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10 Questions with ... Mark Wishnia
March 20, 2018
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- KACL/Bismarck, ND - Assistant Brand Manger - 4/16-2/18
- WICY/Malone, NY - Morning show DJ - 11/14 - 4/16
- WOC/ Davenport, IA - Morning show producer - 5/12-8/13
- Westwood One Sports - New York, NY - Intern - Summer 2011
- WFAN/Radio, New York - Intern - Summer 2010 & Summer 2011
1) What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and stay motivated?
Just stay confident. I am confident in my abilities as an on-air personality and as a behind-the-scenes guy, whether it's related to management, production, etc. I have the drive and enthusiasm to succeed and though the competition is fierce, I know I have what it takes to thrive and it's just a matter of getting that message in front of the right people.
2) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?
Right now I am working as a public address announcer for a junior hockey team in Bismarck while also doing some office work. They agreed to bring me on in a full-time role through the end of the season. Previously, I just worked on game day and that was it. I don't like not working. I was laid off on a Friday and began full-time work with the hockey team the following Monday.
3) Some people get discouraged or enlightened with the business when they actually step out of it for a while. Tell us your observations from the outside.
This is my second layoff in radio. And I have only been in it 'professionally' for five-plis years. Radio has its flaws, but so does every business. Many of the issues plaguing radio can be resolved. It's just a matter of programming staff and sales staffs getting on the same page. There seems to be a big disconnect between the two and that's what creates a lot of problems. Radio is an incredibly powerful tool with a large listenership and some of the most talented and smartest people in the entertainment industry.
4) Do you plan on sticking with radio?
I would like to. I have looked for jobs inside and outside of radio and when I see all the different job duties and job descriptions, I realize more and more that radio is my true calling. I am open to other positions though. We'll just have to see what happens.
5) What's the longest stretch you've had on the beach?
Fortunately not long. After my first layoff, I started a job two weeks later at a TV news station. Like I said earlier, I don't like not working. I actually quit the TV job outright without having another job because it wasn't a good fit for me. I was hired for a job in radio two months later and began working three months later.
Right now, I have been out of my last radio stint for just over a month, but I don't really consider myself 'on the beach.' I have been working since the first weekday after my layoff. But hopefully come April, when this hockey season ends, I can once again get right back to work.
6) What's the best way to get your foot in the door?
For me it's been through e-mail. I know PDs and other executives around the country receive a lot of e-mails. Many ignore them. But when I first started my career, I e-mailed everyone until I got a response. I made some great connections that way. I have great connections through internships I previously had as well along with my previous jobs.
7) What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?
All Access is my go to for radio openings, but of course not everyone posts there. I also check corporate radio websites often, along with LinkedIn and Indeed. Both sites have extensive job listings.
8) What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get a job?
Well, I have a crazy story, though I don't know if I did anything particularly crazy. When I first found out what the iHeartRadio festival was in the summer of 2011, I chose to randomly reach out to then-President John Hogan. It was the summer prior to my senior year of college. I basically just introduced myself, expressed my love for radio, and also mentioned some of the iHeart products I liked (such as Elvis Duran). John was nice enough to reach back out to me and actually gave me two tickets to the iHeartRadio festival and a hotel room. All I had to do was pay airfare to Vegas. I spoke to John briefly at the festival (per his invitation) and then he got me in touch with another then-executive (Darryl Parks) who would critique my morning show that I hosted at Penn State. We would literally talk on the phone for a couple of hours per session; this happened about every other week between January 2012 and May 2012. Darryl then helped me land my first ever radio gig at WOC. I was hired three days after I graduated. I am forever indebted to Darryl Parks for that. If it wasn't for him, breaking into this business may have been much more difficult.
9) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?
I would like to continue to do mornings. I love the hours. Most morning guys drink 12 cups of coffee to get through the day. I only drink water. Always. No coffee, no energy drinks, no soda etc. Just water. I've taught my body to wake up at 3:30 or 4a and I love being home by 2p (most days). I prefer to stick with older music such as Classic Hits. Even though I personally am not in that demo, I feel I relate to that demo best. But I would be open to working as a producer on a station of any format. I have always had a knack for coming up with fun and interesting topics and booking A-level guests.
10) Are you finding salaries/benefits lower than you ever thought, about the same, or have you seen some pleasant surprises?
Salaries are about where I expect them to be but still lower than where I would like them to be. But as long as I can live and be happy, I'm fine. I don't need a mansion.
Bonus Questions
Care to contribute a recipe for our "On The Beach" cookbook?
I love to cook. This is not a recipe per se but a trick for anyone cooking boneless chicken breasts. Whether you are using a skillet or the oven, the night before (or at least four hours before) you begin cooking, put all of your chicken in a zip loc bag along with: one qt water three T of salt 1.5 T sugar and then some herbs like basil or parsley and some garlic too...Mix well until the salt/sugar is dissolved. Your chicken will be guaranteed to not dry out even if you overcook it a little. BUT... make sure you add multiple pieces of chicken to this mixture. If you use this ratio with only one piece of chicken, it will be WAY too salty. I know this from experience. I would say three to four breasts to a bag.
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