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10 Questions with ... Hozie Mack
June 28, 2005
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NAME:Hozie MackPOSITION:Program DirectorSTATION:KSJMMARKET:Wichita, KSCOMPANY:Carter-Sherman Broadcast GroupBORN:New York CityRAISED:Harlem, Queens and The Bronx
Please outline your career so far:
KLTD Lampassas/Killeen, TX 1982
KIIZ-A Killeen/Temple, TX 1982
KLMT Marlin/Waco, TX 1985
WWDM Columbia, SC 1986
WFXC Raleigh/Durham 1988
WCKU Lexington, KY 1990
WQQK Nashville 1992
WCKU Lexington, KY 1993
WQOK Raleigh/Durham 1996
KMJJ Shreveport, LA 2002
WQVE/WZBN Albany, GA 2002
KSJM Wichita, KS 20051) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
KLMT Lampassas-Killeen TX.
WBLS and WRKS New York
Frankie Crocker
Magic 102 Houston and K104 Dallas. Both of those stations used to skip into Killeen when I was first starting out. They were both incredible and different from what I was used to being from New York
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?
A. My love for music (I had a record collection at age 5). My first two 45's were both Ray Charles records on ABC Records with the Peacock on the label.
B. The telecommunications department at Central Texas College.
C. Listening to the allstar staffs on Magic 102 and K104, the big signals, Imaging and promotions. Those station made me love radio and the jocks were so good that they made personality radio sound a lot easier than it really is.
The Snow Man and Michael Spears did the damn thing back in the day. I still remember the talent on K104. From Tom Joyner in the morning to Wyvonne St. John at night or the buttons that K104 had that said "Joyner's back Mornings K104" with the big red lips on them. Those stations sounded so good to me technically, it was unbelievable.
I can still to this day remember how some of the produced ID's sounded on K104 Dallas, or how the dee-jay's executed the live ID's on Magic 102 Houston.
3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now, what you didn't then, would you still do it?
Absolutely.
4) Where do you see the industry and Arbitron five years from now?
At what point do you feel the PPM will replace the diary in the top markets?
Don't really give it too much thought, but I do believe companies will still be using Arbitron, whether it's the diary recall method or the PPM. It's hard to imagine another service will have the credibility of Arbitron in audience measurement in the near future. Possible, but it would be extremely difficult..
5) What's your take on radio currently?
Is it as good as six months ago, better, or about the same? Elaborate. Overall it's better, I think. There are enough students of the craft that are constantly learning and improving their product. A station could possibly suffer, however, if let's say they had the same PD for a long stint and then they change. It has been my experience that it takes a while to get your arms around a real active station.
6) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Hard work pays off and keeps you out of bullshit.
7) What was the transition you had to make in your new position?
The hardest part was in my mind. Kind of like a quote I read that said "It is the most unhappy people that fear change."
8) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?
Time management I would say. We can always get more things done in a day if we prioritize our tasks and work the whole time we're at work. That's easier said than done, however.
9) How well do you think today's urban broadcasters really understand Arbitron?
It's not like it's hard or it's changed in 50-11 years. In fact, it's easier with all the extra programs Arbitron offers to analyze the numbers. The urban stations are still putting numbers on board, that's for sure.
10) As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?
No regrets at this point. Everything has happened exactly the way it was supposed.
Bonus Questions
What's been your biggest disappointment in radio today?
I wish it was more profitable for everybody involved, from the owner to the workers. The revenue is not growing in leaps and bounds like it was in the good years in the mid 90's.
How did you get your present job?
Recruited by Andre Carson, Operations Manager KPRS/KSJM
What is your biggest challenge working at this station?
Go from no numbers to sellable numbers.
Describe your favorite meal?
Red beans and rice with cornbread.
What's your favorite reading material?
Self-help motivation and the Bible
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