10 Questions with ... Jon Zaghloul

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Jon began his sports media career at 13 years old with the launch of SportsTalkChicago.com. After dedicating a year to strictly written content, he expanded into the podcast arena, and, by age 15, landed his first-ever guest in Len Kasper, radio voice of the White Sox. From there, Jon has welcomed top athletes, such as Michael Vick and Warren Sapp, noted entertainers, like George Lopez and James “Murr” Murray, plus countless hosts and journalists, onto the program. In April of 2020, Jon’s podcast became a daily radio show on AM 1530 WCKG. Later that year, due to popular demand, he created a YouTube channel to simulcast his content, leading to over 900,000 views and 13,000 subscribers to date. His work has been featured in TMZ, Fox News, the New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Awful Announcing, Robert Feder, The Federalist, and Bears Wire, among others. Today, Jon is 22 years old, a graduate of The University of Chicago, the Sports Director at WCKG, and the host of "Sports Talk Chicago," airing on WCHU-LD channel 59.3 (VPOD-TV)/Chicago, WCKG, YouTube, and all podcasting platforms.

1. You've chosen radio as your career path. Why? What drew you to radio? How did you get into radio?

My dad drew me to a career in radio. It was his passion and his dream! Although he had a brief stint in the industry during the 1990s, he was, unfortunately, not able to make it a career. Today, though, he gets to live his dream through me. As a child, we would always watch Cubs, Bears, and Bulls games together. He taught me about each team, and each sport, and initially informed me that covering sports was a viable career path. He and my uncle encouraged me to start a free blog at age 13, entitled "Sports Talk Chicago." This morphed into a podcast, radio program, and TV program, and it also led to my current position as Sports Director at WCKG.

2. Heading up WCKG's sports content means you're taking on, in a way, some giants, namely The Score and ESPN 1000, both of which have, obviously, a lot of advantages. What can you (and are you) bringing to the table that they can't or aren't providing? How do you propose to make WCKG different?

There's no question that our sports programming rivals two industry giants in Chicago. That said, I believe that our content is unique, and forward-thinking. Right now, our "Football Friday" block of programming, which includes Adam Rank of the NFL Network, plus Olin Kreutz and Jason McKie, Chicago Bears legends, is unmatched in the market. Sports fans increasingly want both a "fan perspective," along with expertise from former athletes. We're able to deliver both to our listeners every Friday. We're willing to look beyond traditional hosts on our station, too. We want passionate analysis, and I believe, through the lineup we currently have assembled, we are delivering on that mission. More is to be done, though, and we are still planning to expand our current package of sports programming to further cater to our listeners.

3. You and WCKG are airing podcasts, and that raises the question of interactivity and the divergent schools of thought about phone calls on sports radio. Does sports radio need phone calls anymore, or have listeners become accustomed to one-way talk via podcasts? Without the calls, how do you engage the listeners?

I think phone calls still serve a purpose in sports radio, but they are becoming increasingly obsolete. Our listeners resonate with the big-name hosts that we have on our station. They do not seem to be as fixated on phone calls as they are on enjoying what their favorite host has to say. Social media is a great way to engage listeners in the absence of phone calls. We usually record very good interaction rates on Twitter and Facebook when posting about the sports programming we offer. We plan on expanding our video presence to further gauge interaction, as well.

4. In your view, what makes a great sports show or podcast? What do you want to hear?

I want to hear passion, first and foremost. Too many people seem to be going through the motions these days when hosting a show. It's also easy to have an opinion, so when I listen to a show, I want to know what makes that specific program stand out. Interviews and big guests are always a plus, as well as fiery monologues. Humor, and laughter, are also preferred. A fusion of in-depth analysis along with laughter along the way is what makes a great program, to me!

5. How are you getting the word out about your station and the shows? Do you rely on social media or are there other ways to draw a crowd?

Social media is a big selling point for us. Our Facebook page has amassed a large following, and that is where we tend to promote most of our content. We are continuing to build our Twitter and Instagram followings, too. As we continue to expand, live events are another way to draw a crowd, no question. This is something we are exploring with football season right around the corner.

6. What's the goal? What do you want to be doing with your career in, say, five years? Ten years?

That's a great question! Right now, I'd love to continue to lead a station's programming department. It is rewarding to see the hard work put in behind the scenes translate to a quality audio product. That said, I still have a deep passion for hosting my program, "Sports Talk Chicago." It has expanded over the years, and now has a TV, radio, and streaming presence. In the next 5-10 years, it would be a dream of mine to fully monetize it, and nationally syndicate it, or, similarly, host a separate nationally syndicated sports program. Both goals, I believe, are well within reach, and I continue to pursue them each and every day.

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

I am an avid consumer of national sports radio. To me, Dan Patrick is one of the best interviewers in the business. His interviews are extremely smooth, contain lots of humor, and still provide the in-depth analysis that everyone craves. Mike North's on-air persona and classic rants are always enjoyable to listen to, as well. I also regularly listen to Colin Cowherd, Jim Rome, Mike Harmon, Sal Licata, Waddle and Silvy, and Mully and Haugh, among others. Give me good content, and I'll be sure to tune in!

8. Of what are you most proud?

I am most proud of two things. First, the majority of my experience in the industry has been self-taught. I began my blog at 13, taught myself how to podcast at 14, and from there, cultivated relationships that resulted in my show getting on radio, TV, and streaming platforms. I learned, on my own, how to record and edit audio and video, maintain a website and social media following, grow my YouTube channel, and so much more. And, I'm STILL learning how to be better each day! I am also proud of the relationships that I have maintained with guests on my program. Knowing that I can reach out to the likes of athletes, journalists, and fellow hosts and receive responses quite quickly is still very humbling, to me. When I mention in my Tweets that it's an honor to have a guest on, I really mean it. It's a true honor to connect with everyone that has come on the program, and it has led to relationships that are still going strong today.

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

...prayer.

10. What's the most important advice you've gotten in your career?

The rhetorical question, "What makes you different?" immediately comes to mind. My dad instilled that advice in me at a young age, and it still resonates in the way in which I approach my content today. I am always at work, finding ways to be different, thus attracting more eyes and ears to my program. Also, my current boss at WCKG, GM Matt Dubiel, has told me to always be specific, and ask for what I want. It sounds simple in nature, but keeping that philosophy in mind has certainly helped to advance my career in radio.