10 Questions with ... Nugget

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started out interning for Mojo at WKQI/Detroit where I eventually got on the air part-time. My first full-time job was in Fort Wayne, IN doing nights at WJFX, then I went to NYC to work for WNOW, now WBMP.

I went back to Fort Wayne to take advantage of a morning show opportunity with the same cluster, then to K-Hits in Tulsa, KTFM/San Antonio, and I'm currently doing mornings at WHBQ/Memphis.

1) How would you describe your first radio gig?

My first full-time gig was awesome! I got to work for Phil Becker who has taught me tons about not just radio, but marketing as a whole, which has been really valuable throughout my career. The atmosphere in the building was great; everyone was always working and trying to think of new ideas to push the station and cluster forward.

2) What led you to a career in radio?

I went to Specs Howard Broadcast School in Michigan, and one of my classmates helped me get an internship at WKQI/Detroit for "Mojo In The Morning" and I fell in love with it instantly. Once I got hired there in promotions by Rebecca Falk, I knew I had to be in that world somehow for the rest of my life. There was no backup plan and nothing to fall back on (My parents weren't a fan of that par, LOL).

3) How would you describe the radio landscape in your market?

I've never lived anywhere besides maybe Detroit where the listeners embrace the radio like they do in Memphis. It's like taking a time machine to before Napster was invented.

4) Are you wearing more "hats" than you have in the past?

I am wearing the least amount of hats here than I have anywhere else, partially because I feel like I'm getting too old to pull off snapbacks. I have less divided responsibility here as my only job is to do the AM show, but more responsibility as a whole because in my opinion, that just means more time to dedicate to improving the show!

5) What are you doing social media-wise?

I'm on every platform you can think of, but I have a slightly different approach than some of my peers when it comes to Facebook. Rather than having a fan page (Which due to the new FB algorithms have been rendered much less effective then they previously were), I have a personal page. Once I reach my friend limit, people who try to add me will automatically "Follow" me, which I love because it makes people feel more connected to me as a person. I get a lot of hate on this philosophy but I've had really great experiences doing it this way. Feel free to add me, I'm the only "Nugget Johnson" in Memphis.

6) What are your favorite show prep sources?

My friends. I have a group of three girls and three guys I go out with on weekends who are an endless source of the best show prep I've ever gotten. Other than that I have about 20 tabs I like to open up online to look stuff up. Looking at what's trending on FB, Twitter and Snapchat always gives me great stuff too.

7) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?

I got my name from beating a guy who was 300 lbs. in a chicken nugget eating contest. His name is Chunky and he works in radio in Portland. You should look him up and talk trash.

8) Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?

Chronologically, shout-out to Mojo, Spike, Dom Theodore and the whole team at WKQI/Detroit for making me feel like I was a part of something special; Rebecca Falk, who hired me for my first radio job; Phil Becker, for hiring me three times and teaching me new ways to think about our industry and making me better and better each time I worked for him; Chunky (aka Big Boy) for mentoring me through every job I've had... that guy has helped me shape my personality more than anyone; Buster in Indy and Nick (Styles) Wize in Detroit have through sheer proximity helped me develop as a talent; Pat Grooves, for putting up with me as an employee and teaching me some things about how to network (This dude knows everybody); my boss now, Chris Taylor, who continues to make me a better AM show host, and also Bennett in Philly because he's part of a group text I'm in right now

9) What is the current state of the radio 'talent pool?'

I think there's tons of untapped talent we have yet to find out about ... people with potential who haven't been able to really show us what they've got.

I hope to see more programmers help coach the talent that is out there. A lot of times you see bad ratings and it's tempting to tell jocks things about word economy and saying things in 15 seconds rather than 25 or eight seconds rather than 15 -- things that are greatly beneficial but take away from or completely replace the effort to create content that is worth talking longer for.

At stations where more and better content is fought for, I bet we'll start to see new talent emerge from right under our noses.

10) What would you like to do to save radio from its "dying-industry" image?

What's funny is that the only time I hear that radio is dying, it's from radio people! Radio is still very much the most cost-effective way to advertise locally ... more effective than print and less expensive than TV.

For someone vacationing in your market, what one thing would you say they "must see"?

There's this place here called Applebee's and they do karaoke on Wednesday nights. It gets crazy. I would definitely recommend that. If you are vacationing on a weekend like most people do then I would say go to Beale Street and get a beer from one bar and take it into another bar. It makes you feel like you are breaking all the rules