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10 Questions with ... Ed Martin
October 3, 2006
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NAME:Ed MartinTITLE:Talk Show HostSTATION:WGY Newstalk Radio 810MARKET:Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NYCOMPANY:Clear ChannelBORN:Brooklyn, NY-March, 1954RAISED:Lynbrook, NY-lower middle and working class community at the time on Long Island
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Saturday host (10a-1p)-WGY past fourteen years.
New Weekday host-(6p-7p)-WGY
In 1970's-Nassau/Suffolk Market-Middays at WGBB, Mornings at WLIX, Islip1. How did you get your start in radio?
I was in high school during 'Nam and had organized a counter demonstration in support of the troops, which got me invited to be a guest on a local talk show. The station-WTHE, Mineola, NY-was in a building the size of a three car garage with a studio the size of the handicap stall in the men's room. I was amazed at the whole thing and started hanging out at the station on weekends to watch everything that went on. This led to a part time job, soon traded for a full time job doing PM drive on WLIX, Islip, NY which was no small feat in that I was attending college full time as well. (I cut a lot of classes) Moved to WGBB, Freeport (suburban NYC) for a midday shift and got disgusted when my ratings rivaled the legendary William B Williams (WNEW, NY) and Susquehanna wouldn't give me a $25/week raise.
At that point I took a "day job" to pay the rent, but couldn't shake radio from my blood, and did weekend mornings at WGSM, Huntington (Greater Media). A couple of years later a local guy that I knew- Al D'Amato- ran for US Senate as a long shot and I traveled with him and became his sounding board on how to say what he was trying to say. Lo and behold, he won, and I went to Washington for the next ten years for the same job Tim Russert had with Senator Moynihan. That's when I left radio. Russert went to Albany, NY to work for Mario Cuomo and the Democrats, and I soon followed to work for the Republican Senate Majority Leader. When Russert took that big job with NBC, I stayed and helped throw Cuomo out. My guy Pataki became Governor and I ran his inauguration, and to this day hold the record for throwing the largest party (13,000+) ever held in the City of Albany, NY.
About that time, I was approached by Kelly Carls to do a weekend talkshow on WGY. Been there ever since-almost fifteen years if you're counting. Ironic: Russert and I had virtually the same background. He was liberal and I was a conservative. He's on the network and I'm on WGY. I'm not complaining, just making a note.
2. What are you passionate about?
Aside from my "bodacious ta-ta" (aka: my wife)? I'm Irish and therefore am a bundle of honest emotion that can run from tears to anger to humor. I cry at pain and personal loss and become energized in mobilizing a community to do the right thing. I get pissed off at the failure to acknowledge truth and the general lack of common sense and street smarts that all too often characterize some in our society.
While my family comes first, I am extremely passionate about this country and the challenges we now face and those who take it all for granted are, in my humble opinion, dangerously naive.
I hate those who hate and recognize that you cannot have peace with someone intent on killing you no matter what you do.
3. Do you think your past political insider work has had an impact on your radio work? What, if any, special insight does having worked hands-on in politics give you?
Of course. People will listen loyally to someone who knows what they are talking about. I worked in the US Senate for someone who was on the Intelligence Committee and Chaired the Banking Committee and who worked on urban and agricultural issues. For a while I worked in the Reagan administration for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and have been to ANWR and know that there's nothing there but ice and oil underneath.
We are all a composite of our experience and working in politics, the US Senate, the NYS Senate, FERC, and the Casino Gambling Commission has given me enough knowledge about many matters to be considered dangerous.
My listeners know I can call a scam a scam and know when someone is throwing the political BS as opposed to making an impassioned case for a course of action. I can spot spin a mile away- I used to generate it- something I will readily apologize for.
Special insight? Political polling has weakened this country and has given us a generation of weenies seeking office as opposed to true leaders, which is what this country needs now more than ever. I can speak to it first hand.
4. If you hadn't gone into radio, what would you be doing today?
Calling in to radio shows and writing letters to editors.
I guess I'm not really "in radio" in that I am part-time. I've started and operated a consulting business and now manage a trade association involved with keeping racing and pari-mutuel wagering on the up and up. But my love is radio and I would be a liar if I did not admit my addiction or desire to do this full time someday.
5. You do a political talk show on weekends- how do you get people who are in Saturday morning/weekend mode to get into politics? In your years of doing shows weekdays and weekends, what differences do you perceive between the two- do you have to do anything different on the weekends from what you'd do on a weekday?
It's very hard to command a loyal audience for a talk show on a weekend. That's why to so many stations it's a "throw away" time to be sold for infomercials. But you can make money and command an audience based on personality, substance, controversy-and last, but certainly not least-HUMOR. Your host must bond with the audience and frankly, not take himself too seriously.
When I'm on people are: 1) sleeping in and just getting up; 2) going to the dump; 3) puttering around the house and yard; or 4) ferrying the kids somewhere. You must tell them things they didn't get anywhere else and help bring insight that they may not have considered. At the same time you must tell them something each week that is truly memorable that they will laugh about and repeat at dinner that night.
The job is harder on a weekend than it is on a weekday. If you're on every day, you build an audience based on content as well as daily routine. Once you've fit in to that routine you're solid. On a weekend, it's a "special tune in". Your listeners have to make a point to tune in and the necessity to be compelling every time is more acute.
Stations will promote weekday hosts. Promotions for weekend personalities are, at best, minimal. So, you need not complain about it, you need to stand out even more.
WGY just expanded my program and now I'm on "every day but Sunday." That afternoon drive hour has a lot more information elements and the time to develop a topic is more limited.
PS-I don't consider my show political. It's about whatever's going on-political or not. I'm also a Dad, husband, ex-husband, homeowner, football fan, ex-piano player, and general all round schlep who enjoys good food, fermented grapes, hanging out with people I like, and going places I've never been. It all gets worked into the show from time to time including the Nun who routinely banged my head against the blackboard in 5th grade Catholic school.
6. Are people in the Capital District more politically aware/savvy/interested than average? Do you think being in the state capital makes a difference?
People are people. Those who live in state capitals often work in or around the political and governmental process and as callers often offer insight not found elsewhere. But I have substituted for KNST in Tucson, Arizona and WLAP in Lexington, Kentucky and have found listeners there as aware, savvy, and interested as anyone else.
I look at it this way: politics can be like mud-wrestling but when it screws up the governing we all had better pay attention because we are footing the bill. What happened on 9/11 occurred because politicians from both parties did not pay attention. What happened to New Orleans when Katrina hit was yet another example of political weakness at all levels causing a leadership vacuum. It affects everyone and that probably explains the popularity of the syndicated talkers. People want to know what's going on and why. We have to do that and make it entertaining or else we won't survive.
7. Who are your influences, in radio and in life?
My radio influences from a very early time have been Bob Grant and the legendary storyteller Jean Shepherd. I do not emulate anyone else on the air but just try to be myself. Be unique.
In life-my influences come from Sue, my children, former radio guy Father Parke ("God wants you to have fun"), long walks in the woods or drives in the mountains, and my best friend since first grade, Don.
8. What do you do for fun?
I have been doing a talkshow weekends on WGY for almost 15 years of Saturdays. To me, that's the coconuts.
When I don't want to do that, I go to Ireland and what happens in Ireland stays in Ireland.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.
...thinking of something I want to share with my audience because it will make people laugh or better understand something that's going on. After that, the usual things: water, TP, food, a good woman. Oh-don't forget, indoor plumbing is most desirable.
10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?
Best advice: "Know what you know and know what you don't know."-my Dad.
"Just be yourself" - Tom Parker, former WGY PD.Worst advice: "Be very careful of your enunciation."-a PD told me this twenty years ago when announcers spoke perfect English. Poppycock! We are people communicating to people. As long as we are speaking English I have a fighting chance. Once I have to speak Spanish to be understood, I'll hang it up.
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