10 Questions with ... Jeff Wade

NAME:Jeff Wade TITLE:Program/News Director STATION:WGAN-WZAN MARKET:Portland, ME COMPANY:Saga Communications BORN:October 4th, 1975 RAISED:Coventry, Rhode Island

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Also worked weekends at WQGN-FM, New London, WWLI-FM, Providence, and part-time at WWHT-FM Syracuse.

1. How did you get your start in radio- why did you choose radio?

As a freshman in high school I was convinced I was going to be a columnist for a newspaper. Unfortunately, you couldn't take the journalism classes until you were a sophomore. Looking for something to do in the field of communications, I auditioned to read the news headlines at the radio station, WCVY-FM, which broadcast weekday afternoons after school. I knew almost immediately after I started that this was the only thing I wanted to do with my life. At first it was about playing the records (yes, I played records back in 1989), but in time I grew to love the relationship between the listener and the air talent -- the sense of community that radio has that isn't present anywhere else. It's the feeling of community that helps radio survive.broadcasters would do well to remember that as they struggle with the changes in our industry.

2. About what are you most passionate?

I truly believe great radio stations succeed because they make a commitment to being a part of the community. I credit the advisor of WJPZ, my college radio station, Dr. Roosevelt "Rick" Wright, with drilling this lesson into me. He has always espoused the values of LOCAL radio. It doesn't matter if you are a news station with a full team of reporters or an FM CHR station... you need to have people that are helping you make connections with the audience, who live where they live and talk about what they talk about. It drives me crazy when I listen to a music station and the jock is trying to sound like the smartest guy in the room by spouting off random facts about the last artist they played... no one cares. What about talking about the big high school football game this weekend? How about that obnoxious construction on the ride to work? Heck, at least talking about how it's a scam Chikezie got voted off American Idol over Kristy Lee Cook is an effort to talk about what your audience is talking about. It's the easiest thing in the world to do, and yet it's so hard to get air talent to think in these terms. Being relatable is the difference between jukeboxes and real radio stations.

3. Your station is the heritage, dominant talker in the market, with a stellar reputation for news. How, as a PD and news director, are you maintaining that position in the face of increased competition from alternative news sources, like the Web? What, if anything, do you see WGAN doing in the next few years in the new media area to keep its leadership in local news?

We've had to take a more aggressive role with our web content. We update the website regularly with breaking news and traffic updates-hugely important to the station's credibility. We're posting podcasts of our shows-interviews as well as a feature on our morning show we call "The Daily Rundown" (shamelessly ripped off from PTI: it's a roundup of the big news stories of the day). I've been writing a daily blog that outlines our news coverage plans, content on our morning show (including links to the stories we're talking about), and links to stories of interest. Our morning hosts write online columns as well. We're driving our audience to the website constantly with bonus links and content on our FYI page. Becoming a cross-platform brand will be what keeps WGAN a primary choice for our audience. We're hopeful to stream 24/7 in the future so the audience can hear us at work, and adding more photo and video content is also on our agenda.

4. If you hadn't gone into radio, what would you be doing today?

I seriously haven't considered this in over 15 years. I briefly considered being a TV Weatherman -- I could have been the next Brick Tamland. Most likely I would have taught -- my mother was a math teacher and I enjoy being a mentor and educator. I interact often with young broadcasters as the President of the WJPZ Alumni Association.

5. You are among the many professional radio people who are alumni of Syracuse University and its WJPZ -- you're the President of the WJPZ Alumni Association. How important was college radio in general and WJPZ in particular to your career?

WJPZ remains the greatest experience of my radio career. It was the ultimate "live without a net" scenario -- the students were 100% responsible for every aspect of the station, from everything on the air to the operations and underwriting that paid the bills. What separated WJPZ from almost every other college station I've encountered was the commitment to simulating a professional radio station environment. Too many college stations are still of the "let the student bring their own music in and screw around for 3 hours" variety. Sure, you probably have a lot of fun doing that, but what are you doing to prepare yourself for a career? WJPZ, and college stations that follow the same model, make the students better by asking them to be competitive with each other. So many WJPZ alums have benefitted from that experience. As President of the Alumni Association it's a thrill to interact with so many highly successful broadcasters who got their start thanks to WJPZ.

6. Who are your mentors, your inspirations, the people you've learned the most from?

Ken Grady was the advisor at WCVY in Coventry. He was the first person to instill the professionalism in me I strive for every day. Dion Summers, who heads up the Urban music channels at XM, was a mentor at WJPZ and taught me how to be relatable to the audience. Brent Petersen hired me at The Edge in Providence and helped develop me as a personality; later, his APD John Allers hired me at WEQX and taught me how to think originally and creatively about promotions. Ron St. Pierre at WPRO hired me twice and helped set me on my career in News/Talk. Dan Yorke was the first talk show host I produced and taught me how to deal with talent and how to produce a great talk show. David Bernstein really helped me develop my management skills at WPRO. Cary Pahigian is my current GM and mentor and I can't begin to tell you how much I've learned from him. (How many people can say they've had two PDs at WBZ in Boston as mentors?) Steve Goldstein at Saga helps me stay brilliant at the basics. Finally, Dan Austin is the GM at Albany Broadcasting and my best friend; he's the guy I know I can turn to when I need honest advice and feedback.

7. Of what are you most proud?

In 1995 we decided to completely shift WJPZ from a rhythmic CHR to an alternative CHR. We renamed the station "89.1 The Pulse" and re-did the logo, the music, everything. It made huge waves in Syracuse at the time and got us a lot of press. It was scary because the decision was controversial with both students and alumni alike. The student government even tried to block the change. It was original, it was thinking creatively, and I learned so much from that experience. Everyone should try a format re-launch at least once. It really does teach you a lot about marketing. The station is back to being Z89 now (and I've always said that the students should choose their own course, it's their learning experience), but while it lasted it had a lot of people talking.

8. What do you do for fun?

I love to run. Unfortunately, the winter in Portland has been brutal, so I haven't done it much lately. I read books, both fiction and non-fiction. Living in downtown Portland means I get to experience the great bar and dinner scene and I am still exploring it 3 years in. I root for the Red Sox, Patriots, and the Orangemen (when they aren't blowing 22-point leads to UMass, that is). I am a closet karaoke fan. My signature song is "The Gambler."

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

ESPN.com. Mostly because of Bill Simmons, but he only does 3 columns a week now, so I usually check out a lot of the video highlights and other columns during his off days.

10. What's the best advice you ever got? The worst?

The best advice would have had to have been my mother's, who encouraged me to try out the high school radio station that fateful freshman year. The rest is history.

The worst advice? Probably the high school career exam I took that said I had an aptitude for carpentry. Bob Vila has nothing to worry about from me.