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10 Questions with ... Matt Mony
November 1, 2022
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I grew up in a radio family, so my career started younger than most. The building blocks of my career came from a combination from spending an enormous amount of time around the radio station at which my dad did mornings, and building a radio station in my bedroom in 5th grade. From there, I got the chance to start tracking overnights on our local AM oldies station when I was 16 (I would actually sneak in at like 1am so I could do it live). I eventually moved to nights on our FM (Live 95). I spent about four years at KZFN/ZFun 106 (Moscow, ID/Pullman, WA) while I went to Washington State University. After graduating, I made the move to San Diego to host late-nights on Z90. I am currently 26 and program director of WYOY-Y101 Jackson, MS.
1. How would you describe your first radio gig?
My first radio gig was truly something you might hear about as an overly-embellished story at a radio station Christmas party.
To set the scene, I was in high school, working at the radio station where my dad did mornings; under local ownership. The company had a bit of a rite of passage that involved doing odd-jobs around the building. They really wanted to weed out any stigma of nepotism.
To say my friends never believed what I did at work would be an understatement. A typical day might include weed-eating at the transmitter site, fixing a fence, replacing a ballast in the lights, and then going on the air at 7pm. I think there was a reason they called me the "toady."
2. What led you to a career in radio?
I got exposed to radio early on because my dad started doing mornings when I was 4. That definitely had an impact on choosing it as a career, but radio has always made a lot of sense to me and I enjoy it, so it was a sustainable choice. Music, writing/creativity, and people are all a huge part of my life. This is one of the few career choices that ties them all together.
3. You've worn APD stripes before, but Y101 is your first PD job. How's it all been going for you?
The seasoned PDs will all laugh at this answer. There is a large difference between being the guy responsible for scheduling the music, and being the guy responsible for the entire radio station.
On my fifth week of being a PD, we lost our morning show. It was tough on a personal level, because I had grown close with them in a very short time. I quickly found myself doing mornings and running the radio station by myself, which forced me to step up to the plate. I'm proud to say I made it through, and the station didn't miss a beat.
4. You recently hired a new morning show. What excites you most about having Adam & Allison join the team?
I'm excited to bring Adam & Allison on board to build a show that gets involved in the community. Y101 is the go-to station for this market, and they're going to do great things. They're already excited to get involved, and I love that.
5. What is it like for you to still be able to hit the studio every day and do your afternoon show?
I've actually been filling in for mornings for about three months, but regardless of the time I'm on, it's my favorite part of the day. The audience here is incredibly interactive, so it's rare when at least 10 of my regulars don't check in. All the stress goes away when I just get to have fun and talk to people. It's a really great feeling to program a radio station that is loved by the community.
6. Who would be a "dream guest" to have sit in with you on your show?
I have so many answers for this. I could say Mick Jagger, Mötley Crüe (as a band), or Joan Jett. I'd love to just chat with them about music and their lives.
Above all, I'd love to have Lil Nas X on my show. He's an innovator in entertainment, and that's fascinating to me.
7. How much are you (and the station) able to be out in the community meeting the people on the other side of the microphone?
Historically, the station has been mega-involved in the community. Over the last few months, we have been on the light side of getting out because it's just me at the moment. With the launch of our new morning show, I'm really excited for us all to get back on the streets as a station, and start shaking hands.
8. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Always put on a good show. Diary, PPM, non-rated; whichever the situation. No matter how big or small the market, I always give my show 100%.
9. What was your favorite station(s) to listen to when you were a kid? Jock(s)?
I grew up in Western Washington, so my favorite stations through elementary and middle school were KISS and KUBE Seattle. I thought "The 9 O'Clock Count-UP" with Doormatt was the funniest thing I had ever heard.
I would also do my best to pick up KGO to listen to Karel. I remember one night he was talking about taking Bibles in hotel rooms, putting them on the floor, then from a running start, sliding across the room on them. He called it "Bible Skating."
Having my dad as the morning show for the station literally 75% of our town listened to, we always rallied behind Live 95. That station was the only choice for pop music locally, so it was a favorite for just about everybody.
10. Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?
I have been lucky enough to have multiple mentors, who all pushed me to the next level at the right time. I could add about five more people to this list, but here are the people who have absolutely gone above and beyond to help me:
My first mentor was my dad, who really got me interested in radio and built a passion for it. Above everything he taught me, he really just made me believe I could do anything I wanted in the business.
My first real on-air mentor/talent coach was a close friend of our family, Denny Murray. He had been out of the business for about 20 years by the time I was starting, but he laid such a solid foundation for me. He came out of the Baltimore market where he did middays on WCBM, then WCAO-A, while hosting Bowling For Dollars evenings on television until 1974. He was also a member of David Marks & The Marksmen before radio. He was my first real connection to looking at things as show business, not just radio. Without him, there's no way I would be where I am today.
I worked for Steve Shannon at ZFun 106 in Moscow, ID while I was going to Washington State University. He was a goldmine of knowledge; having worked in programming for Gary Bryan at KJR/Seattle. Steve taught me so much about programming, and also got me ready for a digital world. Hands down he's the best PD I've ever had, and I very often find myself reasoning through problems with the 'What Would Steve Do' filter. We're still very close.
My jump from a town of 30,000 people in Idaho to 3 million in San Diego was a scary one. I moved across the country alone to do late-nights on Z90. I was coming on at 10p at the time, after Pandar. He very quickly became a huge influence to me, not only on-air, but in life too. He was the person who guided me to becoming an out-personality. That was really scary at the time, but he really helped me through it all. It's rare to have somebody impact your life and career THAT much. He is definitely the person who has influenced my career the most.
The most recent addition to my long list of amazing mentors is Chunky (Evan Paul, 'Taste of Country Nights'). I got to a point about a year and a half ago where I knew I needed to get my content and career to the next level. We pretty much met through Instagram, and he really took me under his wing. He's my go-to guy for all my bits.
Bonus Questions
With the venue of your choice at your disposal, which 5-6 acts would you pull together for a station listener bash?
Y101 has such a widespread audience, so I would try to get a show together with something for everybody. I can imagine something like:
Lizzo
Yung Gravy
3OH!3
Paramore
Sir Mix-A-Lot< -
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