-
10 Questions with ... Mark Mitchell
March 9, 2020
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Started out as a promo assistant/board op 100 years ago. Worked my way up to weekends/fill-in on the air. My first fulltime gig was in Parker, AZ in 1986. MD/Nights on 99 X FM. I’ve been programming radio ever since.
1. How would you describe your first radio gig?
Fun! I was broke but damn it was fun. Getting to learn the business from the ground up from great people! The whole vibe of the business was different.
2. What led you to a career in radio?
When I was growing up I used to listen to all the great CHR stations like KZZP in Phoenix and WBLI on Long Island. I was fascinated by how the stations were put together. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.
3. You have oversight of a couple of Adult formatted stations (along with some others as well). How do you keep all the balls in the air?
You have to be organized and you have to have reliable staff in your markets. Which we do, which makes my life a lot easier. Personally, I use a lot of technology like the MS Team site and MS One Drive to stay organized. Lots of lists and follow up items in my calendar.
4. “Local local local” has always been radio’s mantra. How do you keep your stations visible and involved in the community?
One thing that we do is keep key or prime dayparts either live or tracked locally by the staff. This way they are taking phone calls and interacting with listeners during their shows. We try to get out as much as possible. The Victorville cluster puts on several NTR events each year that are all hands on deck. The 20th annual Women’s Expo is coming up this month. Our OM, Coleen Quinn, has done mornings on the station for 25 years now so she’s pretty much engrained in the community. In fact most of the staff in Victorville have been there for at least 8 years if not longer. So the audience has a relationship with them.
5. Which social media platforms does the staff use to engage your listeners on these days?
Instagram and Facebook.
6. Where will the next generation of broadcasters come from?
I’m encouraged to see that there are some youngsters that are working in some bigger markets part-time that are excited to have an opportunity for a full-time gig in a smaller market. It’s up to us to build that bench. I think that some of the next generation are already working for us. We just need to find the time to mentor them and train them properly. If only there were 29 hours in a day…
7. What is your favorite part of the job?
Teaching. I love to see the look on someone’s face when they “get it.” Is that what’s called a “light bulb moment?” Showing someone a short cut to make their workflow better or coaching on their air shift is just the best. Especially when you see it and hear it all come together. I especially enjoy teaching our PD/MD staff about music flow and producing our stations.
8. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Shut up and listen and you might learn something. Someone told me that in 1985 and it’s stuck with me.
9. What was your favorite station when you were a kid? Jock?
Favorite station as a kid was KZZP and KNIX FM. And KUPD. Favorite jock as a kid was Dave Pratt on KUPD.
10. Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?
A good friend of mine who isn’t in radio anymore. I’m not going to mention his name but he has always had and has the best advice for me when it comes to our business.
Bonus Questions
The High Dessert is one of the most beautiful regions of the country. If someone were to visit there for the first time, what would you make sure that they saw
Historic Route 66. I think it’s a great history lesson and just fun to see where people traveled “back in the day.” Stop at the California Route 66 Museum.
-
-