10 Questions with ... Scott Shapiro

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

As Vice President of FOX Sports Radio, Scott Shapiro oversees the daily execution of the company’s sports programming for the industry-leading sports radio network which reaches more than 15 million monthly listeners on more than 500 stations nationwide. Joining the company in 2015, he worked closely with his Premiere Networks team and FOX Sports TV on the acquisition and launch of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” resulting in a cross-platform simulcast on FS1 and Premiere. Along with Don Martin, Premiere Networks SVP of Sports Programming, he has helped oversee the launches of “Outkick the Coverage with Clay Travis,” “The Doug Gottlieb Show,” “Straight Outta Vegas with RJ Bell,” the first-ever weekday radio show focused on sports betting, and “The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker,” the only daily national sports radio show featuring two African-American personalities. Shapiro and the FOX Sports Radio team have also launched national weekend programs featuring several marquee names, including Caron Butler, Brady Quinn, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Robert Smith, Cedric Ceballos, Jim Jackson, Cuttino Mobley, Chris Mannix, Bill Plaschke, Rob Ryan, Jason McIntyre, and others. Shapiro previously served as Program Director of ESPN Radio, where he helped drive all-time peak listenership and viewership for “Mike & Mike,” “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” and “SVP & Russillo.” Prior to that, he served as producer of “Mike & Mike,” which experienced double and triple-digit ratings gains on ESPN Radio and ESPN2.

1. You went from business school into radio. How did you get into radio, and why?

In a sports marketing class during my senior year at Emory University, Andrew Saltzman -- who owned 790 the Zone in Atlanta, a Fox Sports Radio affiliate -- was a guest speaker. Having been a fan of the station, I loved every second of Andrewís speech and grabbed his business card afterwards. After graduating from Emory later that year, my first job out of school was an entry-level TV production job at ESPN in Bristol, CT. Throughout my time in Bristol, as I was putting highlights together for Sportscenter, etc., I would keep in touch with Andrew solely from a networking perspective. I had always worked in television and hadnít ever seriously considered working in radio, but I figured maintaining contact with Andrew was smart. After updating him on what I had been working on after a little more than a year at ESPN, Andrew responded to my email and asked if Iíd have interest in producing his morning show at 790 the Zone. I was so taken aback by him asking that question that I didnít feel it was a legitimate ask. I figured that he had me confused with someone else! Here I was, a 23-year old kid with ZERO radio experience, and Andrew barely knew me ñ I grabbed his card after his speech and toured the station in the weeks right after I met him, but that was it. All in all, he did intend to target me for this producing position because I had maintained a relationship with him over email.

It was all about networking in the truest sense. I had branded myself well via email and never asked for a single thing when I had touched base with him. I probably emailed him three times over a period of 15 months, updating him on my career progress at ESPN, and it turned into him asking me whether I wanted to interview for his morning-show producer position. I wound up flying down to Atlanta for an interview, and sure enough, I got the job! And let me tell youÖI thought I was set up to fail! I came in as a wide-eyed, 23-year old without knowing the slightest thing about radio, and I was tasked with producing the stationís morning-drive show with three hosts, all in their upper 30s, who all had at least 15 years of radio experience. How I survived that experience, Iíll never know! And why they took a chance on a kid like me, Iíll also never truly know! But Iím glad they did. If they didnít, thereís no way Iíd be working in radio today.

2. You have personally worked with, as boss and as producer, with some of the biggest and most well-known talents in sports radio. Have you sensed a particular series of traits in the talent that reaches the top levels of the game? Is there a drive or work ethic in common among the big names?

There is no doubt about it. Just like in sports on the field of play, a certain few athletes set a high bar when it comes to talent. But talent alone does not get the job done. The folks that persevere work at it tirelessly. And those that excel need to have a genuine curiosity for the subject matter. Show prep should not only be moments before the show. Those who are truly compelling on the air live and breathe the content throughout their entire day. Itís reading everything they can get their hands on to have a full understanding of the stories of the day, with numerous perspectives to shape their own opinions. The very best need to be a sponge for new information, but the hardest part is then executing it in a way thatís entertaining and informative to the audience. Itís never just about regurgitating the information. The most talented hosts have the ability to bring a depth of well-researched information to the air and discuss it in a way that drives reaction and emotions out of the audience.

3. From the beginning, we've seen varying philosophies of sports radio programming, some stations and networks leaning towards "guy talk" or dependency on phone calls, and some leaning towards interviews and harder-core sports. As a national programmer, how do you approach that dichotomy -- what philosophy guides what you and FSR do?

As a syndicated network, our goal is to provide the very best topical sports talk to our 500+ affiliates. Our mission is to provide the greatest coverage on the biggest sports stories at that very moment in time. Local stations generally have more leeway with their audience to stretch the envelope ñ especially on stories that relate specifically to that local market, but our pledge is to stay true to our mission and serve what our affiliates partnered with us to provide. Thereís a lot of different ways to present that mission where each personality has their unique style, but we remain committed to our core of being the best sports talkers, period.

4. FSR is taking a shot with R.J. Bell in addressing the explosion in legal sports betting. Do you see gambling talk as something that will be more of a part of all sports talk programming in the future, or as specialty programming, or even a separate format? How do you see legalized sports betting affecting sports radio?

This is a major growth opportunity, and Iím very happy that one year ago, FOX Sports Radio launched the first-ever, national, terrestrial, daily, sports-betting show with RJ Bell. And the growth after one year speaks for itself. ìStraight Outta Vegas with RJ Bellîís AQH audience is up 175% from its first ratings book in October í18 to August í19 among Men 25-54 within PPM markets. And the podcast for the show is up 95% this year. The key is making this genre of sports-talk interesting for both bettors and casual fans. If done right, this style of talk can be attractive to all sports fans as the angles discussed are just a different perspective on the biggest sports stories of the day. And as RJ smartly says, cold cash is greater than hot takes! When money backs up the opinions on the show, you know these are smart, well-researched opinions that listeners can either use to make their bets or to discuss with their buddies at the bar.

5. You've developed a lot of talent at FSR and ESPN, and continue to rotate new talent into the lineup on the weekends. Where do you find is the most fertile source of new talent -- is it from recently retired jocks, small markets, podcasts, bloggers, sportswriters? Where's the farm system?

The beauty with this one is that thereís no clear answer. What makes this space so fascinating is that the pool can be literally from anywhere. Weíve had hosts on the air who were players, coaches, executives, local hosts, national hosts, TV personalities, podcasters, Fox Sports Radio producers, writers, editors, etc. Those who start dabbling in radio always think it looks easy, until they realize they have to speak for 10 straight minutes while being compelling, with the added pressure of driving ratings. Everyone in the business says that those looking to break in need to get reps, and there couldnít be a truer directive. To be the driver on a show, the 10,000 hours mark typically applies, but the beauty of the current day is that anyone can get reps now. Since everyone and their plumber, and their plumberís daughter, now have podcasts, reps are far easier to attain. No longer do you need a job in radio with a fancy studio as your only means of getting crucial on-air time. Anyone who is delivering audio content on a regular basis (whether to one audience member or thousands), and who strives for continued personal improvement, is putting themselves in a position to grow in this crazy audio landscape.

6. In programming a national sports network and working with talent, you're dealing with regional differences in sports preferences; some areas are all about college football, some are not at all about college football, some are NFL dominant, and so on. How do you gauge what to focus on for national consumption when, for example, the Southeast is going to want to hear about SEC football 24/7 while other regions might be wanting NFL talk or NBA talk?

This is the delicate balance we are striving for at all times. Iím a research hound, so Iím always trying to get a clear glimpse of consumer consumption habits. Our goal at the end of the day is to provide listeners what THEY want to hear; not what we want to talk about based on our personal interests and agendas. The most important thing we do each day is select the topics that we feel are the nationwide hits. We look closely at radio ratings, TV ratings, web metrics, and social resonance when determining which stories will have the biggest and broadest appeal no matter where someone is in the country, how old they are, what their favorite sport is, etc. Ideally itís the human drama of sports that tends to cut through. Itís the storylines and topics far more than the Xís & Oís from the field.

7. Who have been your influences and inspirations in the business?

I couldnít be more fortunate to work with Don Martin and Julie Talbott in my current role. The way they treat their people and create a family environment, beyond having a great vision for the business, allows this place to be so special.

I learned the art of radio from Andrew Saltzman, Steak Shapiro, Matt Edgar, Neal Maziar, and Scott Masteller while I worked under them. Iíve been blessed to work with some brilliant minds in the space.

As a research hound, I learned non-stop at ESPN from Barry Blyn, who oversees the consumer insights division and is one the best presenters of information in the business.

Iíve also always respected how Jacob Ullman and Gerry Matalon connect with talent on a personal level and are selfless in their pursuit to grow them.

8. Of what are you most proud?

Nothing makes me more proud than working in the field that Iíd be otherwise consuming if I wasnít working in it. And thatís the honest truth. If I wasnít getting paid to listen to sports-talk, Iíd be doing it anyway! Itís an absolute pleasure to work in a field that my heart is aligned with. It allows me to be far better at my job given that itís a source of passion. I often turn on Fox Sports Radio to escape from the real world, and by listening, it puts me immediately into work-mode. But itís an incredible thing to like work so much that it provides an escape at times from everything else.

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

10. What's the most important lesson you've learned in your career?

Itís all about the golden rule ñ treat others how you want to be treated. There can be so many profound angles to this answer, but truthfully, it boils down to this simple saying. Iíve always been very observant about how managers throughout my career have led, both in one-on-one settings and when speaking in front of hundreds of people. As a manager myself, Iím not perfect. Iím human, and Iíve grown comfortable in my own skin, knowing that I owe everyone in the family who works with me respect and fairness. They may not always like my answer or decision, but if I treat everyone fairly and with respect, and treat them the way I would like to be treated myself, I can sleep well at night knowing I have both the interests of the company and the interests of all of our people in mind.