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10 Questions with ... Jay Martin
March 7, 2006
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NAME:Jay MartinLAST WITH:KZJH/Jackson Hole, WY (Jack-FM)PHONE:(307) 413-0327WEBSITE:Visit His Website
Please begin by giving us a brief career history...
I actually started my career at my high school station, WSHJ at Southfield High School in Southfield, MI. We were not your typical high school station as we were Top 40 and had a jingle package from TM Productions. I was music director at the time and was able to secure record service from all the major labels. I also had a teacher who had been on a lot of stations in the Michigan area including CKLW. He was tough on us but it made me a better broadcaster. After doing other things, I decided one day that's "It's radio or nothing," and after just 3 months of pounding the pavement I got the nighttime show at KALF/Red Bluff/Chico CA and the rest has been a long strange wild trip. So here I am today... on the beach doing my Brian Wilson imitation.
1) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?
I'm catching up on my reading. In the past few months I've read the new bios about John Lennon, Tom Petty, the Beatles (all 890 pages) Jimi Hendrix, a marvelous book called "Always Magic In the Air" about the music and writers of the Brill Building, and I just finished the new book about Sam Cooke (The greatest singer that ever lived). I'm a student of the music and you can never stop learning about it.
2) Do you plan on sticking with radio?
Absolutely! I knew that I wanted to do this from the time I was 2. My mother worked at the main record distributing house in Detroit and knew all the DJ's and took me to Hitsville when I was very young and I got to meet Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Funk Brothers, and the Marvellettes. I said "I WANT TO DO THIS!" I was 4 at the time.
3) What is your longest stretch on the beach?
Four months as of this writing.
4) What is the best resource for finding out about job opportunities?
Without a doubt it's All Access. When I was a PD I hired people off the Situations Wanted section and the Job Opening section was very effective also for responses. Yes, GM's, OM's, and PD's DO read them, as well as Net Talk!
5) What's the next job you'd like to obtain?
I would love to be an APD/on air or a PD/on air. Eventually, I would like to be a PD. As APD, I love getting into the behind the scenes stuff about formatics, music, promotions, talent development (including me) and more. My show would still be about the music.
6) How are you finding the "Courtesy Level" at places you've applied?
Personally, not that bad. I don't get upset when I don't hear back from PD's. When I started in the business you might get 50 to 75 applicants for each gig, and it's fairly easy to respond to every one. Now it can get as high as 200 to 300 applicants. When I hired people I always felt bad that I couldn't get back to every applicant, so I always would put something on Net Talk to announced who I hired. But I still wish that I could have responded personally.
7) Are you finding salaries/benefits lower than you thought, about the same, or some pleasant surprises?
Being realistic it's about what I expected, but it seems that salaries are being held low because radio now is such a corporate entity. If money is your main motivation, get out, because you do it for the love of the game.
8) With consolidation there are definitely fewer jobs. How do you separate yourself from the pack?
I don't have to be a superstar! I'm that solid jock/programmer who has a very good understanding of all phases of the business. I know what being a team player is all about... being a vital part of a professional organization on and off the air. If you work as a team and are willing to do the dirty work behind the scenes, the individual accolades and money take care of themselves. I have done just about everything at a station and I do a great show by treating the listeners intelligently, and being informative about music, current events, and LOCAL events, instead of being the comedian and wiseass all the time. In addition to having a good laugh, I think listeners want to know what's going on... maybe more so.
9) What do you miss about radio the most? The least?
I miss interacting with the listeners; talking about music on the air and remotes at non-profit organizations. What do I miss the least? I still need to think about that one!
10) How will this experience change when you get back to work?
I've become more tolerant of people and will be able to deal with frustration a lot better, and it will help me grow as a person and become a major asset to any station that hires me!!!
Bonus Questions
Oprah or Dr Phil?
A Pox on both their houses!
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