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10 Questions with ... Joey Tack
March 12, 2019
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- 1999-2004: Weekends/Swing, iHeart Media/Quad-Cities IA/IL (WHTS, KMXG, WLLR)
- 2004-2005: Nights/MD - WHTS/Quad-Cities IA/IL, iHeart Media (Clear Channel)
- 2005-2013: Nights/MD - WKHT/Knoxville, SummitMedia (Journal Broadcast Group)
- 2013-2014: Afternoons/Promotions - WKHT/Knoxville, SummitMedia
- 2014-Now: PD/Afternoons - WKHT/Knoxville, SummitMedia
1. What got you into radio?
Somewhere around 12 years old, I started listening heavily to WHTS ("All Hit 98-9") in the Quad-Cities. Everything about this station was magic to me, including the music and personalities. The night guy at the time was "Red Hot" Brian Scott, (now in Peoria) and he was the consummate on-air entertainer. We (my brother and I) began calling the station, winning prizes, and eventually created our own 'radio station' in our bedroom to mimic what we were hearing on the air.
2. What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid?
Being an identical twin meant that I shared nearly all interests and hobbies with my brother, Jesse. Before we gravitated to radio, we both were hooked on artists such as Garth Brooks and Michael Jackson. It wasn't just their music, it was the show business the surrounded them. We loved the idea of performing on-stage and entertaining crowds.
3. Your twin brother, Jesse, is afternoon host at Hubbard Country WUBE (B-105) in Cincinnati. If you two were ever to co-host a show, how would your skill sets complement each other...or would they?"
Aside from having identical DNA, we share a lot of the same interests including music, movies, etc. However, our personal lives are quite different. I'm married with kids, he's a bachelor with a dog. So doing a show together would have interesting challenges and opportunities at the same time.
4. Since your arrival in Knoxville, you've gotten married and you've become a father. How have your relationships and responsibilities as a husband and father impacting you as a programmer and manager.
I was 21 when I arrived in Knoxville and was able to focus all my energy on work. While great for the show, it also meant a lack of priorities outside of work. Meeting my wife and getting married was the best thing that could have happened to me. Aside from 'leveling-up' in maturity, it helped me to develop a healthier work-life balance. The addition of kids brought more maturity and further need to consider where my time was being spent. Marriage and parenthood made me a more empathetic, patient, and collaborative person. I highly recommend it.
5. What would probably surprise most people about Knoxville?
Knoxville is the hub for many major corporations including Pilot/Flying J, Discovery Networks, Bush's Baked Beans, Regal Cinemas, and Jewelry Television. It's a beautiful, very convenient place to live.
6. If you had to pick one thing and call it the "Heart or Strength of Hot 104.5", what would you pick?
Our ability to move quickly and react to the world around us (without over thinking it) is what separates us from most stations. This comes in the form of short-term topical imaging, last second format changes, creative weekend promotions, and serving our community at a moment's notice.
7. If you weren't in radio, what do you think you'd be doing professionally?
I've always loved film music and the art of producing movie trailers. That would be a fun path to pursue.
8. What could and should radio do better?
- Stop hesitating. React immediately when things happen!
- Acknowledge new listener habits, (streaming, social media) and adapt accordingly.
- Bring back the sizzle and surprise that drew you to radio in the first place.
- Think of your station more as a brand, less as an FM frequency.
- Seek out interesting and unique talent for your brands. Focus less on polished, traditional jocks.
9. If you could be on any TV reality show or game show, which would you want to be on?
While humiliating, "Wipe Out" seems like it would be a blast.
10. There are moments in my radio programming career that are so strongly etched in my memory, even 262 years later. Deep into the throws of your career, is there a moment that tends to always jump to the forefront of your memory?
The moments I remember most are when things didn't go to plan and how we had to react to them. Those include the deaths Michael Jackson and Prince. The city of Gatlinburg, TN being consumed by a wildfire. Flipping the station to "Twerk 104" for April Fool's Day (and people not wanting us to flip back).
Bonus Questions
What would your wife's rapper name would be? What's her favorite song on the station these days?
She says "Lil Fit Mama." And Lil Fit Mama's favorite song is forever "Back That Azz Up," naturally.
If you had to eat one type of meal every day for a month, what would it be?
Pizza!
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