10 Questions with ... Cagle

NAME:Cagle POSITION:PD STATION:WBTS (95.5 The Beat) MARKET:Atlanta BORN:Freeport, TX RAISED:Morrilton, AR

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KKYK/LITTLE ROCK, AR (part time on air) 1988-1990
WEZB/B97/NEW ORLEANS (Promotions Director/Asst. Music Director) 1990-1995
KQKS/DENVER (Music Director) 1995-1997
KXHT/MEMPHIS (Program Director) 1999-2001
JCOR RECORDS (A&R) 2001-2002
KPAT/SANTA MARIA, CA & KWWV/SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA (PD) 2002-2003
WFOX/ATLANTA 2003-2004,
Transferred to sister-station WBTS in MARCH 2004

1. I'd say it's safe to call you a radio veteran. Think back on your first gig in radio. What do you remember from that first gig still gets you excited when you walk into the station in the morning today?

18 years and counting...I guess that qualifies for veteran status. As cheesy as it sounds...the music. Music is what has always driven me.

2. What's the biggest change you've seen from gig #1 to your job now as a PD in ATLANTA.

The pay...I make less now

3. You're staff at 95.5 THE BEAT has been gradually morphing since your arrival. Who's on the air now?

MURPH DAWG and CJ are in the morning. I hired MURPH from our station, HOT 98.1, in GREENVILLE, SC. CJ came to us from HOT 107.9 here in the A-Town. MAVERICK holds down mids, normally, but is doing afternoons right now as my afternoon girl, DIANE JAMES, is a new Mommy. Nights is AUSTIN, who I hired from BUFFALO. Wow...This is the first time I realized that I have hired my whole current staff, excepting MAVERICK. He's the only one I inherited.

4. Have you seen some growth in the station's numbers?

Absolutely...the station is performing at a much stronger level than ever before. Our cume has increased by over 100,000 listeners since last year at this time. The books we once considered good are now just ok.

5. As a music director, you had a reputation for having great ears. 95.5 THE BEAT is not the most aggressive station. Do you struggle with breaking lessrecords now than you have in the past in DENVER, NEW ORLEANS or MEMPHIS?

Sometimes...but I realize why this station is the way it is, It makes sense for the market and what we are trying to accomplish here. We have helped brake a few tracks here..."Party Like A Rockstar" being the most recent example. I still have great ears...2 of 'em.

6. You collect watches. Why watches?

Good question...I don't know why the habit started. It's clocks as well...my Casa is rather loud...lots of ticking. It's been compared to Doc Brown's lab at the beginning of "Back To The Future." I guess that collecting timepieces was better than other vices available to me at the time.

7. If you could be a contestant on any TV game show, which would you choose and why?

Music Jeopardy on VH1...'cause I would win.

8. Hypothetical situation...MURPH DAWG loses his mind and calls the GEORGIA TECH women's basketball team a bunch of...well you see where this is going. If money is no object, and you can't hire a currently employed radio morning host, who do you hire to replace that knucklehead, MURPH?

PETE JONES...or maybe ELVIS DURAN

9. It's 8 pm on a FRIDAY night in ATLANTA. What's the perfect meal?

Chinese...Moogoo Gai Pan...Egg Roll...Hot and Sour Soup...possibly sushi at Nickiemoto's

10. What's the most common mistake young programmers make?

Not paying attention to their market...worrying too much about what song is working at stations outside of their market. And I've also noticed alot of young whipper snappers thinking they are always right. Listen to your staff...to other people in the station...they may have the best idea.

Bonus. Who's the biggest card shark in the record and radio industry?

Vince Pelligrino...maybe Carvello...nah...I can definitely kick Vinnie The Sins ass.