10 Questions with ... Talus Knight

NAME:Talus Knight TITLE:Program Director STATION:WFXM Power 107-1 "Where Hip Hop Lives" MARKET:Macon, GA COMPANY:Murray Communications BORN:March 9, 1979 / Raleigh, NC RAISED:Southside off Rock Quarry Rd. /Raleigh, NC

Please outline your career path.

WNAA/Greensboro (on-air) 1996-97, WQOK/Raleigh(on-air) 1998-99, WHTA/Atlanta (on-air) 1999-00, WFXM/Macon (nights) 00-01, WCDX/Richmond (afternoons) 01-03, WENZ/Cleveland (APD/afternoons) 03-06, WFXM/Macon (PD/afternoons) 07-current

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

My first job was to be the butt of everyone's joke at WQOK ... and when the jokes subsided, it was on to my other job there, which was set-up duties for remotes. Ryan Cameron is one of my favorites because I admired his approach to radio -- funny, smart and honest. People can smell a phony through the radio. so more personalities should take Ryan's approach and be true to themselves instead of being someone you think you should be for the format.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?

I got grounded in 5th grade for one whole month for an offense I refuse to disclose till this day. I couldn't go outside, watch TV or talk on the phone ... but in typical "Talus" fashion I found the one loophole that would change the way I viewed entertainment forever: (talking to myself) "Yo, mom didn't say anything about the radio!" Doing my homework while listening to WQOK that month resulted in my "this is it" moment.

3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?

Of course! I love the challenge of having to prove my worth each and everyday! (lol) Seriously though, I wouldn't have it any other way.

4) Where do you see yourself and the industry five years from now?

Well I'll definitely be a stronger programmer by then and I'm actually very optimistic about our industry's future. We'll see more voicetracking/syndication, but I THINK we'll also see more diversification as far as ownership is concerned.

5) How you feel about being asked to wait on a record you hear until the research

validates it?

Honestly, my first reaction would be, "Are you kidding me"? (just being honest here) But in a way I can understand that music is a part of the product we sell and it has to be on point. Nike, Coke and Apple test their products for months/years before putting it on the market, but we don't have that luxury. Look, I think research is a great TOOL, but I think our industry is filled with folks who don't live the LIFESTYLE, which is why they rely on it so heavily.

6) How do you feel about syndication? Does it affect significantly on the number of hours that you have control over the music that you play?

Syndication can be a plus if the talent is COMPELLING and has a broad appeal. Music is the one fatality in this equation. I want to pick the records so my station sound can be seamless!

7) Because of callout research, are today's Urban and Urban AC programmers going to be slower in adding and playing new music? And what is the maximum number of spins a record in power rotation could be expected to receive in a given week on your station?

Callout research is not the main culprit in slower adds. It's when you get a company mandate that states you can only add 1-2 records a week; that policy would obviously slow things down a bit. The maximum amount of spins for a record in power rotation at WFXM would be between 83-85 spins.

8) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?

Marketing, marketing, and more marketing. This will be the difference between me being great or just another PD clone.

9) How do you account for and what effect do you feel the current ratings pattern is going to have on your station and the middle Georgia Urban radio market? Do you feel there are going to be new challengers from other formats?

Fortunately for me, it's business as usual here in market #155. I'm still seeing the same sampling issues stations in other small markets see. Sampling consistency in certain demos is a problem, which is why a station, for example, can go from a 9.0 (12+) share in one book to a 4.9 (12+) in the next. That's why I keep my prize closet stocked with Tylenol. And by the way, we are the challengers in this market...The New Power 107-1!

10) As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?

Sometimes I wonder what would of happened if I had stayed at Hot 107.9 (WHTA) when I was first starting out in Atlanta back in '00. I'm working overnights at the time and I was SO BROKE. I just got tired of eating cereal for dinner -- plus I'm lactose intolerant. So one day Mike Roberts called me to replace CoCo Brotha at his Macon station ... and I haven't looked back since. So, no regrets.

What would people who think they know Talus Knight be surprised to know about you?

I love reading presidential biographies. I watch "Hardball" with Chris Matthews religiously. My parents are from Sierra Leone, West Africa, which would make me a REAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN. And finally, thanks to my niece I can recite the entire theme song to Hannah Montana.

What's been your biggest disappointment in radio today?

Well, there is no such thing as a REAL job opening in radio. As soon as you hear about it ... trust me, it's already too late ... the job is gone! That's disappointing to me; how will we find the next Tom Joyner if everybody's just looking out for their friends?

You just won the lotto and you have your boss on the line. What's the first thing that you would say?

"How does Talus Communications sound to ya"?

Do you feel that Urban stations should be more careful not to blindly copy formats but tailor them specifically to the age and racial make-up of their own markets?

Yes, yes and yes! What the powers-that-be don't understand is that every region in this WORLD has their own version of how they interpret the hip-hop culture.

How important is consistent marketing to a station's overall success?

It's more important than ever. Just look at these powerhouse heritage stations struggling around the country. You can't just say we're a "heritage station so we'll be okay." You have to be constantly obsessed with the station's image.