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10 Questions with ... Trey the Choklit Jok
June 25, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Before Ron Magers retired -- who was a #1 TV news anchor in Chicago -- he did an interview with a newspaper and was asked if he pays attention to the competition. He said, "No, I don't" "I like to focus on doing me, being the best I can be on air." That stuck with me. Now as a programmer, I clearly have to check out the competition from time to time, but I adapt that thinking. Unless it's affecting what I'm doing, I focus on our game plan, instead of what others are doing, and it's worked for me
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I started as high school sports reporter for WGCI in high school, then was hired as Associate Producer for the morning show on WGCI, did Saturday and Sunday nights on WGCI ... and was then hired to startup crosstown rival WPWX as night host for four years before being promoted to mornings for five years and middays for a year. Now works as Brand Manager for Townsquare Media for Urban KOOC and Urban AC KSSM and afternoon host for KOOC and weekend host on KSSM
1) What people have influenced your career?
Doug Banks, growing up listening to Banks and Company on WGCI basically put in my mind at a very young age that I wanted to do radio.
Rick Party, I called him when he did nights on WGCI in 1996 as a junior in high school. I had been suspended (won't go into why) and he invited me to come on his show. He was courteous enough to let me introduce a song on his top 9 at 9 countdown "I walked the post" to Montell Jordan's "I Like" and history was made. He liked it and ended up letting me host the rest of the countdown that night, that eventually led to him inviting me to come on his radio show a few more times that summer to host his top 9 countdown solo as a 16-year-old on WGCI.
Elroy Smith put me on the radio and hired me to be on GCI when I was just 17 as a senior in high school; I had a segment called "The High School Hype with the Choklit Jok," where I announced high school sports. I got paid $25 a report, which came out to $100 a month. I was ballin'. He also gave me the opportunity to host solo overnight shows on WGCI. His aircheck sessions and critiques and how he ran GCI is still knowledge I implement every day and pass on to others.
Jay Alan flat-out believed in me. He brought me over from WGCI as a co-host on the first-ever night show on WPWX and he saw my talent, eventually put me on solo nights for two years before promoting me to mornings, when I was 25, a position I held for five years.
Armando Rivera, my current "coach." This guy's vast knowledge of radio, ratings, execution and the Urban formats is incomparable. Very lucky to have him in my corner.
2) Was a radio career by choice?
Yes, this is what I'm supposed to be doing by far. This is all I've ever wanted to do since I was eight, listening to Backs and company ... even the four-year absence I had out of radio I was still in it, teaching it and running a radio Internet network.
3) How did becoming a PD affect your life?
It hit me dead in the face like, "BAM, I'm here!" Went from never programming a station to programming two! The word multitasking and time management define my life. I am built for this though, so every challenge is welcomed.
4) What's the best advice you've ever been given?
Before Ron Magers retired -- who was a #1 TV news anchor in Chicago -- he did an interview with a newspaper and was asked if he pays attention to the competition. He said, "No, I don't" "I like to focus on doing me, being the best I can be on air." That stuck with me. Now as a programmer, I clearly have to check out the competition from time to time, but I adapt that thinking. Unless it's affecting what I'm doing, I focus on our game plan, instead of what others are doing, and it's worked for me.
5) If budget was no object, what would you do with your station?
Great question, for starters. I'd have live jocks on every daypart (my middays and late nights are voicetracked), a local morning show, billboards, TV and digital ads everywhere to constantly promote my brands. We'd have countless amount of shows ... man, I can go on, but I'll stop there.
6) How do you deal with adversity?
Knowing I have the power to diffuse or elevate the issue takes a lot of conflict out of my life. And age has matured me ... LOL ... so I've learned to try to pick my own battles. I let my work speak for itself and continue the thinking of what you do comes back on you. Sometimes it's okay to let people "win."
7) Why do you think many radio stations don't have local morning shows?
I don't necessarily agree with this thinking but it's cheaper. If I can have a big star in mornings with a name and entertaining show, that can increase revenue with ratings. And if that show has a good record of winning in other markets, why take a chance on growing and developing a morning show? It takes time and patience to develop a morning show and some companies need to win now. So why pay a local morning team? Especially if the syndicated show I have on is delivering
8) How about sharing a favorite radio memory?
Doug Banks hosted mornings on WPWX/Chicago, and I did nights in 2004. I had a live broadcast at Dave and Busters downtown Chicago; the guy I idolized growing up was on the radio with me for an hour. Doug was an amazing personality.
9) What does radio have to do to keep itself relevant in the coming years?
As long as radio and social media/Internet continue to be partners with each other it will keep your brand and radio relevant. Having station podcasts and on-demand content on your website or app is key.
10. Do you think an on-air PD have any advantages over those who don't do an air shift?
Absolutely not, I think you must focus on one thing to give it the full effort. A lot of times I voicetrack my show so I can handle other things. Not saying I don't put any creativity and effort in my show, but I remember when I did nights and mornings and only having to worry about an air shift. My creativity centered around making those four hours golden. Now it's a combination of other things, running two stations including an air shift and that makes it challenging at times.
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