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10 Questions with ... Mike "Big Daddy" Abrams
October 23, 2006
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NAME:Mike "Big Daddy" Abrams mike.abrams@xmradio.comTITLE:Senior Program Director, XM Dance and Adult Contemporary FormatsCHANNELS:XM 25 The BLEND, XM 26 Flight 26, XM 23 The BLEND, XM 83 CHROME, and I oversee XM 80 the MOVE, XM 81 BPMMARKET:North AmericaCOMPANY:XM Satellite Radio, IncBORN:Brooklyn, NYRAISED:Brooklyn, NY
Background:
I come from a Top 40 background. There was a time when radio was PROGRAMMED by the PROGRAM DIRECTOR. You wanted to work for the PROGRAM DIRECTOR. The company was secondary. Whether it was the legendary Sunny Joe White at KISS 108 or the legendary Clarke Ingram at KRQ Tucson... There were great PDs... who picked GREAT music. And had GREAT radio stations. Anyone with enough wisdom (years) under their belt can remember these times, and it was the reason so many of us got into the business.
Please outline your radio career so far:
WRCN/1985, WAPP/1985-1986, WHTZ/1986-1988, WJLK/1986-1988, WAEB/1988, KFIV/1988, KHQT Hot 97-7/1988 (1988 was quite a year), KSXY/1988-1990, KSND 1991, KKFR Power 92/1991-1993, WQHT Hot 97 1993-1996, WBHK/1996-1999, WBTS 95-5 The Beat/1999-2000, Satellite One Division Of Radio One/2000-2004, XM Satellite Radio/2004-Beyond...
1) What was your first job in radio? Influences?
I always wanted to be in radio, and used to imitate the DJs on WABC when I was 7... (I still have the cassettes and you won't ever hear them!). It is always what I wanted to do. I suppose it is fortunate to have that outlook at a young age. WABC and then the old WKTU in New York were very influential radio stations for me as a New York Yut. My first PAID job after B91 WKRB at Kingsborough College (makers of some great radio people) was at WRCN, an "AOR" station on Long Island. I made the airchecks in my bedroom. It took three until PD John Grappone hired me. Thank you John. I wasn't a big rock fan at the time, I took off records that were playing on the air (I have those cassettes too, and you won't ever hear them either!) and didn't know what I was doing and was a nervous wreck. But the several hour mass transit commute to the end of Long Island from Brooklyn was worth it... and it was at the time market 12!
There were so many early influences I have had, and I am happy to still be in touch with so many today. I would never trade in the relationships I have forged so long ago that still exist with so many great radio people. So some quick thanks to John Grappone for giving me that first shot. Pat Gillen for letting me develop and learn. Tim Downs for giving me that first MD chance. Whitney Allen for the talks. JoJo "Cookin'" Kincaid for being as amazing off the air as on every time we talk. Buddy Scott for taking time out from programming in Market 3 to talk to someone interested in the business... and Dave Robbins for doing the same (I never forget). Joel Denver for the early days of being there. Gary Spears for picking up the request line and giving an obnoxious kid his first paid job. Steve Smith for an incredible ride in 3 cities that shaped radio in those cities, and the passion that will never be forgotten. Judy Ellis for a few unforgettable words and much more. Ric Cummings for the faith. Bill Tanner for taking a chance on letting someone program and for an amazing opportunity at a time it was needed. John Mathews, Alfred Liggins, Scott Royster, and the Radio One group for allowing a division to grow, and Lee Abrams for just being a genius. I am sure I am leaving some people out, and after I hit SEND I will remember, or you will email me and say "HEY!" So I apologize now. I am sure everyone who has been in the business long enough has some amazing people that influenced them as well. The one thing I have learned is that companies will come and go... radio stations will rise and fall... but the people remain the same. I am grateful for the influences these people have had on my career. When all is said and done, people, honor, and self-respect remain. Thank you, and no influence is EVER forgotten. Never should be!
2) What are some of the differences between having a national audience, versus a local audience?
Being national, we can of course expose what we do to more people, and have a larger influence. And in reality, how LOCAL is LOCAL in radio today, anyway? Radio stations are voice tracked from other cities... stations are "music only" in many dayparts... stations have plays mandated from national consultants and "brand managers." And in larger markets, the landscape is that of the country... different in different areas of the market. Someone living in the South Bronx and someone living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan are part of the "same market" but most likely lead very different lifestyles. We do the best we can with the national influence we have. And our personalities will take calls and talk about events from all over North America, instead of all over the local market. North America is our market.
3) Should terrestrial radio feel threatened by Satellite radio?
Years ago, did elevator operators feel threatened by automatic elevators? Satellite Radio is just another delivery system, and one that has many advantages and a totally different model from terrestrial radio. We are about providing channels above and beyond expectations for music lovers. We cater to the fan of the channel. We do not have outside influences, spots, and advertisers on our music channels. We are about the subscriber. And just like bottled water and cable before it, satellite radio is again proving that people will pay for something different... something more than they can get for free. Should terrestrial feel worried about SATELLITE radio? I would say No. Satellite isn't the enemy. Should terrestrial be worried about the validity of the commercial advertising for income model, or worried about the lack of creativity, the lack of personalities that mean something to a market, the lack of programmers who can actually program from their GUT like the way great and passionate radio stations were once created? Yes. Don't blame satellite radio. We weren't here first.
4) With no commercials, your rotations must be pretty high. What affect does this have on the life span of a record on Flight #26?
Actually, with the exception of 20 on 20, our ADD Top 40 channel which plays what people ask for, our other hit based channels such as Flight 26 do not rotate songs any more than an FM station. In fact, as you can see by looking at Mediabase, we rotate songs less... and we play a lot of gold that you cannot hear on most similarly formatted FM stations. We are not about TSL. We are about satisfying the needs of our subscribers, and we do this by providing a compelling and different product. Even though it is hit driven, and may not be as eclectic as many of our other channels, we still can do more to provide a more interesting listening experience, which we attempt to do. Otherwise, why pay for XM! Oh, we also play requests sometimes too. Really play them!
5) Have you every considered doing some kind of national remote broadcasts?
We do remote broadcasts all the time on many of our channels. Whether it be from the Ultra Dance Fest in Miami or Willie Nelsons picnic… We do many live broadcasts from some of the nations bigger events. We were the exclusive national satellite provider of Live 8, broadcasting from sites around the world with simultaneous feeds. We don't do remotes from Carson Chevrolet, however... Just from events that target the listener of the specific channel they are aired on.
6) Do you find your audience asking for more of the emerging artists that they can't hear on Mainstream terrestrial radio? What role does XM Satellite play in breaking these artists?
The most requests we get on our AC and Hot AC channels are for new songs. Flight 26 is still a hit based channel, and therefore does not go too far outside the compound... however, we are free to play and add songs we think are GOOD. I sit down weekly with Jon Zellner, our SVP of Programming every week, and we listen to and put in music. It isn't about research (can you research new music... no). It is about feeling good about a song. Taking a chance. Sometimes you are right... sometimes you are wrong. But as long as there are more rights, you have an interesting station or channel. One that is unique from the rest, and one that is your own.
7) How have music file sharing services, affected the way you program to your audience?
We look at what people are downloading. How amazing is it that many times it is something totally different from the charts! While looking at Napster and other download charts is very important, it is still important to keep in mind that those downloading, usually younger people, have the time and take the energy to do the work. Download and burn the CD. In reality, not EVERYONE, especially those who listen to music more esoterically has that time. There are families. There are other things that take time out of their lives. So the music downloading lessens or stops. As long as RADIO and Satellite RADIO is a portable medium, and provides entertainment that can influence people and let them hear new music EASILY, I feel that the download services and those things that take EFFORT should be looked at. But being "too hip for the room" is something that shouldn't come into play. Nobody can complete with download services. They give you whatever you want on demand. So lets make sure we keep in mind those that don't use them too. We have those people all to ourselves.
8) Describe your weekly music meeting... a) what is the process when you listen to new music? b) approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play, and chart position when determining the status of a record?
I have yet to see an average American listen to music in a "meeting." With Flight 26, after hearing a lot about new music from Priestly, sometimes Mike Marrone, and some of the other PDs, and listening, I go in with Jon Zellner and talk about what we should add. He doesn't always agree, and sometimes we go his way or we go mine. A good argument is always where in the end everyone agrees. We look at chart position and other tools, but it really comes down to... is the song GOOD? Sometimes it takes a few people to determine that. Sometimes Jon gets songs I don't and many times vice versa. I also feel. If you heavily use research, use it to confirm or deny your beliefs. I have been involved in many facets of radio research. Once research went from being a tool to being a mandate, everyone lost.
9) How do you stay in touch with the latest music trends?
In this multi-tasking, multi job function world it isn't always possible to go out and hear everything and talk to everyone you want to. The one thing that has been important at EVERY radio station I have been associated with is the ability to LISTEN to those around you that are always right there in the thick of it. Weather it be the person who goes to clubs all the time on a rhythmic station, or someone who just loves and searches out music on a Hot AC. You should have a pulse on what is going on with TV and downloads. Not just other radio stations. Songs have broken off of WB shows! So what I do is keep up with what is going on, LISTEN to others I work with, in other formats... in the hits area... anyone who is PASSIONATE about the music on the channels I work with. Assuming you know it all is just arrogant. Your radio station or radio channel needs to satisfy more than just YOU. So LISTEN to passionate people around you.
10) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
I would say there are two. Number one is the viability of a commercially supported medium. We zap past the spots on TiVo... and many other forms of media, including satellite are making commercials obsolete to listen to on music radio. Being creative with short spots and things that are going on are a major plus for the industry. The 60s and even 30s... may be part of a dead platform. Number two is creativity. Everyone needs to take 3 steps back and look at radio and their stations like real people. Are they creative, fun, passion filled, interesting, exciting places... or are they safe, boring, repetitive, similar and doing the SAME thing that has been done for years and years. As mentioned before, I got into the business because of the passion that came out of the radio. The passion needs to return.
Bonus Questions
Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?
I see the industry very different, as things are changing so much, especially with HD radio coming. HD is a new medium and if done right, will provide a lot of freshness to the industry. I see myself right here at XM.. maybe in the west coast office.
What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?
My email is mike.abrams@xmradio.com. My AIM is MikeNY33. If you have any question, email me. Talk to others in the business who have been around through the amazing times. DON'T go into a situation and think you KNOW IT ALL. I never did. I listened and learned. I watched, I talked to people... and asked. As I found out BEFORE doing all that, arrogance and thinking you know everything is just that, arrogant! There is only one cure for not having experience... and that is... having experience. If you don't have it, get together with someone and share ideas and thoughts with them.
What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Be passionate. Be relentless. Let people you work for know your views and thoughts. They may not always like them, they may not always agree with them, but at least they know you have them. Then they can judge you as you.
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