Best Hot/Modern/Ac 10Q Moments of 2022

This week, we look back at 2022 with the best answers to some of our best questions.

Mary Cenci
PD/Morning co-host
WEZF (Star 92.9)/Burlington, VT 1/17/22

As a programmer, what does it mean to you to get yourself in there every morning and set the table for the rest of the station's broadcast day?

It's a responsibility. Responsible for bringing fun, a smile, entertainment, a positive attitude, a laugh, and information to listeners just starting their day. It's a responsibility to give people a place to let go of the hard day ahead or let go of the hard day they had. We offer the escape either with relatable content or their favorite song.

Casey Osburn
Brand Manager/Afternoons
KFBZ (105.3 The Buzz)/Wichita, KS 1/24/22

Who would be a "dream guest" to come visit in the studio and plug in across from you on your show?

Well, there's a personal answer and a professional answer. Personally, I'd love to spend a few hours talking with Paul McCartney. I don't think I'd ever run out of things to ask him, and I've been a fan of the Beatles since I was a kid.

Professionally and realistically, I'd love to have Taylor Swift in studio. She is arguably the biggest entertainer in the world, and she is obviously a core artist that our listeners love. I actually love her, too, and I think a lot of people don't give her the respect she deserves when it comes to songwriting.

Pat Via
Lead Singer
January Jane 1/31/22

New York City plays a big role in your lyrics and stories.  Describe what the city means to you and ultimately your art?

It's everything. New York City has shaped who we are and in our case our art has imitated life. Many of the songs are from experiences and moments in NYC - it's always evolving, revealing itself in different ways on every street, in the reflections of the windows of every building, and so on. Can't beat it! 

Chris Michaels
Brand Manager/Afternoons
WMC-F (FM100)/Memphis 1/31/22

What is the best advice that has held constant throughout your career?

Never stop learning. Be curious, ask questions, and be a problem solver. I'll give you a bonus that I learned in my very first Big Ape staff meeting with Cat Thomas: 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 100,000. 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 5 = 50,000. All it takes is one person on your team pulling half their weight robbing your momentum by 50%. Don't be that person!

JulianOnTheRadio
Afternoons
KPLZ(Star 101.5)/Seattle 2/14/22

What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

Believe in yourself and block out the noise. I've been through a lot. I could literally write pages through personal experience, but I'll save the bandwidth. I'll save it for a podcast. I will say this though. Through the toughest part of my career I've had people try and tell me who they think I am, OR what I'm worth. Remember this. YOU narrate who you are and decide what you're worth. 

Joey & Lauren
Mornings
KZMG (My 102.7)/Boise & Syndicated 2/21/22

When you joined Joey on the morning show, you had never done radio before. You sound like a natural—what gave you the confidence to "go for it?"

Lauren: I think knowing I'd be doing the show with someone who I've been best friends with since I was 14 gave me confidence and that honestly, it's about two people having fun and talking together and it just happens to be broadcast to thousands of people. I've really just tried to focus on being myself, owning my mistakes and awkwardness, and I think that's a part of what makes our show fun, is that we are COMPLETELY comfortable with who we are and each other.

Jaime Tanchyk
APD/MD/Afternoons
KRSK (105.1 The Buzz)/Portland 2/28/22

How would you describe your first radio gig?

It was surreal. I started on the station I grew up listening to, Jamz 96.3 in Albany, when I was 20. All of my friends were away or busy with college, so I spent most of my time hanging out at the station bugging anyone willing to give me the time of day to teach me stuff and let me pick their brain about the biz.

Dana Taylor
Brand Manager/Morning co-host
WOMX (Mix 105.1)/Orlando 3/7/22

You rock mornings--how does the Jenn & Dana morning show set the table for the rest of the station's broadcast day?

We want people to wake up with us! That means that we also have to want to wake up with each other. You can't feign chemistry. We've always been the "Picking You Up, Making You Feel Good" station. We pass that baton all day, every day.

Kat Simons
MD/Middays
WTVR (Mix 98.1)/Richmond 3/14/22

Pet Rescue is a huge part of what makes you you. How did you become so involved in that effort?

Thanks for asking. From a young age pets, have been my passion. As my grandmother used to say, 'Here comes Kat I bet she has a Jeep full of cats and dogs that need homes.' She was right. I began here in Richmond visiting groups that have adoption sites, and my list of groups doing great work grew. I do every possible charity event for these groups as well as feature 'The Pet of the Day' on the station each weekday; a different group every day. Pets are unconditional love and they deserve to be treated with love and a home.

Ian Richards
Director of Branding & Programming
WFLC (Hits 97.3)/Miami 3/28/22

How would you describe your first radio gig?

Flint is home, so it was amazing to be on a station in your hometown! It was some of the most fun I've had in radio. The phone rang like no other market I've worked in.

Kristy Knight
APD/Middays
WWRM (Magic 94.9)/Tampa 4/4/22

You've got over 25 years invested in the market, and just celebrated 4 with Magic. What is it about Tampa-St. Pete that you especially love?

Living in paradise and doing radio is amazing!  I'm from Wisconsin and love going back home, but my happy place is the beach and on the water.  I enjoy activities like jet skiing, parasailing, and kayaking.  Just being outside in the sunshine by the water is an incredible feeling.  

Not to mention, we have great listeners.  They are engaging and entertaining to talk with - on and off the air!

Greg Carpenter
Brand Manager/Morning co-host
WLIF (Today's 101.9)/Baltimore 4/18/22

What are some of the intricacies of both programming and doing mornings?

The biggest may be the number of hours in a day and the "haze" you walk around in all day from waking up early. I'm (kind of) kidding. It can be a challenge to take a step back from the morning show and analyze it like a programmer. As a jock, you think every break is the best. You think you're completely connecting with your core audience. Then, you listen back to the show as a programmer and the reality hits you. Then, there's the other side of that where a break could be "flowing" or really funny, but the programmer in you is thinking "it's too long" or "end the break." And, by being a PD on the air, you wreck a great break because you were overthinking in the moment instead of letting a great break develop.

Kevin Begley
PD/Afternoons
WEZN (Star 99.9)/Metro Fairfield County, CT 5/2/22

Star is geographically close to New York City and Long Island and not all that far from some of New England's greatest radio stations. Is the proximity to all that an advantage for you folks?

Sometimes. For example, with Star it really helps when trying to book artists for our Acoustic Sessions we do or various events since a lot of them will tour and do promo runs right through Connecticut on their way to and from New York and Boston. Which helps us. The downside on the competitive end of things, is that you can hear ALL OF THESE GREAT STATIONS! From our parking lot you get bleed in from Market #1 (New York), #20 (Long Island), #53 (Hartford), plus all the stations here in Southern Connecticut. Like you said, there are some great stations in this area, so we just have to be on top of our game programming wise all the time.

Mike McCoy
OM/PD
WRMM/Rochester 5/9/22

WARM's day starts with market legend Tony Infantino. How does his morning show jump start the station's broadcast line up?

Tony loves radio and sets the stage for a great relationship with the station, the community, and all its working parts. He has some valuable contributors as fellow cast members, including Kristie Credit and Nikki Rudd who also anchors the 11pm news on WHEC-TV. Tony, Kristie & Nikki are Rochester!

Maynard
EVP/Programming
iHeartMedia 5/17/22

7 years ago you were promoted to Executive VP/National Programming Strategy. What is it like for you to be one iHeart's strategic leaders?

Humbled. Pinch me moments all the time. Unbelievably grateful. And learning faster than my brain can comprehend. The first time I was on an email with a group of (insert awesome name dropped programmers here), I literally printed it out and hung it on my wall. I also took a picture and sent it to every person that had helped me get to that point. EVPP Gene Romano, says, 'Don't forget, we work for the markets,' not the other way around. When I approach the job with that attitude, things go well. When I don't, well you can guess what happens there.

Liz Luda
Morning Host
KRSK (105.1 The Buzz/)Portland 5/23/22

What got you into radio? 

I was always the bullied kid and I would listen to the radio on my way into school and they always sounded like they were having so much fun.  So I decided I wanted to be that person.  That little bit of sunshine for someone heading somewhere they hate. 

Jerry McKenna
Brand Manager
WSTR (Star 94)/Atlanta 5/31/22

Basically a year after you arrived at Star, the format shifted from Mainstream Top 40 to Rhythmic AC. You're now closing in on 2 years with the present direction and the ratings have been consistently solid and the cume is way up. Has the station exceeded expectations so far, or has it been where you thought it would be at this time?

When I got to Atlanta, I soon realized I had inherited a heritage station with a brand new morning show. There was a lot of love for the old Star 94 in the market but, the station was now basically playing the same music as three other outlets in Atlanta. In time, I approached the market manager, Rick Caffey, with the idea of our current format. Working with my APD Kannon, we put together a demo. With Rick's blessing the national team researched the formats potential and here we are 2 years later with a Rhythmic AC with a solid cume and consistent ratings growth.

I wouldn't say the station has exceeded expectations because I always recognized the potential for this format in Atlanta. I will say, Star's best days are yet come. Listeners are still finding us. There is still huge growth potential for Star 94!

In the meantime we are consistently Top 5 with P&W 18-34 and hovering close to top 5 with W25-54. That is a big improvement from 12th-15th, where we were ranked with the old format.

Vanessa James
Voiceover Actor
6/13/22

Your next move was a jump to the majors, and four years at The Beat (WMIB)/Miami. What did you love about working in that environment?

Miami is home - I love the market and the people. Being from Trinidad originally, Miami feels like the Caribbean's next-door neighbor figuratively and culturally. You can feel it in the air, the vibe, the music and the people. The market is vibrant and has a special sauce that can't be replicated anywhere else in the country. During my time at WMIB, I was able to bring an authentic voice to the airwaves and create community embracing Miami's multicultural diaspora that listeners could identify with and believe in. I'm proud of my time there and the community impact that was generated as well.

Chuck Knight
PD
WINK/Ft. Myers-Naples 6/21/22

How did navigating the pandemic make you a better programmer?

The two biggest events during my career are 9/11 and the start of the pandemic. Both events required us to pivot from what we knew to be our role, entertainment, to an unfamiliar serious role of information providers. We had to evolve to the listeners' current wants, needs and desires. I think that taught us to be confident to span the range of emotions in our content with that of the listeners.

Allan Camp
(Retired) Brand Manager/Mornings
WRCH (Lite 100.5)/Hartford 7/5/22

You're hanging them up after a 47-year career in radio.  Are there a few specific highlights that you can pinpoint for us? 

Getting hired by John Frawley at WCFR which was programmed like a major market station. Everyone on staff was great at Production but me, and I committed to changing that. By the time I left for my next job, I won an award for one of my spots in the Vermont Association Of Broadcasters awards. Years later, I remember sitting across the table from John Gehron at an American Radio System Programming meeting and thinking, "I can't believe I am at the same table as this legend." I became ARS PD of the year in 1993.  Another "star struck" moment was an invite for WRCH to the opening broadcast of Animal Kingdom at Disney, we were right next to Dick Purtan and his Detroit morning team. He was friendly and a gentleman.

Another highlight...I was proud that WRCH was the highest ranked PPM station in the country and we ranked second highest rated All-Christmas station in America.

Dave Jackson
PD
WSPA (Magic (98.9)/Greenville-Spartanburg, SC 7/18/22

You've been at the helm at Magic for 8 years now and have a lot of history in the Greenville market. What have some of the highlights been for you so far?

Having been here most of my life, the highlights are 100% the people I've met along the way. I've met life-long friends that have come and gone, but I still keep in touch as often as I can. Greenville is an absolutely gorgeous city with a lot to brag about, but it's the people who make Greenville as great as it is. The list is FAR too long to name everyone, but I've really enjoyed the time I've spent with coworkers and acquaintances from all aspects of the business. Radio, records, sales, clients, all of it.

Mike Peterson
VP/Operations & VP/Talent Development
KALC (Alice 105.9)/Denver 8/8/22

The station and company (Audacy) have made a long term commitment to being one of the few music stations that has an afternoon duo—as Slacker & Steve have been in driving them home since 2007 there. What does The Mile High City love about them and their show these many years later?

The first part of your question set Slacker and Steve in motion–a commitment to a personality first/music second strategy. While several things need to happen to be as successful as they have, their focus and effort has always been there. Drama and Fun are at the top of their content filters each day. And they meet the audience's expectations everyday–there is always drama and fun. Part Two of their success is focused appearance strategy to reach out and touch our listeners with themed events and experiences that reflect the brand. Obviously the pandemic slowed us down and we're now slowly ramping back up. Personality talk in PMD is tough, the talent has to be right, the content has to be on point, and we have to be top of mind. Slacker and Steve are an excellent model for afternoon success.

Staci & Hutch
Afternoons
KSTP-F (KS95)/Minneapolis-St. Paul 8/15/22

Staci: What's something that you've seen Hutch do for the community that flew under the radar that everyone should know about?

Hutch has so much integrity! He was fired from a radio job (for no good reason, I might add) and the station had the nerve to call him and beg him to come back because they had nobody to do a multi-day broadcast for charity. He really should have told them to "buzz off" but because Hutch is a good person and cares about the charity (St. Jude's Children) he did indeed do the broadcast. When the charity broadcast event was over the station said they wanted to hire him back again. Hutch said, "No, thanks." BRAVO! 

Hutch: What's something that you've seen Staci do for the community that flew under the radar that everyone should know about?

Staci takes the time to reach out to listeners that text or call in. She makes sure to know that she is thinking about them and their situation. Staci, a breast cancer survivor, knows what it means to have people in your corner. She is ALWAYS making sure others are okay more than herself.

Erik Zachary
Syndicated
8/22/22

Had it occurred to you that syndication was a viable path? How did that all of that come together for you?

Yes and No. I remember producing Seacrest and Nessa's PC shows when I was first starting, so I understood the idea of syndicated shows but I never realized that independently owned syndication was an option. Not until a mentor and friend who would kill me if I mentioned him by name called and essentially asked 'what would it take for you to do radio again?'

I had been burnt out by radio. I was becoming increasingly frustrated with the potential of radio as opposed to how it was actually operating so I made the difficult decision to leave the industry entirely. I took some needed time away and then when the idea of producing a content show and not just quick VTs or live liners was floated, my mind went into overdrive.

Karson & Kennedy
Mornings
WWBX (Mix 104.1)/Boston 8/29/22

Your show gets amazing guests. Who has been your favorite interviewee?

Karson: I have to give all credit to Steve Salhany and Mike Mullaney. They have spent decades building relationships with artists and labels which has been to our benefit. My first concert was in 1987 at the Orange Bowl in Miami for U2's Joshua Tree tour, so sitting down for almost an hour with Bono and The Edge was an all-timer.

Kennedy: Bono.  I mean it's Bono!  He played at our Mix Beach House but the interview got pushed.  I was doing a play in Boston and had a hard out that was going to happen before the interview was over.  We explained what was happening and he stopped everything to ask about the play.  He was interviewing me.  Then when I had to leave he hugged me and said into my ear "Break a leg. I've always wanted to tread the boards".  I could have died.  

Valerie Anderton
MD/Middays
WJXB (B97.5)/Knoxville 8/29/22

You've been at B for 9 years now. What is different about the AC format between then and now?

Can't believe that it's 9 already (!) but wow, the B has really gone through many transformations from my time in this building. When I started on B97.5, we had "the no repeat workday" with no currents, very gold based, a lot slower. Now, we are way more current and also way more uptempo.

Lisa Allen
PD/Afternoons
WQMZ (Z95.1)/Charlottesville, VA 9/26/22

Last year you returned to a place you'd called home for 7 years. Now you're in the PD chair and once again doing afternoons. What was that whole process like for you?

I had been in radio for 34 years when I walked away, so I am glad I had the opportunity to prove to myself that my skills could transfer to something else and I could have some success outside of this industry. When I got the opportunity to come back here in 2021, morale was low in the building thanks to Covid related job eliminations. Shortly after I came back, the morning team and the long-time PD of 25 years resigned from WQMZ, so it's been a year of rebuilding. Luckily, we've assembled a team of enthusiastic, talented and caring people, some new and others returning like me, who have really pumped a lot of energy into this cluster. Admittedly, after listening to this station for 13 years in this town including the 6 years I was on the air staff, it's been fun to implement my own ideas.

Tom Cook
Director of Programming
WWMX (Mix 106.5) & WLIF (Today's 101.9)/Baltimore 10/24/22

What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

Just one? Not sure I can do that.

• The only constant is change.
• Success has many fathers, failure has one.
• Be the boss that you'd want to work for.
• Ratings are good? Nielsen is great. Ratings are bad? Nielsen sucks.
• Length of time is not perceived until lack of content.
• No one cares about your "great pipes" if the content sucks.
• It doesn't matter what WE like, it matters what THEY like.
• Make sure it's about THEM, not about US.
• A man's got to know his limitations. (Only old guys will get that one I bet)

Josh Tielor
PD/Mornings
KLCE (Classy 97)/Idaho Falls 10/31/22

You get to be on the air in your hometown, doing mornings no less. What is that like for you?

It sure helps to know the area literally like the back of my hand and I get to throw in the trusty old 'I remember when that was a field' line and I actually know what I'm talking about. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated and it is a bit surreal to be programming the stations that I grew up listening to. They have very long-standing heritage in the market and it's exciting to be in a position where I get to share my vision for them.