Jeff Kapugi
Jeff Kapugi’s Pop radio pedigree is as good as it comes. After all, he spent about fifteen years at the legendary Power Pig (WFLZ/Tampa), a station that helped revolutionize the Tampa market in the nineties and gained national prominence as a leader in Top 40 radio. In March of 2005, Kapugi took his Power Pig spunk and spirit and traveled north to DC to assume programming leadership of the Clear Channel clusters in both the Washington, DC and Baltimore markets. FMQB’s Most Influential Programmer of the past two years takes time to talk a little history and a lot about his current course.
eQB presents excerpts from the March FMQB magazine CHR Up Close with Clear Channel OM, Jeff Kapugi
On leaving the legendary Power Pig… The key was opportunity. I was there at the beginning of the Power Pig, but was far from one of the masterminds behind the early success of the station. The opportunity to take a station like HOT 99.5 (WIHT) that was underperforming, to a new level in a Top 10 market along with the added responsibilities of Regional VP of Programming and the opportunity to work with a seasoned market manager was something I could not pass up.
On what made the Power Pig so special over the years… The fun you heard ON air was the fun that was happening OFF air. It’s in the walls of the Gandy facility. I was just back recently for the first time since I left to say hi to (PD) Tommy Chuck and the crew and ‘it’s’ still there…that vibe. I wish I could bottle it and take it with me or sell it! Ha!
On building a similar model and spirit in DC with HOT 99.5 with FLZ alums Toby Knapp and Kane… Spirit for sure! Toby Knapp and Kane are two of the best minds in the format and can help bring that to DC, but HOT will never be FLZ. FLZ is an entity unto itself. We are trying to build something for DC.
On going on the air after the departure of the long-time morning show at HOT… It was very unplanned. When we informed Mark & Kris we were moving on we had ten days until Kane was scheduled to arrive in DC. I told Toby he was going to have to get up early and keep the chair warm ‘til Kane arrived and he was cool with it. That day I was sitting in my office and my email blew up. Mark put a bulletin on his myspace page and the next thing you know my email is out there too. Fun times. So I took to the air at 7am and told people what was up and opened up the phones for Q&A. Some understood, some didn’t, but I felt it was the right thing to do. I got a ton more emails from people. Some said they didn’t like my decision, but respected the fact that I went on the air and took ownership for the decision.
On the overall energy level, pace and content of the new morning show with Kane… The show is still a work in progress. Kane has matured more in the past three months than at any other point in his career. When he first started he was doing his typical PM drive stuff, which was good, but it was all from the same suit in the deck of cards. Once he got comfortable with the studio and the formatics, my challenge to him was to use the other suits in the deck and he is killing it.
On how his multi-lateral responsibilities involve him beyond programming… I don’t get to spend as much time listening to ALL of my stations like I would prefer to. I think many people in my position would say the same. I have to make time to listen. I have to set appointments and stick to them, and carve out time during the day/week to listen.
On where the record/radio relationship is today, after a year of harsh scrutiny… We are still trying to feel it out. It’s still a work in progress. We did such a 180 that we are all trying to understand what we want to do moving forward that benefits everyone involved.
On where the relationship goes from this point forward… We just need to continue to have open dialog with the labels to understand their goals and for them to understand our goals. There are still ways to create success for each other without going where we were years ago, it’s a business and we all get that. We just need to keep the lines of communication open.
** QB Content by Fred Deane **
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Also in the March Issue: |
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