10 Questions with ... Jon Pole

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

My first radio job was in Renfrew, Ontario as a part-time op and announcer. My father had sold the stations and the new owner hired me to help out. I was 15. From there I got promoted to Pembroke. I worked at CHOK in Sarnia during my final year of high-school and at CFRB 1010 and MIX 99.9 while I attended college in Toronto. After college I was hired as the Promo Director at CKSY FM in Chatham and eventually moved to sales. I was then hired by Bayshore Broadcasting as Retail Sales Manager for CFOS and MIX 106. I helped launch the Canadian office of New Revenue Solutions before co-founding and building MY Broadcasting Corporation. We started in 2004 with one station and later this year will launch #21.

1. You've been involved on both sides of the business, as a station owner/sales manager and as an on-air talent. First, let's go back to the beginning: What made you want to go into radio in the first place? Why radio? (Your dad was an owner -- think it's genetic?) And what was your ambition when you got into the business, to be on the air, to own stations, or both?

My Dad is a phenomenal entrepreneur and his dream was to own a radio station. So he bought one. When he owned his stations I was still young, and everything I did at CKOB and CKOA basically felt like chores. Once he sold them, and the new owner started paying me, my attitude changed. The key thing my dad taught me (and continues to) is the importance of being part of the community - and that's a key to the success of our brands. My original love was on-air, but I knew sales was the engine of the business , so I was just as passionate to learn that side of radio. I wrote down that I wanted to own a station by 30, and we were granted our first license a month before my 30th birthday, so I call it a win.

2. You've worked at some legendary stations, including CFRB and CJAD. When you started at those stations, was there any feeling of pressure to perform? Did you feel that you needed to live up to a historical high standard? Or were you able to keep the history and the job separate and just do radio?

I'm a HUGE fan of radio, so the legacy of CFRB 1010 and CJAD 800 are not lost on me. Hosting a major market talk-show was on my radio bucket list. My job is running MBC, but my hobby is radio. Mike Bendixen gave me a shot at Newstalk 1010 doing some fill-in and it was a blast. Chris Bury asked about CJAD 800 and to be on the air in Montreal is very cool. ‎I'm a high performer at any task, and I strive to not let people down. Mike and Chris gave me a "shot" so I focus on the product first, keeping people listening longer and doing a show people will want to talk about with their friends. So, I keep the "history" of the stations to the side, but respect it.

3. You've worked in smaller markets and the stations you own are in markets that are around, but not part of, the big Ontario markets. What's your perspective on radio's prospects for growth outside the major markets -- is the outlook stronger for areas less affected by agency business? Is digital the same competitive threat and/or revenue growth driver as it is in, say, Toronto? Are you bullish on local radio?

I'm super pro-small and medium size radio, and radio, period. It's a great business and I don't see that changing. You do work harder in smaller markets. Our group is well positioned geographically, and we're still growing. The large majority of our clients are LOCAL owners, so we have to make "radio work" and we do. It's exciting. We have close to 45 news people - because the community connection is the foundation of what we do and sell. As for digital, we get higher rates because we sell it differently than the big guys, but we limit inventory. We haven't mastered that part of our business yet, but we're pleased with the progress. Our markets don't have high-highs or low-lows - they're steady growth. MBC has been ranked as one of Canada's Fastest Growing Companies for 6 years in a row by Profit Maganzine.

4. You host the night show on CJAD -- what's your approach to the time slot? What kind of topics do you favor, and is there an "everybody's talked about it all to death all day" effect on what you prep for the show?

I started doing a talk show because we needed someone for our Sports station and didn't have a budget. So I did two hours every morning from my home studio. That really taught me time management for my day, prepping and topic selection. Prep is the key. I look at every topic with the sense that it hasn't been done til I do it. My job is to make it fresh and interesting - if I can't do that, I don't do the topic. Most nights I find the topics usually end up being the stuff everyone else will cover tomorrow. My selection is driven by "do I have an opinion on this" and "can I make this entertaining" vs. "It's in the news."

I don't believe great talk radio requires guests or calls. I only have a guest if they can answer a question I have or can't answer myself, or they're really cool. I only use callers as "spice" to the show. I'm always prepared for NO CALLS. It's the old Jim Rome - more of me, less of you is a better show. Set ups, teases, texts, audio drops all need to be planned. Walter Sabo taught me that people will call when they want to fix you or tell you you're right - so I set up each topic that way. My show sounds very "free wheeling" but it's very prepared and quick.

5. Of what are you most proud?

I am most proud of the fact that numerous times, radio people have told me "it can't be done" and then my team does "it" with impressive results. Oh, and if my wife is reading this, the answer is my kids. They're pretty awesome.

6. Who are your influences and inspirations in the business?

This could be a long list! In Canada, I was shaped most by my CFRB early years, so Ed Needham, Gary Slaight, Rob Mise, and John Oakley. Gary Slaight as an owner was awesome role model. I should also say Christopher Grossman, because he sold his small market company for a record amount a few years ago, and that really opened my eyes to how our group could really grow and be valued as a business.

From the states, Howard Stern, Tom Leykis, Phil Hendrie, Jim Rome on the performer side and on the business side, Mike Hulvey, Bud Walters, Jerry Lee, Mel Karmazin, Walt Sabo and Roy H. Williams.

7. Most of the stations you own are AC or Classic Hits, and given CRTC restrictions and the fact that they're FM stations, that's understandable. But you do have one unusual spoken word FM in Peterborough, a sports station, and I'm interested in how Extra 90.5 came to be. What was the thinking behind doing Canada's first Anglo all-Sports FM, especially given the station's relatively small coverage area? And do you think that, eventually, there will be more sports and talk radio on FM in Canada?

‎We bought the bankrupt CJMB-FM when it was a religious station. In Canada, it's called a "specialty license". So our options were Religious, Blues, Jazz, or talk. We flipped to EXTRA 90.5 - talk SPORTS radio. It's like a "sports bar". We wanted to make it work without changing the license. Sports is all about "community," so it fit into our philiosphy. Darcy Magee, our group PD, had lauched The Team 1200 in Ottawa, and Rob Mise and myself worked in "talk." so we felt we could make it work. It was an experiment (and still is). This is year three. and it's really starting to work. Sales are growing, and the product is really solid. Our purchase of the Pineridge stations really made it work. It will make money this year and will be a real money making asset in the future.

I doubt you'll see other FM Sports formats in Canada because music is easier - and sports takes a lot of sales calls to make it successful. It's not an overnight success. Small market sports works in the US, so we'll make it work here. It takes patience and taking chances. Since we launched the station, the OHL Peterborough Petes returned to the play-offs, the Blue Jays have been post season contenders, and the Maple Leafs are on fire. We're taking credit for all of that. Also we added Bubba the Love Sponge in the morning. It was risky, but we believe it's going to be a winner - the feedback has been huge. Seriously, Bubba's show has never been better than the current cast.

8. What's been the highlight of your career so far- you get only one peak moment. What was it?

Launching our first station - 96.1 myFM. Our staff of 6 made it happen. We made a difference in our town from the first day. It was very special. That team grew to over 100 and with many wins along the way - but it started with CHMY-FM.

P.S - the day I'm invited to Howard's studio will top this. Someone make that happen.

P.S.S - we were "myFM" before LA, Chicago and wherever else ripped us off. Just sayin'.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ______________.

My team. Our MBC crew is awesome. Many have been with us for years. They get what "local" is all about. They get what "team" is all about. We're a family. Every single day someone impresses me from this group. They make work fun (as it should be).

10. What's the most valuable lesson you've learned in your career so far?

‎Ed Needham once told me that you should never be a slave to your boss. You should work hard at what you do, and have the confidence that if your boss doesn't value you, you will succeed elsewhere without him/her. I've always approached every job or assignment with the mentality that - I will outwork anyone to be the best. I'm a successful guy, but it is not by accident - I worked hard, I listened, I failed, I tried again. There is no such thing as "it can't be done." The great Ted Rogers always said "the best is yet to come."