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10 Questions with ... Joe McCoy
October 14, 2013
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I began my radio career as a DJ for WADS in Ansonia, CT. From 1967 to 1968 I worked at WAVZ in New Haven, CT. (I used the name "Joe Lane" at both stations). In 1969 I got my first job in New York City at WOR-FM. I stayed there through a format and call letter change when it became WXLO (99X) in 1974. I got my first PD job in 1975 at WWCO/Waterbury, CT. I worked as a part-time DJ at WCBS from 1975-1981 when I was between jobs. In 1976 I went to WNBC to do middays, and from 1978 to 1981 I was the PD of WNVR (14NVR)/Waterbury-Naugatuck, CT. I was then named PD at WCBS-FM/New York in the summer of 1981, and I continued working there for 23 years. After retiring from WCBS in 2005, I worked as a consultant for radio and television.
1) What Got You Interested In Radio?
I got interested in radio at t he age of 11 listening to Alan Freed on WINS in New York City in the '50's. His enthusiasm for the music and his listeners was contagious!
2) Please tell us about your new show "Jukebox Saturday Night"?
"Jukebox Saturday Night" will be a throwback to the music that most of terrestrial radio ignores... the early years of Rock n' Roll... the 50's and early 60's. There are tons of people with disposable income that crave that music, and with the exception of satellite, they have no place else to hear it on the radio.
3) How do you prep yourself for your radio shift?
I always look over my music sheets making notes about the song or artist. I check live copy, I read newspapers, and check the Internet for information I can use.
4) Who is the most amazing talent you've worked with?
The most amazing talent I ever worked with is a person who became a dear friend in life, "Cousin Brucie" (Bruce Morrow). We worked together as DJ's at WNBC in the 70's, and I hired him to come back to New York radio in 1982. No one treats his audience better than Cousin Brucie (now on Sirius Satellite "60's On 6" channel).
5) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
The most important issue facing radio today is getting people to listen to a local station. With so many other means of communication vying for a person's attention, radio has to do a better job of selling itself to the public. Many stations have lost the localism that made listeners tune in.
6) What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?
The biggest change I'd like to see happen in radio is the return of the DJ. We need less voice-tracking and syndication, and more live personalities on stations that reflect their audience. Also, and this will make you laugh, less commercials in a cluster.
7) What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you? The worst?
The best piece of advice in ever received was "Never trust anyone". Depending on the circumstances, it may have been the best on some occasions and the worst on others.
8) What advice would you give people new to the business?
My advice to anyone wanting to get into radio is "Never give-up on your dream. If you want it bad enough, don't let anyone discourage you. Rejection is tough. But remember, it's only one person's opinion.
9) What do you consider the key to your success?
I think the key to my success has been to go with my gut on most of my programming moves. I had the opportunity to do what I always wanted to do as a kid, and I made sure I never gave up on that goal. I'm thankful for the people that hired me and always believed in me.
10) What is the one truth that has held constant in your career?
"Good creative programming always wins."
Bonus Questions
As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?
Probably my only regret is listening to people who didn't know what they were talking about. There are a lot great B.S. people in this business who keep getting jobs convincing people that they are good at what they do... then can't measure up to the BS.
Do you have any good stalker stories? Misty requests? "Fatal Attractions?"
When I was a DJ at WNBC, I received a strange letter from a woman who said that I was so cute she could kill me. The next day while I was on the air, a lady who was on a group tour of the station slipped away into our production room which was facing the on air studio. I told the board-op who was working with me to tell security and get her out of the station. Later as I left the building, I heard this strange voice calling, me so I quickly moved through the buildings and she was nowhere to be seen again. They are out there!
What was the biggest gaffe you've made on air? (dead air ... forget a mic was still on ... etc.)
The biggest gaffe on air happened as we were putting on a new format on a station in Connecticut. We had been having problems with the microphone switch by the time I came on the air at 10a. I sat down, flipped the switch and it didn't work. I tried it a couple of more times and finally yelled to the engineer "Where the F--K is my mic?" ...and as fate would have it, as I said that the mic finally worked. Great way to christen a new format!
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