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10 Questions with ... Tracy Austin
May 15, 2007
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NAME:Tracy AustinTITLE:Program DirectorSTATION:NOVA 106.9MARKET:BrisbaneOWNER:DMG Radio Australia
Please outline your radio career so far:
KHFI/Austin-news department, part-time on-air
B93/Austin-overnights, Music Director
KIIS/Los Angeles-MD/APD (5 years)
KHFI-Mix/Austin-Music Director/Promotions Director/APD/Afternoon Drive
WKSS/Hartford-PD (3 years)
KRBE/Houston-PD (4 years)1) How does Aussie radio differ significantly from American radio?
- Eight surveys a year, five weeks each (exhausting!).
- Commercial/non-commercial stations.
- Percentage of Aussie music required (25%).
- News every hour 6a to 6p.
- Taking risks is encouraged! (On music, on comedians on the air, edgy promotions.)2) What artists are big for you that aren't getting played in America? Do you think they'd work in America?
I love the Aussie music! There are lots of U.S. artists that work here -- Beyonce, Pink, Nickelback, Christina. Pink can't lose here. She has sold out four shows in Brissy ... they can't get enough! The timing on Snow Patrol "Chasing Cars" was perfect here, and the song was huge by the time it ever aired on "Grey's Anatomy"! One thing that is frustrating is getting TV and most movies later than everyone else!
There's more Mainstream Rock that's hot, plus Pop/Dance songs that might have a hard time in the States. The new Silverchair album is awesome. Powderfinger are from Brisbane, and they've just come out with a new CD after Bernard Fanning did a solo project. Eskimo Joe, Thirsty Merc, Small Mercies -- all great Aussie bands to check out. On the Pop/Dance side, I'm lovin' Sneaky Sound System. The singer is a star and the songs are hot. ("Pictures," "I Love It," "UFO.") Scissor Sisters have been huge here. Other big Dance songs include Fedde La Grande "Put Your Hands Up for Detroit," Fonzerelli "Moonlight Party," David Guetta and the Egg "Love Don't Let Me Go" and Bob Sinclair "Rock This Party." And Amy Winehouse "Rehab" was a hit for us before it was a Britney video on YouTube.
3) You're promoting "Nova's $100,000 Bludger of the Year." What the hell's a "bludger"?
A "bludger" is an Aussie word for someone who's really lazy, who sits around all day doing nothing. We give clues out one at a time. You have to figure out who the celebrity bludger is. Every person to get one right goes into the draw for a $50,000 salary, a Mitsubishi Cold Ralliart valued at 35K, and 15K to use for a holiday! It's one of the biggest promotions any of the Novas have ever done ... so big we have to keep reminding people it's just for Brisbane.
4) You have a countdown show based on the "Motorola ARIA Chart." How is this chart compiled, and how does it differ from American charts?
That's the Australian Recording Industry Association chart -- all based on sales.
5) What's the competitive landscape like? Are there Urban or Crossover or Country-type stations?
Urban and Hip-Hop aren't huge here, but Rhythmic music definitely plays a part in Top 40. The market is not as diverse as in the U.S. Queensland has a non-commercial Country station, and it's pretty cool. They'll play anything from Johnny Cash to Keith Urban to Olivia Newton-John!
There are commercial and non-commercial stations. Australia is in the middle of deregulation debates -- licenses/stations have been very limited, and DMG snagged this Brisbane signal several years ago to launch the newest Nova in 2005, giving the company station in the capital cities of Australia: Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Instead of "major, large, medium and small" markets, it's "metropolitan," "provincial," and "regional" markets here.
6) Tell us about your airstaff.
Meshel, Ash, Kip and Luttsy ... the Breakfast Show (that's what we call "morning shows" here) is #1 10+ (that's how Nielsen rates here!) and has been #1 under 40 since six months after launch in 2005. Meshel Laurie is a stand-up comedian and animal lover whose last job was working at a brothel -- as receptionist. Ashley Bradnam is a true blue Queenslander, father of two who loves to fish or 4x4 on Fraser Island every weekend. Kip Wightman is the "brainy" one who loves gadgets and his lovely wife, Leanne. David "Luttsy" Lutteral is the swinging single sport reporter whose love life is hindered only by the fact that he still lives at home with his mum at the age of 30! As you can imagine, four personalities is quite a big show to manage! The APD, breakfast producer and I meet with them every day for an aircheck session and to plan the next day's show.
Brendan "Whippy" Dangar is our morning personality. He's great with the phones and at keeping the workday flowing from 9 to 12. In addition to his show, he helps the Music Director, Kate Casey, every day with laying out all the imaging, liners, competitions and breaks.
Emily Jade is on "afternoons," or noon-3pm. She's a "Tazzy" girl, from Tasmania, who got into provincial then regional radio before she came to DMG. Great phones and pop culture knowledge ... and she's everywhere in town.
Dan & Ken are the new Drive Show on Nova 106.9. They've worked together seven years at Sea FM, with a national regional network show. They started this year in nights, then moved to drive when Jamie Row moved to Nova Sydney. Working with them on content every day has been a major focus this year. They've been great -- they're so funny, they work hard and take direction well.
Merrick & Rosso -- we also play back a "best of" hour of Merrick & Rosso, Nova Sydney's breakfast team. The boys are great. They started in stand-up together and became legends of brekky radio.
Michelle and Smallzy are the new night show since we moved Dan & Ken to drive. Michelle Anderson came from Nova 100 in Melbourne. She is just a cool chick and a natural on the air. Some might call her "a loose goose," but that means she can hang! Kent "Smallzy" Small is her partner in crime who came from our Star station on the Central Coast. Great topics, stunts and contests at night, and they love to randomly call people and ask, "What's for dinner?" It's a great bit.
"Bossy" in on late nights and weekends and helps with the website. Everyone multi-tasks at Nova!
All in all, we've got a ton of talent in the building. It's a lot of moving parts. I spend at least two hours a day working on content with the talent -- phone topics, stunts, stories and bits. APD Leigh Kuhlmann helps with the airchecks so we can get one in with everyone every week.
7) What kind of research are you using? I noticed your online "Tune Tracka." Does that provide good info?
We do callout as well as online research. Pinnacle, the same company we worked with at KRBE, does the Tune Tracka online. Online research is important, but you can't rely on it alone since it's your core audience.
8) I noticed an ad on your website for a client advertising "Tightass Tuesday" discounts ... not something you'd typically see on American radio websites. How are the indecency regs there? Can you get away with content there that wouldn't fly here?
There is definitely a lack of political correctness here! "Shit" is OK on the radio! We run a lot of edgy promotions on air as well, but we try to balance it out. The Nova audience is broad -- males and females under 40 -- so there's something for the guys and something for the girls. Taking risks is encouraged here. The Aussie sense of humor is very self-deprecating and it's all about "taking the piss" outta yourself.
9) Former Reprise and Jive promo rep Karen McLellan is also down there. Do you run into her?
I saw Karen at the radio awards in Sydney, where she's based. We have our own local here, so there's no need for her to come up very often. Sydney is only an hour flight away, but it's a nine-hour drive from Brisbane! Karen's having a great time in Australia, but we like to commiserate about the price of makeup!
10) If I plan a vacation there, what's not to be missed?
We've barely been out of Queensland yet, and I can name several places not to be missed! The most beautiful beaches I've seen are here. The Sunshine Coast is north of us, and the Gold Coast is south of us. We just went to Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef over Easter -- beautiful! I've heard the Whitsundays, just south of Port Douglas, are amazing. Of course you have to see Sydney if you come to Australia. The opera house and the harbour bridge are not to be missed. Sydney feels like San Francisco meets the sunshine in L.A.!
Bonus Questions
BONUS: We've heard that water swirls the opposite way when it goes down the drain there. True or false?
False. Most of the toilets suck straight down here, so I've never seen it swirl. The different thing is there are two buttons on top, one for a "full flush" and one for a "half flush." It's to save water. Aussies have been living with a drought for over 10 years. We are on "Level 5 water restrictions" in Brisbane, which means don't tell anybody if you wash your hair every day!
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