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10 Questions with ... Moose
February 13, 2012
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- KQNU/Sioux City, IA (PD/Mornings) - 2009 to present
- WXKB/Ft. Myers, FL (MD/Nights) - 2006-2008
- WGNX/Vero Beach, FL - (Mornings) - 2004-2005
- WINK FM/Ft. Myers, FL - (MD/Nights) - 2003-2004
- WBTT/Ft. Myers, FL - (MD/Nights) - 2001-2002
- WDBT/Jackson, MS (Mornings) 1999
1) What Got You Interested In Radio?
Sister Mary Katherine said I talked to much and even at the young tender age of 12 I knew I needed a job that would control that horrible habit. Actually the truth is a teacher (not a nun) told me I had the "voice" for radio and said I should really look into broadcasting. I didn't really know what she meant. Actually I thought she said "face for radio" and I was depressed for days. It took for my now wife to convince me that I could really do it. Once I got in school and in a production room, I never looked back.
2) How do you position the station musically?
"New 102.3" is Modern Hit Music. We are a Hot AC hybrid that leans Alternative. This allows us to play both Pop and Rock and any other hit we may find.
3) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?
Sioux City has its own uniqueness, bordering three states (South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska) and the overall size of what I call the "biggest small town" would surprise you. That said, it still takes about 10 minutes to get just about anywhere so the morning commute is shorter than some of the other markets I have worked in. All the stations in the market run live morning shows but our company is the only one in the market that has live jocks all day. Our GM loves live radio and really gets not only social media but technology as a whole.
4) How are you using social media to market your radio station?
We try to market the station without using marketing. I hate it when radio stations use their "free pass" to fans to only assault them with coupons and promos. They click LIKE because they do like you but if you inundate them with garbage they will UNLIKE you just as fast. Facebook is a great connection to your listeners but they also know when you are selling them. We talk to them on Facebook with the jocks Facebook pages, and use the stations page as almost an extension of each jocks topics, content, and other useful components. You can still sell and promote but do it in a conversational way. Believe it or not, your fans have an audience too and they will share you to their friends if you give them a reason.
5) What is it about your station that you feel really makes it cut through?
We really strive to connect to listeners in more the just being the "DJ" on air. Through the use of Facebook, texting, webcams and even Twitter we can stay in touch with them throughout not only the show but the rest of the day as well. We try to make the content useful, fun, informative and local. With the competition jocks coming from New York, LA, San Antonio and Miami, we can be Sioux City while they are the voice in the box.
6) What can we be doing with our station web sites to better our stations as a whole?
More porn!!.....sorry that was my midday guy Jeff. How about one word...UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! Ask yourself if you went to ESPN.com or YAHOO.com and they had the same stuff up for a week....Would YOU go back?
So many stations put up sites and then just ignore them. Giving them a reason to come to the site at all is the point. Keeping them coming back is the GOAL. Morning content should be on the site for fans to revisit. They do not listen to you everyday even though some may want to. Web cams give fans a sense of the behind the scenes and allows then an entirely new style of games and bits you can do. More importantly make the sites listener friendly and easy to understand. With the advances in Facebook web sites are becoming less and less necessary to listeners. Give them a reason to check yours out daily.
7) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
For me the answer is how to keep up with the ever growing competitors. Youtube, iTunes, Pandora, Satellite. The answer seems fairly easy. Be more compelling and connect with your listeners. Yesterday's handshake is really at the touch of a button for us now.
8) What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?
I would love to see two things. 1). More live jocks on the air, with engaging talent, and compelling content (yes they are out there right now) 2). More stations hiring those talented people and less "jock in the boxes."
9) What other stations and markets do you like to monitor?
I tend to watch KSTP, KALC, WDVD, WTMX, WRMF, WBMX, WZPL.
10) Do you have any music scheduling tricks you've learned that you wish to share?
Yep F-10 does not mean you are done. Rich Davis once told me doing good music logs is an art form, take your time and do it right.
Bonus Questions
What are your hobbies?
Hobbies? What are those? With technology it is becoming more and more important to have these things called hobbies. I love sports, music and running the snow blower on cold day (it's actually kind of peaceful). The truth is my biggest hobby or things I do when I am not at work is to spend time with the kids. Even if I have the ugliest of days I can come home and get a hug from my daughter and the world is right once again. (It also saves on therapy, try it!)
What is your favorite TV show?
I have shows I have to keep up with for the Morning show, but then I have what I call "my shows". These are the show I watch for me. I love "American Horror Story" and "Sons of Anarchy" but my real favorite is "HOARDERS." I recently was told by my wife however that I am no longer allowed to watch it. She says I get too "worked up "and then start making the kids clean their rooms and nag about the clutter on the counter.
What has been your biggest accomplishment?
I would have to say my daughter. She was child number three. We were done at two kids but she did not get the memo. She is currently six going on 15. Wish me luck.
Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?
I think we can always improve. Radio today is truly about being talented and being useful. The more skills you have, the more of an asset you can be to your GM, station, cluster, and company.
I look for ways to improve my out of the box thinking, mastering photo-shop and learning Spanish because according to Glee and Ricky Martin it's going to be a highly sought after skill in 2025
What do you like best about working in this format?
I really like the different sounds we hear in some of the artist. A lot of the Pop music today has the same dance beat or the hip hop beat and we hopefully offer some relief to that.
Please describe the best promotion you've ever been part of?
I love our current promo. We are giving away a "Siouxlands Largest Valentine." We have three billboards in the city that will have a personal message to someone's Valentine. Plus flowers, jewelry, dinner and a movie.
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