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10 Questions with ... Zac Davis
November 5, 2019
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- WWLD/Tallahassee, FL-Promotions-Swing/Weekends
- WVYB/Daytona Beach, FL-Nights
- KQKS/Denver, CO-Swing/Weekends
- KUUU/Salt Lake City, UT-APD/MD-Afternoons
- WBVD/Melbourne, FL-PD-Afternoons
- WGBT/Greensboro, NC-PD-Afternoons
- KOSO/Modesto, CA-PD-Afternoons
- WABB/Mobile, AL-PD-Afternoons
- WRDU/Raleigh, NC-APD-Afternoons
- KDHM-KJHM/Denver, CO-OM/PD-Afternoons
- WDCG-WKSL/Raleigh, NC-PD-Afternoons
- IHeartMedia-Myrtle Beach, SC-OM-Mornings/Middays
- WKSS-WKCI/Hartford-New Haven, CT-PD-Nights
- IHeartMedia and then Entercom-Richmond, VA-SVPP-PD-Afternoons
1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
An absolute blast. I learned a lot in my first role and asked A LOT of questions, and my first PD, Lee Reynolds, was very patient. He saw something in me and taught me about music scheduling and let me bend his ear on what I thought were hits (he took my word for it on Verve Pipe "Freshman!"). He also taught me that in the mid-'90s (1996), Top 40 suffered from a lack of core artists where all you needed to know was their first name. This was before Britney, Christina, and the next wave of Boy Bands. He was right, and that's why Top 40 had to come out of the doldrums, reinvent itself and find a new class of pop acts. We no longer have that problem: When you say Taylor, Post, Ariana, Shawn, Camila, Billie, Lizzo, Ed, and Selena, you know who they are.
2) What led you to a career in radio?
Both my parents loved music, and my grandfather was an Engineer at Cape Canaveral for 30 years. As a kid, I loved music and loved cities, so combine that with interest in engineering and a desire to help out in the local community, and you get radio.
3) You wear plenty of hats, overseeing 7 stations. What kind of time management tips would you be willing to share?
It's all about having the right mindset. No two days are the same, and you never know where or when something is going to need your attention. So I find it best to just go with the flow each day expecting the unexpected. You can't be too rigid about your plan for the day because inevitably you will get pulled off task and you can't lose your cool when that happens. A good number of my staff have told me (after the fact) that they were surprised I didn't go off on a teammate or a colleague in a meeting when/if they were difficult, and I remind them that's counterproductive, and that cool heads prevail. I like to treat teammates the way I would want to be treated. Having patience with each other and working to achieve the best solution for the brand, the client, and the listener is the ultimate goal. Lastly, identify those teammates you know you can rely on and depend on and be sure to recognize their superpowers. Learning to delegate is a very important part of time management. I have experienced Program Directors here which allows me to entrust them with our brands. Mike Street oversees our Urban and Country outlets and just won a Marconi Award for Medium Market Personality of the Year! Gregg Henson is our News/Talk and Sports Specialist and has WRVA and The Fan on great trajectories. Zach Vaughn is our Rock guy and does a great job with our Alt brand.
4) You're the day-to-day PD and still on the air, doing afternoons on AC WTVR AND pulling a weekend shift on Top 40 WRVQ. What is it about being on the air that makes it impossible for you to completely step away from that part of the job?
I've always believed that being in the music on your station and feeling how the station flows in and out of transitions is invaluable. It gives you a front-row seat to the listening experience. I do afternoons on Mix 98.1, our AC brand and being on the air is somewhat of an escape with everything else going on day-to-day. I really enjoy it.
5) What kind of social media responsibilities does the air talent have these days?
We have really done a great job with this here in RVA. Our talent has adopted the mindset that blogs and social media are an extension of their personal brand and their station's brand, so they are really engaged. Our Market President, Bennett Zier, and I have made it a priority to go where our listeners are. We do monthly contesting with our on air talent (because we know they are super competitive) to see who has the most clicks across the cluster, and the top performers win prizes each month. Deni Lang (who oversees our Digital) does a superb job in keeping up with digital trends and informing the staff where we are pacing and how we can be better. We're consistently Top 5 in Entercom for performance with our digital goals, and we strive to be #1.
6) What was your favorite radio station to listen to growing up? Favorite jock(s)?
I have two stations. When I was a kid, I went on a random trip to Atlanta with a friend, and discovered POWER 99--WAPW!! I'd never heard anything like it, and that station was larger than life. I still remember breaks from Domino and The Janitor. What they were doing then was ahead of its time, and it has always stuck with me. The music, Mark Driscoll voicing the imaging, and the talent were all top-notch. It was just an all-around phenomenal product that came out of the speakers. Smartly, one of the CHR's in Atlanta, utilizes the Power brand today.
The second station is XL106.7 in Orlando. It became the station I spent the most time with as they flipped from Y106 as I was entering high school. It's a station that continues to dominate the Orlando market. That lineup with Doc and Johnny, Hildy, Kid Cruise, and Just Plain Mark was so solid, and the station really defined my musical taste to this day. You wanted to be a part of the team when you listened to XL106.7.
7) Who were your mentors?
I have a Mount Rushmore of Mentors of Programming. On my Mount Rushmore, I'd have Lee Reynolds (who really gave me my first shot), Tim Satterfield in Greensboro, Chris Shebel in Raleigh, and, most recently, Jeff McCartney (former PD of WAPE). These guys are superb programmers and even better people. They love their craft and took the time to teach and share their insights with me. I'm incredibly fortunate to have spent time with them as my career has developed and consider these programmers my high counsel for my ongoing programming philosophy. Some other people who have taken the time to shape my career and impart their knowledge on me include Ken Holiday in Melbourne, Dick Harlow in Raleigh, the late (and great) Ross Grierson, Dave Symonds, Jeff Wyatt, Steve Davis, and Jeff Norman in Denver. I learn a lot from my current Market President Bennett Zier every day. I'm grateful to have a lot of good people that I look up to in our industry.
8) Who would you say has influenced your career the most?
Probably Chris Shebel. Talk about an intelligent, calm, strategic, considerate, and smart programmer. Shebes has it all and is the uncle that I never had. He finally wore a tie to my wedding four and a half years ago, and other than when he got married, I don't think he has since. My parents (who weren't crazy about my career choice early on) even love Shebel, and I think they felt better about my career choice once they spent time with him.
Romeo and Jagger have played a big part in my radio career as well, and I'm fortunate to have crossed career paths with them and stayed in touch.
9) What stations/programmers do you admire and still look to when you need an idea?
Dylan at WXKS/Boston is a smart programmer I got to know during my time in Denver when we competed against each other. Brian Kelly in Milwaukee at WXSS has a great morning show and a great product, and I like his demeanor. KHKS and Patrick Davis just continue to win book after book, and I like to monitor his playlist. Jeff McCartney, in Salt Lake City at 97.1 ZHT, is someone I really admire in our business. He continues to operate at a high level and someone I competed against in Salt Lake. Great programmer and superb guy. Jagger, at my former station WKSS/Hartford, has that station firing on all cylinders and has a phenomenal Morning Show that continues to win in Connecticut. Lastly, my former APD, Adam Rivers, is brilliant and has great instincts. He is the guy who can find things in research that can help your station win. I wouldn't be surprised if I work for this guy someday.
10) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Maintain good relationships and remember those who helped you and looked out for you on the way up. I believe opportunities arise thanks to what you know, but it's WHO you know that gets your foot in the door.
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