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10 Questions with ... Guy Zapoleon
January 6, 2009
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NAME:Guy ZapoleonPOSITION:PresidentCOMPANY:Zapoleon Media Strategies
1) What led you to a career in radio?
I loved music and radio so much from the time I was 12 that I wanted to have a career that had something that had to do with music or radio. I was very blessed by a strange intersection of events, that happened through my mom's boyfriend, Stan Kreshower, who had a connection to Russ Shaw, who was a head of A&R at Warner Records. That led to me meeting Russ for a summer job interview and then a meeting with Warner Publicity head Pete Johnson, who was the man who wrote the legendary "History of Rock and Roll" documentary for Drake Chenault. I showed him my music charts I had compiled from L.A. radio stations and he loved one so much that he turned Warner Records' monthly album release pamphlet circular into my Los Angeles top-1,000 songs of all time, as well as a bio on me and why someone in radio or music should give me a job. Then Rolling Stone saw it and wrote an article on my National Top 1,000 and me. Then Betty Breneman saw the article and had me come down to talk to her, and I wound up getting a summer job at KRTH that led to a full-time job eventually there. How lucky can a kid get!
2) How would you describe your first radio gig?
I did anything and everything at KRTH. I redid the music tapes for KRTH with music from my local L.A. charts when RKO parted ways with my hero Bill Drake. That was my summer job, and when that ended I continued to be part-time. First they had me hand out T-shirts in the Heavy Chev, then I was fitted for a tight fitting costume as Captain KRTH. Because I had been a competitive swimmer, I had a Michael Phelps physique ... well, almost ... and made appearances at shopping malls, etc. Eventually they put me in traffic and continuity, which I did for several years before eventually getting a Music Director job working for Art Laboe at KRLA, replacing my close friend Sherman Cohen.
3) What makes your consultancy unique? What separates Zapoleon Media Strategies from the pack?
Customer service! We realize the unique demands stations deal with in these difficult times and understand there needs to be a strong "return on investment" for dollars spent for a strategic partner. We work hard to give the extra "added value" in whatever ways are necessary for our client stations to be successful in both ratings AND revenue. We like to think of ourselves as America's most trusted programming advisors, because our first concern is to assist our clients in any way possible, be problem-solvers for them, and create customized solutions for clients. For years, we could have shopped formats that we were the first to create ...Hot AC at KHMX Houston in 1990, Dance at WKTU ... but we never went out to represent ourselves as salesmen for these formats. In fact, we never had a Dance station client throughout all the 'KTU success years. Over our 16 years of business, we have worked with most of the major Top 40s and Hot ACs in the top-70 markets in America, along with Mainstream AC, Rhythm AC, Classic Hits, Rock, Alternative and Oldies stations. We've also worked with some of the very best radio stations around the world, the Austereo group in Australia, including 2DayFM in Sydney, NRJ Paris, NRJ Sweden, RTL in Berlin and others.
While we are still all about custom solutions, if there is a need for a Classic Hits/Oldies format in the market, we have created a new format that is in our arsenal to help our clients. It's a reinvention of the Oldies format. "Generations" is a fresh look at era-based programming, incorporating the best music of the '70s along with "evergreen" songs from the '60s and compatible songs from the early '80s. It comes with a signature voice and custom jingle package along with sweepers and a complete music library. We launched it late last year and our initial "Generations" station, WXGN/Charlottesville VA, is getting great 25-54 adult numbers. We're very proud of it. http://zapoleon.com/zms/formats.html
4) What's your take on the PPM and its problems?
Obviously a lot of broadcasters are taking PPM.to task, with the main goal of getting all the details of the methodology right before its firmly in place. There are sample issues that present a problem in getting proper representation for certain types of social economic households. The sampling systems differed in most PPM cities from Houston, where Arbitron included house-to-house recruiting, which yielded a better, more diversified sample. Also, none of the samples done so far has focused on including cell phone users, and we all know that a lot of people -- especially under the age of 30 -- are living in cell phone-only households, and that's going to increase with the economy the way it is. Also, there are a lot of users who have a problem carrying the device, and refuse to in certain situations. Certainly a woman is a lot less likely to carry the device than a man.
A lot of the problems and criticisms the PPM is facing now could be solved by focusing on the cell phone, both its users as well as using the cell phone itself as a measurement device. Any issues that people have carrying the device would be solved with the cell phone, since no one has a problem carrying their cell phone with them. There are already two different technologies that exist: both Integrated Media Measurement Ince and the French Ipsos system are already adaptable for measurement of audio devices through cell phones. If Arbitron either provided cell phones to respondents, or allowed users to download applications to their existing cell phone, it would be a lot cheaper and it would provide a familiar device to overcome some users' natural fear of using a new device.
Thank God the move to PPM began a few years ago, because our entire radio industry had grown comfortable, and clients and advertising agencies were indoctrinated by the diary methodology. Now, with the economy in a recession, it's hard to walk away from the diary, which is a lot less expensive to administer and is a bigger profit-maker. So thank God we've moved forward with the People Meter to finally get actual real measurement of radio listening v.s perceived listening, which to my mind is 20 years overdue.
5) Could you give us a little insight into your staff?
We have a truly great team of people with Mark St. John and Steve Davis, Vicky Mouch and Cathy O'Loughlin. They are all good, caring people who put themselves second to make our clients first. Mark and Steve are truly the best consultants in the business. No one works harder or is more knowledgeable. Mark programmed the legendary WAVA with Geronimo and O'Meara, and also I95 in Birmingham where he created the Mark & Brian show. Steve was the original morning man at Mike Joseph's B96 in Chicago and has programmed some of America's best Top 40s -- Power 99/Atlanta and Z98/Tampa, and was National PD for NextMedia. Mark and Steve are amazing problem-solvers for radio, and together we have won Consultant of the Year for Hot AC and Top 40 for nine years. Vicky is the backbone of our company, and she's been part of Zapoleon Media Strategies since '95, almost from the beginning. She really manages all internal details of our company and is incredible with our clients. Cathy handles all our Arbitron information for clients and does a magnificent job in getting the Arbitron data and extrapolations.to our clients before they have a chance to download it at the station. We have the best consultant team in the country and I'm very proud to be working with these very fine people.
6) In this era of cutbacks, what are the most important skills for the survivors to have?
What we're facing now is what happens when the cycle for our given business reaches the end of one lifespan. i.e.: the S curve, and begins a new one. Yes, it's a tough time for our business ... the intersection of a changing medium with a world economy in recession. What it takes to survive is the same thing it takes in any industry during tough times -- eager multi-taskers willing to do whatever is needed. Hard work ethics are always in demand, especially in these tough times, which always favor the go-getters who put themselves and their personal needs second to get work done and make a great impression on decision-makers.
7) What's your take on HD Radio? What can/should be done do advance this technology?
We have to remember that HD is a technology that was not requested by listeners, but rather was introduced by the industry for the industry. I guess the good news for HD is that radio companies are focused on creating format diversity and creating a lot of new content that doesn't exist on terrestrial radio. But I honestly wouldn't waste another penny on the HD technology itself, unless there is some way it can be meshed with cell phone technology or residing on the Internet. It's been pretty obvious to me for a number of years that all entertainment mediums -- visual, audio, communication -- will converge together on one device, and versions of that device will exist at home, in the car and as a personal handheld device. The iPhone has helped everyone visualize this reality a little easier.
8) Who are your favorite air personalities, past and present? What makes them special?
Since I grew up in the '60s, WABC's Cousin Brucie was the reason I started listening to radio. When I was 13, my buddies told me I had to listen to Cousin Brucie to be "cool" and in touch with what was happening with pop culture. When Cousin Brucie came on -- especially if you were a teen -- you felt like he was your best friend and that you were a part of his very special show. Humble Harve was my favorite on KHJ, again because he was just so "cool." Harve was really the first fre-form FM-type jock on AM radio. Both were brilliant entertainers in their own unique way.
9) What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
I owe my inspiration to get into radio to the great radio stations of the past. I lived with my Dad in L.A. and lived in Stamford, CT for two years, then visited my mom in New York, so KHJ/Los Angeles and WABC/New York City. 77 WABC was a different type of radio station from KHJ. The personalities talked longer and the playlist was ever so tight, basically 7+7=14 songs ... well, not really, but almost! There were a few extras, and the amazing Cousin Brucie, Dan Ingram and more. But listening to 93 KHJ was what made me want to get into radio. They had the greatest radio team and air staff in history. Bill Drake, consultant; Ron Jacobs, PD; Betty Breneman, MD; Robert W. Morgan in mornings, The Real Don Steele in afternoons and Humble Harve, nights.
I know I've talked with great radio legends of today, like Scott Shannon who learned about radio by DXing AM radio across America. That's where Scott (and I) went to great radio college. Listening to KHJ was a lesson in brilliant basics. KHJ was a master of creating excitement through great personalities, great promotions (the non-stop contest) and so importantly through Bill Drake's concept of "forward momentum." Nothing on that radio station ever slowed down. This was done through the jock's word economy and brilliant production values. For their part in KHJ's forward momentum, the KHJ "Boss Jocks" had a frenetic energy, and delivered liners that were rewritten and rewritten down to seven seconds, but still got the message across. All radio that came before sounded ancient and sluggish in comparison. All aspects of KHJ were absolutely perfect because of Drake, Jacobs and Breneman's attention to detail. It made me excited about radio and consumed me so that nothing else in my life was as important to me as being a part of great radio.
10) What would you like to do to save radio from its "dying-industry" image?
Radio has the biggest challenge of its life with the growth of the Internet, the iPod and the iPhone, especially since radio is not an important part of those technologies. With the Internet becoming the main destination for most visual and audio entertainment today, radio has to create a powerful compelling presence on the web if it wants to exist as an entertainment brand in the future. Currently, the Internet provides duplication of what's available on radio's terrestrial signal. Someday, radio will be the soundtrack of what exists on radio's website. Radio has to recapture the under-30 market, particularly teens and young adults who have grown up without radio as their constant companion and guide to new music.
But we have to understand that we are our own worst enemy. We're at a crossroads, and if radio is going to survive, it needs to have the time, a substantial amount of money, and it must recruit the best and brightest minds necessary to create a content plan for the best audio (and visual) entertainment available anywhere. If we're to survive, radio needs to create a lasting entertainment brand for a wide range of consumers that carves outs a space on the entertainment and communication convergence device that will exist in our car, at home and that is our constant companion.
Bonus Questions
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I've always loved problem solving and mysteries ever since I was a child. When I was 10 I wanted to be an archeologist, and explore the ruins of Troy and the Great Pyramids of Egypt. When I was 16, I discovered radio and pop music, and I wanted to be doing anything that had me involved with it ... either a radio PD or record producer. Because I loved helping people and thought that radio and music might be never be a reality, I planned to be a psychologist and graduated with that degree from UCLA. Then I got the write-up in the WB circular and Rolling Stone and my dream became a reality.
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