10 Questions with ... Pete McNair

1) What was your first job in radio and early mentors and influences?

My first "job" was volunteering at KXCI Community Radio in Tucson, Az. I produced a two-hour Hip-Hop show on Sat. 10p-12a. "Greg Rampage USA," now "Gregr" at The End in Seattle, I looked up to a lot. His creativity and ability to connect with listeners through his own life stood out to me. I've always held Stryker at KROQ/L.A. in high regard. He was a Tucson radio and U of A guy who "made it to the big time." Kind of a, "He made it from Tucson, I could too" thing.

2) You worked at KFMA/Tucson for many years. What did you learn from that experience that prepared you for your current programming gig in Wichita?

I learned to trust myself, and my decision making.

3) How long have you been at KICT (T95) and what makes this station so unique?

I've been in Wichita at KICT/KFXJ for about a year-and-a-half now. It's the people who make this station unique. The guys who are here have been in the market on-air for 17-20 years. That connection to the audience and the community is valuable.

4) T 95's Hank The Mechanic recently left the midday slot at the station after 20 years, and you're filling in for now. Do you have anybody ready to fill this position and if not, what type of personality are you looking for?

I do not have anyone to fill the position full-time yet. What I'm looking for is someone who knows how to deliver relatable content in an entertaining way, knows the difference between social engagement and social posts, and can make themselves a part of Wichita.

5) Coming from long time Alternative rocker KFMA/Tucson, what is your take on current Rock music and the Active Rock format as a whole?

Rock has a lot of diversity to offer. Spending time in both Alt and Active has taught me balance. I want my station to be well-rounded musically. I like seeing bands like Muse, Royal Blood, Dorothy all doing well. In my opinion, bands like that help broaden the horizons for the format and help reach a bigger audience.

6) You're also programming Classic Rock KFXJ (104.5 The Fox). What does the Classic Rock format need to do today and in the future to continue to stay relevant while playing music that is sometimes over 40 years old?

Classic Rock stays relevant through new music discovery and music passion. Younger generations getting exposed through commercials, movies, social media or wherever, are connecting with the music -- the music passion of the audience who grew up on this music, or my generation who adopted the music when their parents introduced it to them.

For The Fox, we focus on the music passion, with our core music from the '70s. We've seen some research that tells us we can get into a little more '80s hair. Some stations are creeping into the '90s; it depends on what your audience, market and strategy demands.

My on-air talent plays a big role in this also. It's more than back selling 'Thunder Struck' ... again. They must be content-driven, even better if it's local content-driven. Playing great music and giving them a reason to care to listen.

7) Now let's talk about the morning shows on either station starting with Todd and Tyler on T95. How is this morning show performing for you?

Todd-N-Tyler are doing very well. They dominate with our males 25-54. Within the top 2-3 with persons 25-54 consistently.

They send me great numbers, I send them copy and bonus checks. Not a bad deal.

8) For years, The Fox morning show consisted of Jan and Phil in the morning, and then Phil and Amber. Now Phil is on his own, how is this show working out for The Fox?

We've had challenges with mornings on The Fox, for sure. While Phil is technically on his own, our strategy is to make mornings feel full by utilizing the other jocks in different dayparts to be content contributors. Mark (10-2p) and Roxx (2-6p) are consistently in on the conversation or are helping with the bit. It's created some great character building that spills into those other dayparts.

In a place where a percentage point could just as easy make you 5th or 9th in a book, we've seen consistency on The Fox, maintaining top 5 over a four-book average. A lot of that credit goes to the hard work and commitment of that team. They're engaged, and don't want to settle for just being okay.

9) I know how important social media is in 2018. How are both stations utilizing Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to help enhance the listener experience?

It's interesting to see how the two different demos interact with social media. The goal is the same, however -- to engage with the audience. To reinforce the (hopefully positive) idea that lives in their head when they think about our stations. If we can engage and interact while leading them back to our on-air product, that's the dream.

I think we have room for growth on both stations. This is going to be a big part of what I look for in a midday talent for KICT.

10) Finally, as PD of two stations, as well as on-air full-time, what do you like to do for fun when you aren't in "radio" mode?

I'm never not thinking about radio; everything is content ... I'm always on the look-out for an opportunity to adopt or adapt something...

Cooking with the wife, finding a patio to have a beer, home improvement projects.