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10 Questions with ... Dave 'Boomer On The Radio' Mazur
June 17, 2008
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POSITION:Nights/Music DirectorSTATION:WVKS 925 KISS-FMMARKET:ToledoOWNER:Clear Channel
Please outline your radio career so far:
WXRX/Rockford, IL
WJTW/Joliet, IL
WERV/Aurora-Naperville, IL
WSOY-FM/Decatur, IL
WERV/Aurora-Naperville, IL
WXSS/Milwaukee
WRTS/Erie
WVKS/Toledo1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
I was a nervous wreck, yet it was awesome at the same time. I did weekend overnights at the Rock station, 104.9 The X in Rockford, IL. There was no voicetracking ... all the music that you heard on the station came from CD, and every element was fired by hand, something that doesn't happen much in smaller markets. I really "felt" radio when I was there. With voicetracking, there's a lot of new talent out there who are missing out on that feeling, and I'm glad that I had that while I was at the X. .
2) What led you to a career in radio?
My parents banned me from television as I was growing up, but they gave me a radio. I listened constantly. I also grew up in Chicago, and I fell in love with WLS-FM, Z95, B96, ROCK 1035 and Q101. I listened non-stop, and I turned into this freakish kid who figured out rotations, and I'd sit in the car and I'd tell my dad when the song that was on the air at the time would play again. I was right most of the time. It was scary.
3) How would you describe the radio landscape in your market?
Toledo is a tough market. We have another Mainstream, a Rhythmic, and an Urban that are all going for the same audience.
4) What makes your station unique? How would you compare it to other stations you've worked at?
One word: Localism. We really pride ourselves that we are a part of Toledo. Before we make any decision about music, promotions or anything we do, we are asking ourselves ... "Is this decision Toledo?"
I've worked at stations in the past that depended 100% on their consultants and what they said was the end-all, be-all of their decisions. In those situations, the consultants and their research were a couple of states away ... and they had only visited the market a handful of times. Research is great. We do look at it and we rely on it to make an educated decision, but just because it works somewhere other than our home market doesn't mean its going to work here. And I really respect our programming team for realizing that and we've built our station for our town.
5) Are you wearing more "hats" than you have in the past?
Name me one person in this industry or any other in 2008 who isn't doing more than one thing at their job. I'm the night host and the Music Director of WVKS. There is a ton of work that goes along with that. But I've had multiple titles at other stations and it was more stressful. I think the staff here in Toledo understands that radio is about having fun, so it really doesn't matter how many "hats" everyone is wearing. We're all in it for the same goal and we all mesh well together, so the fun of radio outweighs the pressures of all the responsibilities that we all have here.
6) What is your favorite part of the job ... and the most challenging part of the job?
I love getting out and being with the people who listen to the radio station. There are some very interesting people in the city. The music geek in me envies hearing all the new music before anyone else.
Most challenging? Dealing with our overzealous egotistical night host ... that guy is a real jerk.
7) What artist would we be surprised to find on your iPod?
My iPod been on my kitchen table for so long, the battery has died on it. I'm a huge Alternative Rock fan. The last time I turned it on, I think I had a song by this band Whale on there, and I know I have several bootleg Pearl Jam concerts on it as well. I'm not saying this because I work in radio, but I'd rather listen to the radio. There are too many hoops to jump through with the iPod. I have to log into iTunes, buy my song, and download it to the player. All that just to listen to music? With my radio I can just turn it on and I'm ready to go ... it's so much easier.
8) Could you give us a little insight into your on air staff?
Our staff is awesome. We have Andrew Z in the morning, and he and his staff are the hardest working morning show that I've ever witnessed. That guy is always moving, plus he's so connected to the town. We have Randi West, who voicetracks middays. Randi is great, plus she is able to connect with the Toledo audience since she had worked in our building previously. Mookie, our afternoon goon, is a fixture on our station. He's been here for nine years. Then we have some jerk on at night.
9) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff and why do you like them?
I think there are a ton of great air talents out there right now. I love Julian the Night Ninja at B96 in Chicago. His bits are over the top and outrageous. When I am at home and I get to listen to him, I'm always in awe. I'm a fan of JJ Kincaid at Z100 in New York City, and Grooves at Hot in Washington D.C.
10) What would you like to do to save radio from its "dying-industry" image?
I think radio should just be radio. I think management should let talent do its thing instead of thinking too much. I also think that radio should stop trying to be an iPod and be radio. How do you compete with something by trying to become it? You can't. Were two very different things, and with great programming I believe that we can come out on top.
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