10 Questions with ... Neal Mirsky

NAME:Neal Mirsky TITLE:Program Director COMPANY:Saga Communications MARKET:Springfield, MA STATIONS:WLZX-FM / WAQY-FM BORN:Da Bronx (NYC) RAISED:Northern N.J.

RADIO CAREER OUTLINE:

A one time disc jockey and production director, I made the move into programming in 1978 at 98 Rock in Tampa. Since then I have programmed rock stations in a variety of markets including Philadelphia, Orlando, Raleigh, Tampa, Miami and Kansas City.

I also served as Vice-President of Programming & Production for DIR Broadcasting, where I produced nationally syndicated programs including "The King Biscuit Flower Hour" and "The National Howard Stern Show". I was also involved with the creation of MTV as the video music channel's Coordinating Producer during its first two years of existence. After MTV, I spent a year in London consulting the start-up of a pan-European video music channel, served as Video Director for David Bowie's "Serious Moonlight" tour and worked in Hollywood as the Director of Creative Development for the start-up of the cable television network "E! Entertainment Television."

I currently program an Active Rock and a Classic Rock radio station in Springfield, MA.

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

Some would have you believe that I interned with Marconi, but that's not true. Having grown up near New York City, I was heavily influenced by the Top 40 powerhouse WABC in the 60's and the early FM Underground sound of WNEW-FM in the 70's.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?

I actually found the courage to give it a try on Armed Forces Radio while in the Navy. When I got out of the service I decided that radio beat working for a living.

3) How have the recent FCC regulations impacted the way you program your music and the station's dialogue on the air? What are your feelings about these recent changes?

There's no denying that since Janet Jackson whipped out her "weapon of mass distraction" at the Superbowl, things have changed significantly. Now, indecency policies are zero-tolerance and you don't even want to get close to the line. I'm no prude, but maybe things were getting a little out of control before the readjustment. It seems to me that some of the greatest writers and performers of my lifetime had no problem expressing themselves quite eloquently without having to lace their songs with profanity. Now, half the music that comes across my desk needs to bleeped and edited.

4) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing? For better or worse?

Definitely worse. It used to be about honest communication, understanding each other's positions, and passion for the music. Now it's about spins and pressure. The blame lies on both sides of the fence.

5) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?

For years our listeners have been telling us what they didn't like about our stations (i.e., repetition, too many commercials, tight playlists, boring personalities, etc.). And we've ignored them, thinking, where else are they gonna go? Well, now they have other options and we better get it together fast or risk losing another whole generation of listeners who will consider our medium to be irrelevant. For the past 10 or 15 years we have told our personalities to shut up and read the liner cards. Now we've got thousands of jocks on the air across the country that have never been taught how to be personalities. Our number one challenge today is to become interesting.

6) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?

It's a tie between Johnny Dare at KQRC in Kansas City and Couzin Ed at WYSP in Philadelphia.

7) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?

KGSR, an excellent Triple-A station, in Austin, TX. Their musical landscape is diverse, their personalities are informed and compelling, and the station, as a whole, is a reflection of the city that it's in. Austin is clearly one of the musical hotbeds in America and the city's slogan is "Keep Austin Weird."

8) What format does not exist that should? Would it work?

All-Request News. I could just hear people calling up asking, "Could you play that Harriet Miers story again?" Would it work? Of course not.

9) Please describe the best or worst promotion you've ever been part of?

I'll go with the best. A few years ago, while at WYSP, we did an event called "Babefest". It was basically a Miss America Pageant gone horribly wrong. We had 20 local beauties competing for a $5,000 first prize. Amazingly enough, 19 of the girls were dancers from the local strip clubs. We brought in Kid Rock to emcee the event and Slash's Snakepit for a performance. The girls competed in Evening Wear, Bikinis and Lingerie. There was also a talent competition and in the interest of promoting physical fitness (and because the attorneys wouldn't let us bring a trampoline on stage), we had Philadelphia Eagles legend Mike Quick come out to take the girls through some jumping jacks. The finalists were then put through a Q & A session where Kid Rock asked them difficult questions like "What time does Channel 3 air the Six O'clock News?" or "If a train leaves Philadelphia at 3pm and another train leaves New York at 4pm, which train left first?" We packed The Electric Factory to capacity (almost 3,000 people) for this ticketed, free event and raised over $130,000 in non-spot revenue through sponsorships. It was a hit on every level. You should see the video.

10) How do you position the station musically and why did you choose this direction?

We recently repositioned Lazer from "Pure Rock" to "Everything That Rocks". We basically broadened our musical appeal by adding hundreds of fresh titles to the gold library and reducing our dependence on the more Extreme music. It's funny to think that just a few years ago, Active Rock programmers were afraid to play bands like Slipknot, Mudvayne and System Of A Down before 7pm. Now those bands, and others like them, have become a core sound of the format, playing around the clock in power rotations. While it's awesome that this genre has broken through so big and these bands have reached platinum status, it created some major challenges to our sales department. I've seen too many great Active Rock radio stations change format in the last year or two and I didn't want to see Lazer join that list. The format simply became too narrowly focused and their just aren't enough tattoo parlors in town to support our revenue needs.

What singer/performer/artist really inspires you and why?

Bruce Springsteen. Aside from the fact that he's one of the greatest writers, recording artists and performers of my lifetime, I'm very much inspired by his commitment, his search for the truth and his work effort.

You're stuck on a deserted island and you get to pick one artist to be stuck with you. Who would it be and don't limit it to our format?

Pamela Anderson. She's an artist isn't she?

What do you enjoy most about music scheduling?

That my APD Courtney does it.

If you could add any one full-time position to your budget with no questions asked, what would it be?

A masseuse.

Tell us what music we would find on your car or home CD player (or turntable) right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?

"I'm Good Now" by Bob Schneider. The songs are melodic and the lyrics are brilliant, intelligent and clever. Pure fun.

10) What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?

Bruce Springsteen's solo tour. No special effects. No pyro. Just a brilliant artist laying his soul bare and communicating honestly with his audience.