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10 Questions with ... Matt Nahigian
October 5, 2010
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I started as an intern at ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago and then was hired as a part time board op at One on One Sports, which is currently Sporting News Radio. I spent almost 13 years there until they moved out to Los Angeles and I decided to get married. I then took the program director position at 950 in Philadelphia which is where I am today: 97.5 The Fanatic and 950 ESPN.
1. How and why did you get into radio? What drew you to the medium?
I had this fascination with Jim Durham, who was the radio voice of the Bulls. I just loved listening to him, and had that thought that most kids do growing up: I want to be a play by play announcer. My dad loved cutting the lawn listening to the Cubs games, and there was just something that I always loved about having the game described to me versus watching it on TV.
2. You moved from Sporting News Radio, a national service, to doing local sports talk in one of the most intense sports markets in the country. Besides the obvious -- gotta talk about the local teams -- what other adjustments, if any, were there for you? Did you need to approach the programming with a different, maybe more aggressive, tone?
The biggest change for me from a programming standpoint was Tiger Woods, LeBron James, and big name stars became less relevant. My market really genuinely only cares about their teams. You can get away with Tiger and LeBron talk after what they did this past year for a day, but for the most part it is all about the local teams. The other thing that is different, and an adjustment, is the ratings system. As a network we just tried to cater to our affiliates by putting good guests on and creating conversation about issues that related to the markets we were on. Now every segment is critical and you have to create great content or people will find it somewhere else. There is a certain type of urgency that has been put into it; that is a big change.
3. What has adding the FM signal meant for The Fanatic?
It's been absolutely amazing. As a combo, my station in the last ratings book was either tied or beating our competition in men 25-44 and men 18-34. It has opened up a brand new audience to the station. People that are scanning around the FM dial can now find us. There is a large percentage of people in Philadelphia that don't even listen to the AM signal at all.
4. Your lineup has a lot of guys who are longtime locals, from Mike Missanelli (formerly at WIP, former Inquirer staffer) to former Eagle Vai Sikahema, Inquirer writer John Gonzalez, and Philly guy (even living in L.A.) and former WIP and WCAU host Tony Bruno. WIth that in mind, do you think it's possible for someone to come directly from out of town and be successful talking about Philly sports? How critical is it to have guys with roots in town rather than imports?
It's the $64,000 question. I think you have to have some roots to this city. You have to feel the fans pain when their teams lose and celebrate when they win. But, my competition has a successful morning show and he is from Rhode Island and a Yankee fan, but that hasn't stopped him. The bottom line is right now if you are going to try to bring people to the station, you have to have a polarizing figure who this market can relate to.
5. Who are your mentors, influences, and heroes?
My father is without question a person that taught me how to do deal with life issues, which I think is the most important quality to have. In regard to the business side of things, John Coulter, who I actually only worked with for a couple years taught me a lot about how to deal with people and situations. John brings a quality that I try to emulate, and that is bringing a positive vibe in to work every day.
I don't have anyone I really look at as a hero, but I will say John Wooden was pretty amazing. Talk about a guy that knew how to deal with situations. Quick story: He told his team no beards and long hair. A day later, his best player and probably the best player in the country Bill Walton showed up with a beard. Instead of yelling at him or making a scene, he very calmly said, "We'd like to thank Bill for his participation..today will be his last day with the team." Needless to say, the beard and hair were cut the next day. Talk about leadership!!!
6. It was the case for several years that Philadelphia had become, solidly, a football town, and sports radio was Eagles talk year-round. How much has the Phillies' run since 2007 ('08 "World F'ing Champions," '09 NL champs) changed that? Does the talk always drift back to the Eagles no matter what?
You are full of great questions. The Phillies have done everything they possibly can to take the spotlight away from the Eagles. I am not going to say one is talked about more; what I will say is that I am the luckiest program director in the world to have two teams that have been pretty damn good and have had some serious issues for us to discuss on a day to day basis.
7. About what are you most passionate these days?
Winning. I want to win and won't stop until I win. I wake up every day thinking about beating my competition. Things have changed a little with us being on the FM -- now I am targeting FM stations -- but in the end, I go to bed and wake up thinking about how to beat them.
8. Of what are you most proud?
I am most proud of where the station is today. Three years ago, not very many people knew about us or really cared. Today, I can't go anywhere without someone asking me about the station. I am proud of how hard my guys and gals have worked to make this happen.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _______________.
...hugging my son and kissing my wife... wow, i'm going to get some serious bonus points for that answer.
10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?
I think the best advice i have ever received is do the best you can every day and remember you can only control what you can control. I know it sounds cliche-ish and ridiculous, but if you really think about those lines, you will agree they are pretty damn good.
The worst is that i have to go back and get a college degree to be successful. Not saying I have proven him wrong, but so far so good.
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