10 Questions with ... Terry Base

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Thirty years in the radio industry. Young of the youngest program directors ever in a top-80 market at the age of 24. Given a chance in Urban radio by Earl Boston (forever grateful). Worked early in career with one of the greatest air staffs, which included Ric Party, Mike Evans, Brian Kelly. Programmed heritage KJMS in Memphis, TN before moving back home to program WWWZ and WMGL. Also operated as National Urban, UAC and Gospel format Captain for Citadel Broadcasting and OM for the Charleston Cluster. Programmed WWWZ to the most consecutive #1 books in the history of Charleston Radio. Leave after 19½ years at the helm.

1) Would you share your thoughts on radio these days?

I would say radio is in the midst of evolution that doesn't feel like it. As much as technology has evolved, almost minute-to-minute radio hasn't seemed to have responded and reacted as much as it should, in my opinion. Instead of aggressively pursuing ways to be the most relevant and compelling music, information and entertainment medium, we have instead been more of the turtle with its head in the shell hoping all the other choices would go away.

2) What are some of the apps that can help or would help programmers?

I love Shazam and streaming data that is available. Shazam allows you to really check for song reactions in your market. People don't inquire about songs they aren't curious about or don't like. You can gauge song buzz locally, regionally and nationally and that's critical in this new age of more digital platforms that you can count. Streaming stats also allow you to see what's happening day-to-day in your market. Contemporary radio will always need to be in season with its playlist. When your music rotations are stale, you are at a disadvantage. People have choices. Even YouTube and Instagram keep you in tune with your audience and what they want.

3) How you think radio programmers should utilize Podcasts?

Podcasts are a great way to extend the reach of your personality and provide a great way to cultivate interest that can lead to tune-ins and potential new audience on the radio. Taking your personalities and creating content that you don't get on the radio is great for the audience and the talent. If you have a quiet storm personality you can have a really steamy "Love and Relationship" podcast that can tie back into the air shift. Any daypart can benefit from podcasting. It's win-win all the way around ... and revenue generating if you have a sales staff that gets it.

4) Are you good at the art of nudging workers?

I have been over my years. Coaching, parenting, programming all involve the art of the nudge. You have to know the potential of your talent and the areas where you can get more out of them and then start nudging. Yonni Rude (now OM at Radio One/Richmond) was, many years ago, a quiet extrovert, so his first week on the job he was immediately thrown into the mix at our Black Music Month Talent Showcase. He was new to the market and not known so I threw him into the fire, knowing he could handle it and it would pay later dividends. We laugh about it to this day. Getting people out of their comfort zone is nudging at its best. You don't grow if you don't experience the growing pains of some nudging along the way.

5) What career advice do you give new or future broadcasters?

Make sure you have other skillsets in and outside of the building. Be great at radio, but also be great at something else. Radio has created way too many abrupt endings for people who put all in radio and are paralyzed when things end. Work on being a great comedian to help you on-air and generate extra income outside the building. Author the books that you will work into an on-air or program. Be great in middays and great at real estate. Have a voiceover company that can sustain you while you try to take this radio journey. Those are just a few examples but whatever you do be multi-faceted before or during you run in radio.

6) Could you tell me about your early days in radio?

Oh my, it's the stuff of a book. I started January 1987 as a copywriter and it really blessed me to write creatively and from different angles. It led me to production and helped me become a Production Director before I was a PD. My passion of this business and need for growth lead me to work at two stations in the same market at the same time. I would work on air sometimes on WXLY 102.5 (Classic Rock at the time) under my real name and then I would leave and go across town to work on Urban WMGL (Magic 101.7 at that time) and that's how Terry Base was born. That was a fun secret that lasted about six months until Urban radio called with more money (believe it or not). Radio back in those days didn't pay well but the fun and real community connection and impact is something that is missing from today's radio.

7) Who has influenced your radio career?

I'll have to keep it short and sweet but there are others and I thank all the radio family along the way that's been a part of my journey but here ya go.

• Earl Boston gave me my first full-time job in Urban radio. Middays and Production Director at WMGL. I saw intensity and such a tremendous work ethic and also such care about the people in the community we served. He visited a school once and they sent back a card and letter of appreciation and it moved him to tears. I can say I have been moved to tears knowing that God has allowed by vocation to bless somebody else.
• Mike Evans (currently at WHRK) was the first real morning host I got to see really work his craft with all his might and say his many talents in real time. One of the great morning men in radio who God created to do morning radio.
• Ric Party (now in Miami). One of great talents ever in Urban. I saw raw creativity in Ric that is still alive and well. Sandwiched in middays between Mike Evans (mornings) and Ric Party (afternoons) was a great learning experience doing my first full-time shift. Memories I will always cherish. I remember us having station promo competitions to see who could produce the best promo. You don't see anyone doing that anymore. We were all young and dumb at the time, but we really had a family crew worthy of a reunion.
• Floyd Blackwell. Great radio guy who tracked me down when I was out of Urban radio for nine months and hired me to program in Memphis for a great five-year run.
• Melvin "Cookin" Jones. Always provided great wisdom when I was in Memphis.
• Chuck Woodson. Great Broadcaster and friend. We had a short but fun run together putting KXHT on the air against all odds.
• Don Kelly. A great consultant that truly consulted radio stations and did not try to program them. His insight was usually spot on confirming what you already knew about your station or market.
• Mitch Faulker. Great voice and production guy in this business. I learned a lot from him.
• Judy Ellis. Always loved her intensity and the way she challenged her people to think higher and dig deeper than their current condition. Very smart radio legend.
• Larry Wilson and the original Citadel Broadcasting team. Too many names to mention but I've always cherished the way we did business. It was real radio and they know who they are but we all miss those days at the ranch. I'll never forget those moments. Bill Mclveen, Ed Turner, Ken Benson, Scott Mahalick and many others.
• I must mention some talent that worked for or with me but I too learned from them as they grew and developed ... shout out to Tessa Spencer, Eddie Rock, Terry Alexander, Stephanie Williams, Baby J, Yonni Rude, Frankie Da Bopper, Broadway Joe, Doug Williams, Mark Dylan, Kelly Mac, Charlamange, Deja Dee, Alysee Stewart, TK Jones, Stevie Byrd, Anthony Baxter, Belinda Parker, DJ Cass, Stevie Byrd, Al B, Jimmy Mack, Jackson Brown, Toni St. James, Riecy G, Andie Monie, Kristee Lane, Vicky Gee, Sha Sha, The Late Ken More The Late Freda Lorraine The Late Don Early Bird, The Late Ty Singleton. I have more but they'll have to go in the book.

8) If you hadn't done radio, what profession would you have gone into?

I would have continued to pursue music. At the University of South Carolina, I was in several R&B and funk bands back in the '80s. Funny story is playing at the Gold Spur a bar on campus that featured live bands. Our band would play and then a pretty good Rock band would play. We would complement each other and keep it moving. One day I realized that the other band became famous ... it was Hootie and the Blowfish. I would have also probably pursued television or entrepreneurship.

9) How do you view the landscape of Hip-Hop and R&B?

Seven or eight years ago, I remember having a conversation the Yonni Rude about the potential death of what we knew then as Urban Contemporary radio. Hip-Hop was changing to a sound that was less inviting to the masses. R&B was an endangered species and UAC was old and dated. Fortunately, the masses have embraced the Trap music sound and R&B is making a comeback. Truth be told, R&B is what artists like Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk and others make but it is somehow reclassified as Pop. If Urban Adult truly considers what a 40-45-year-old really listens to and likes and services it on the radio it will continue to evolve to positive growth. More cume than Mainstream Urban and more ratings. Dayparting is what UAC needs to open up its playlist and quit playing scared. Hip-Hop is almost a Rap-exclusive format that is 12-34 in its appeal with great audience but continues to niche itself with just one style. Back in the '90s, Hip-Hop and Rap had East Coast Flava, West Coast Flava. Dirty South Flava, Miami Bass New Jack Swing and boy, did it all sound good.

10) Why do you think Black radio has such a loyal audience in so many markets over the years?

It goes back to the history of what was available to us. Black people, at one time, didn't have many media choices and certainly could not trust the Mainstream media and that still exists even today. No matter how big or Mainstream the story is I still believe African-American audiences trust their black radio to give them a perspective that they believe and receive as true take-out of the black experience.