being on the sideline and observing the business and the format you're so familiar with gave you time to be a listener, albeit for a short time. What did Kenny Jay the listener learn that Kenny Jay the PD can use in this new position?

KJ: I listened to stations in every format in cities large and small and found some bright spots, but only a few situations that were compelling enough to make me want to listen more, and only a few prizes that I would truly want to win. On-air talent need to lead the way in creating radio that keeps brings listeners back – whether it’s to a different daypart, or to their show a different day. I want talent that you would DVR – compelling enough to make listeners think that if they miss a day, they really miss something. The music will always be a big part of the equation, but good on-air talent will keep radio relevant for years to come.

RJC: In the last 24 months, you've now programmed in three major markets. I realize you're only days into the Chicago experience, but can you tell us what you learned about this format that was similar – and different – about Minneapolis and Seattle?

KJ: The biggest similarity is how amazing my wife is! We’ve been fortunate to be in amazing cities for amazing job opportunities, but since leaving Madison, WI in 2011, we will have moved 6,200 miles in seven years to settle in Chicago. If we’re talking about the format – I see, hear, and feel how strong the Country format is. Love your listeners, and they will love you back.

Weather, traffic patterns, and the preferred musical texture of each market are very different. Summer comes six weeks later in Seattle but lasts later than Minneapolis. With traffic in Minneapolis, you’re usually home for dinner, but sit in traffic on I-5 in Seattle for an extra hour extending the higher workday levels of listening.

For each station I start at, I pick a song that texturally defines the center of the Country format for that station. In Minneapolis, it leaned a little more Rock with Randy Houser’s "Runnin’ Out Of Moonlight," and in Seattle it was more Pop with Keith Urban’s "John Cougar, John Deere John 3:16." I’m still wrapping my head around it in Chicago, but if I had to say right now, Old Dominion’s “No Such Thing As A Broken Heart” is the center of the format for US*99.

RJC: You have experience in a station launch and as the challenger with KMNB – and then, with a heritage station at KMPS. Now you're at another legendary set of calls, WUSN. What made this gig so exciting to you as a programmer?

KJ: VP/Programming Todd Cavanah, APD/MD Marci Braun, and the US*99 team have had an amazing run over the past year refreshing the brand, and the table is set for us make a great run. Bonus – 90% of my family and friends are now only a two-hour car ride away!

RJC: Are there any comparisons that can be made with WUSN to KMPS? You have a younger-targeted competitor across the street that has, at times, seriously challenged your leadership there. How does WUSN separate itself, and can the market share for Country grow larger?

KJ: They are both heritage stations, but it's two completely different situations. KKWF consistently was a top-three radio station in Seattle. They had a 10-year head start in the format compared to the competition in Chicago. I don’t get hung up on the format battle in a market as much as some people do; I prefer to focus on every detail of our execution. US*99 will separate itself by taking a leadership role in this cluster, company, and the format and in every way possible – from talent breaks, Nashville partnerships, imaging, social, and how we serve our communities. If we’re doing those things right, listeners feel it and it will translate to ratings, revenue, and more market format share.

On a personal note, I've sorta followed Kenny Jay since his time at WWQM/Madison. I met him there while working records for Arista Nashville and have been talking music and radio with him regularly during his time in Savannah, Minneapolis, and Seattle. I will tell you, he's the same guy in Chicago that he was in Madison. And, that guy is smart, focused, genuine, and gracious. He's good for Country radio; I'm glad there was, as he said, "never a doubt" about another format. I wish him well at WUSN and will eagerly watch how that Country competition turns out.