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10 Questions with ... Mark Anderson
February 14, 2006
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NAME:Mark AndersonTITLE:Director of Contemporary FormatsCOMPANY:Audience Development GroupLOCATION:Las Vegas, NevadaPHONE:(702) 966-0380BORN:1973 At William Beaumont Hospital In Royal Oak, MichiganRAISED:Sterling Heights, MI
Please outline your radio career so far: (station/date, station/date, etc.)
On-air personality at WIOG/SAGINAW, WSGW/SAGINAW, WKFR/KALAMAZOO, WKMI/KALAMAZOO, WHYT/DETROIT, WPLT/DETROIT, and WDRQ/DETROIT between 1991 and 1996.
PD of WYSS/SAULT STE. MARIE, Michigan-Ontario 1996-1998
APD of WKFR/KALAMAZOO, 1998-1999
PD of WIOG/SAGINAW and Citadel Programming Consultant, 1999-2003
OM/PD of WKST-FM/PITTSBURGH and Clear Channel CHR/Hot AC Brand Manager, 2003-2005
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP Director of Contemporary Formats, 2005 to a long time from now.1. You were a very successful Program Director. Why the hell would you give that up and go into consulting?
Radio needs more help now than ever. Unfortunately radio hasn't been getting it - correctly - from the other consulting/outside help options that were available.
2. CHR stations have Fall 2005 ratings coming back with some of the worst numbers in years, all over the country. What's the problem?
A). Programmers and talent that cannot connect to Females lie to themselves and others, claiming it's a "Persons" format. They use this as an excuse to put Male material on Female targeted radio, which (1) alienates women, and (2) fails to attract men, who don't want to be caught listening to a station that's for girls.
B). Five and ten years ago we didn't train programmers well enough, and they cannot read the room right now. The end consumer is acquiring music much more slowly lately, which leads to fewer overall hits that hang around with high passion for longer. CHR programmers are still moving songs through the system at lightning-fast speed like its 1999. This makes their friends at the record companies happy, but leaves the end-consumer unfulfilled.
C). Programmers who do not have experience connecting emotionally with Adults lie to themselves and to others and claim Top 40 is a "Teen" format. They then attempt to reach young end-consumers using the bad attention getter: "Hey, teens!" This alienates everyone over the age of 18 who don't want to listen to a "Teen" station, and fails to connect with Teens who, since the beginning of time, have refused to be treated as anything less than "Adults" or "Young Adults."
3. What's the hardest part of your new job?
Dealing with Managers who think their radio station is "hot" when it's in 19th place, or "performing very well" when it just went down 29%. There are a lot of these people in our industry right now. Not only are they criminally insane, but, they are making the rest of us look bad.
4. Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?
Out of business, unless we stop accepting, facilitating, and championing failure and those who fail.
5. Just about every market has a station flipping to "Jack," "Bob," "Max," etc. What are your thoughts on this new format? Will it go the distance? Or is it just a fad?
I wasn't crazy on the concept at first, and have publicly stated that, before we put a first name on it, we just used to refer to those stations as "bad" radio stations.
I listen to the "licensed, actual" Jack here in LAS VEGAS, and I confess there are some parts of it that I actually enjoy. I would like it more if there were EXCEPTIONAL PERSONALITIES on it. (Same holds true for just about every other station and format.)
I have been laughing out loud, watching other consultants that had nothing to do with the creation of "Jack," copy and steal the idea and take out ads claiming to be a "Jack Expert".
Note that nearly every "non-Jack Jack" is failing miserably in the ratings, right out of the gate. I hope our industry holds these guys accountable for their failures!
6. What format does not exist that should? Would it work?
The answer USED to be "Number OnesSM" and "Hip ACSM", but we just launched those here at AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP. Call me for more information at 702.966.0380.
7. Over the years, we've had the "British Invasion," "Disco," "New Wave," "Rap & Hip Hop," "Boy Bands," and many other genres & sub genres of music take off. What do you think is the next emerging music trend?
That doesn't matter. What matters is we're NOT doing a good enough job of satisfying what our listeners are asking us to deliver RIGHT NOW. We should figure that out and deliver before we start worrying about tomorrow. If we screw this up bad enough today, there won't be a tomorrow for any of us.
8. What was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you at a remote?
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested me outside of a bar event in SAULT STE. MARIE Ontario because someone misfiled my work permit. I got to spend a nice night in a foreign jail while they sorted it out.
Oh, I also had to get naked at a remote with now-WXDX/PITTSBURGH's Alan Cox and my gay on-air talk show co-host at some nudist resort south of BATTLE CREEK, MI.
9. What is the most rewarding promotion or activity your firm has ever been involved with to benefit the community or a charity?
Most consultancies don't, and think this rule of business only applies to their client stations. I'm working with the March of Dimes to establish AIR (Achievement In Radio) Awards in more markets. March Of Dimes is a great organization, created BY radio originally; and it's nice that they want to help our industry salute ourselves for the few things we ARE doing RIGHT these days!
10. What's the best thing you've learned from someone who used to manage you?
"To be successful, you have to be number one in SOMETHING."
Bonus Questions
How did you get your present job?
I used to be a client. In fact, Audience Development Group was the only major consulting firm that I didn't fire for sucking when I was a PD.
Tell us about something you really screwed up.
When I was a kid, Doug Montgomery offered me a position with WBCT/Grand Rapids. I accepted, but later accepted a counteroffer from my current employer. I never had the balls to call Doug and tell him I was going to stay; I just acted like a stupid kid and left him hanging.
Doug continued to be super cool and even went so far as to try to hire me later. He never held my young stupidity over my head, and I give him super high "man points" for that. I am also really impressed that he has continued to kick ass against all kinds of new competition for years and years and years.
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