Zac Davis, OM Max Media-Denver, PD KDHT & KJHM & Brody, APD/MD WDCG/Raleigh
Zac Davis, OM Max Media-Denver, PD KDHT & KJHM
&
Brody, APD/MD WDCG/Raleigh
Brody: How’s the total change in climate going for you, after moving from near tropical weather in Raleigh to snow city, a.k.a Denver?
Zac: I don’t know if I’d call Raleigh a tropical climate but it’s typically warmer there than here (especially this time of year). I grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida so everywhere is a little cooler than what I got accustomed to. By March, it’s a lot of sun and a lot of skin in my hometown with Spring Break, but as I type this it’s snowing here in Denver.
Brody: You went from being APD of the Country station in Raleigh to programming two stations in Denver and becoming a first time OM of your Max Media cluster. Talk about extremes!
Zac: I can tell you going from an APD in Raleigh to PD in Denver was not too bad of a transition because I had been a PD for six years before. There was definitely an adjustment period, being out of the CHR format for a year but I was crashing at your place so I wasn’t completely out of the loop
Brody: What’s easier to do, juggle dating three women at the same time or an entire cluster of radio stations?
Zac: Due to it being a small world with many fine readers of this publication, I’d prefer to pass on answering this question. By the way, Brody it wasn’t three…. I will say with increased responsibility (at work) comes proper planning and my 8th grade History teacher always said, “Proper planning produces proper performance.”
Brody: Thank God for Charlie Sheen! What did Hot do to embrace Charlie “violently?”
Zac: It’s funny because Charlie Sheen has been in the news (negatively) for over a year in Colorado when he and his wife got in that big fight in Aspen. That following weekend in 2010, we did a “Charlie Sheen Weekend” and gave out Aspen Ski Lift Tickets ($250 value) and had fun at Charlie’s expense. Now, Charlie is the gift that keeps on giving. This past weekend was a “Charlie Gras Weekend” where you’d listen for one of Charlie’s infamous quotes about ”WINNING” and you’d get tickets to our Big Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday at a club downtown, and get beads and an exclusive Charlie Sheen shirt that said “WINNING” and his face under it and a HOT logo on it. Yeah, we figured Charlie would be celebrating Mardi Gras so we had some fun with it.
Brody: Who’s a new artist you see blowing up on Hot this year?
Zac: If you had asked me this a year ago, I would’ve said Ke$ha without blinking an eye. I know, hindsight is 20-20 but I was a fan since day one. This year, no one is smacking me in the eardrum yet, but I like the Tinie Tempah a lot.
Brody: I know you’re a big football fan. Has it been difficult seeing the Broncos face the loss of losing Tim Tebow?
Zac: It’s been difficult being a Denver Broncos die hard fan since age 9 (I was the only one in Florida, ok Central Florida). Now that I’ve lived here, they’ve suuuuuuuucked the last two years (Jon Lewis from Atlantic feels my pain). I’ve still been to almost every home game just because I’m not going to take being here for granted. They’re by far my favorite sports team period, and always have been. I’ve got to support them through thick and thin…and Josh McDumba$$.
Brody: You mention Eggz quit often in 107.1’s Twitter posts. Is he your right hand guy? Feel free to brag about your morning show, too!
Zac: Eggz is coming along nicely at night and is learning (quickly) how to win in the PPM world. If I had to pick a “Right Hand Man”, it would be a “Right Hand Woman.” Dana Simonelli is my MD for KDHT and is my work wife. This girl has ears like you wouldn’t believe and can pick a hit five months before that song gets worked. As for my “Left Hand Man,” that’d be Brian Degrasse because he golfs left-handed even though he’s right handed. He’s our Marketing Director and newly-named PD for Jammin’ 101.5! He has a wealth of knowledge in marketing and programming and learned from some fantastic programmers at Clear Channel–Denver before we scooped him up in May of 2009.
As for my morning show, we just moved midday goddess Krystal (where she was killing it) to mornings. She has prior experience in AM drive and really wanted the reins, so we have given her the opportunity to “Wake Up Denver!” She has a wealth of energy, passion and creativity and LOVES radio as much as I do. She’s only been in AM drive for two months but we’re expecting some big things!
Brody: How do you like to be worked on records? How much are your music decisions based on gut and research?
Zac: I liked to be worked on records on any weekday except Tuesday. I once had a PD who kept getting hit up on a Tuesday by this one rep and after asking the rep repeatedly to stop calling him on Tuesdays, he had enough and was out of business with the guy (not the label) for six months. I’ve learned it’s ALL about relationships in our business and we have some fabulous reps who partner with KDHT like the Interscope Team, the Def Jam Team, and the Capitol Team. All of them (and others) realize that Denver isn’t just a monopolized market in the CHR arena any longer. I hope other staffs will catch up.
Our music decisions are based on research and we look at WINNING (thx Charlie) CHR stations that have a similar sound and similar market demographics. Alan Burns, Dana and I pound it out on Tuesday mornings and figure out what’s best for the station based on a handful of factors.
Brody: How much of an impact have you seen with social networking now? I’ve seen others over use it, turning it into spam. How do you avoid that?
Zac: We’ve seen a huge impact with social networking and we’re very proud to have the second most Facebook fans in the entire Denver radio market after launching our Facebook page less than two years ago. We just completed a two week run of “HOT 107.1’s Facebook Fan of the Day” that was a great viral marketing piece for us! Our sister station did it in Virginia Beach and had great success with it when they launched Hot 100.5, so after talking with Paul and Michelle there, we brought it to Denver and it flourished nicely. It got our name out there to listeners who might not have known about us yet. As for spam, I watch this very closely with our stations and we feel there has to be a listener benefit with anything we post, even sales promotions, so we are very selective on our pages not to spam our listeners. We won’t to bring items to their attention they might not be aware of, like a new song, a new video, or an event that our life groups would be interested in.
Brody: What’s something you’ve created and executed with Hot that you’re proud of?
Zac: There are several. I like how we’ve come into the market and in less than two years made an impact AND made our competitors better. No one was teasing songs coming up with hooks and I heard hardly any artist ID’s (especially not custom artist ID’s). So after we started to do them, others followed. We have done well with our “Commercial Free Monday,” our “Shoes-Day Tuesday” promotion and “$10,000 Dollar Matchgame.” All three of these promotions have been copied in our market as well. We laugh in the building about it, because we see it as flattering AND we see it as a WIN because if we do it first and they copy us, then they must believe it’ll work for their listeners too.
Brody: Now that you have all this free time, what do you do when you’re not working?
Zac: Free time? What’s that? Denver is a great place to explore and appreciate. You can find me on a golf course or on a ski slope. My parents had the good foresight to know I might live in Colorado someday so they put me on skis at age 9. I also like going to the gym in a lifelong effort of getting rid of the freshman 15 (or 50) from Florida State.
Brody: Would you ever come back to Raleigh in the future? Funds are tight….I need a roommate.
Zac: I like it out here a lot, work with some great people and love our stations. We have miles to go before we can sleep. I have a lot more on my “Denver Bucket List” I want to accomplish. I love the Carolinas (Go Heels!) and if the right opportunity came knocking down the road, I’d look into it. But I don’t know if I can live with you again…my cat kicked your dog’s a$$ on a daily basis and he’s de-clawed!
Zac: What got you interested in radio when you were a wee young lad in New Jersey? Who’d you grow up listening to?
Brody: I always listed to Z100 growing up in Bergen County, New Jersey. My sister Kathy got me hooked on it one day and from there I became a loyal fan listening to greats like Scott and Ross in the morning with Mr. Leonard! I was also big fan of Kid Kelly, not to mention Chio the Hitman, Jack Da Wack and The Jammer(Spyder Harrison now). My favorite Z jock to this day is Paul “Cubby” Bryant. He’s a solid, witty jock and all around good guy.
As much as listening to the radio was a big part of my life, I didn’t plan on considering radio as a career until college when the bug bit me watching my girlfriend’s show one morning. I was always making movies as a kid and looking to get into the film industry, doing something behind the scenes. I guess it’s not too much of a surprise that I ended up in the entertainment industry!
Zac: What’s the radio landscape like in Raleigh?
Brody: There are the heritage stations, like the Country, Hot AC, Urban and G105, who all perform in their respective demos. Then there are the more recent newcomers who fight for a piece of the pie as well.
Zac: You’ve been at G 105 for nearly eight years (a lifetime for a CHR jock). What do you attribute to the longevity of the staff that, despite outside offers, doesn’t want to leave? Is it the number of attractive, educated females in the market? Is it the presence of a great GM and Programming staff (sorry I’m biased)? Is it the quality of life? Is it the Tar Heels?
Brody: I can’t believe it’s going to be eight years in August! I think you nailed all the reasons I’m still here. G105 really is home for me, but that’s because I am surrounded by an amazing staff starting with PD Randi West. I’ve learned more than I thought I ever would from her as a PD and also as a friend! It’s amazing the things you can pick up from having an office next door to your female PD! Our morning show Bob and the Showgram places #1 in just about every demo across the board. A controversial show at times, you might have heard of them in USA Today or some other national publication. I know Clear Channel’s legal department is very familiar with them! Geller is the funniest night guy I’ve ever heard and is really a big market talent and a guy I absolutely consider a friend. Last but not least, Carly Laskey is our Promotions and Marketing Director for the cluster and there’s a reason she’s been here for years too. Carly and Randi were the creators of such popular promotions as Pick Your Purse and The Little Black Dress Party! But Carly is also family to me, as is “my big brother” Larry Jessup, Carly’s right hand man…and left hand often times! Our GM Dick Harlow really stood out to me as someone who recognizes loyalty and hard work and isn’t afraid to reward it. It’s truly a family at G105, that doesn’t skip a beat thanks to a professional crew like this.
I’m also a lover of Raleigh, with the affordable cost of living and amazing weather (we had temps of 80 in February!). People are also a lot friendlier in the south, which for me is the icing on the cake. The fact that the beach is two hours away certainly doesn’t hurt! College basketball is nuts down here, between UNC, Duke and NC State. But for me it’s all about the Tarheels! The pretty girls certainly don’t hurt either, but I think I’ve been ready to move past “the college crowd” for at least four years now…as difficult as that may have been at times!
Zac: What do you like to do when you aren’t trying to talk to girls who just got into the 21+ bar for the first time or still can’t rent a car? What ELSE do you like to do for fun?
Brody: 21+ was a former rule for me, let it be known! Honestly, I love meeting new people, spending time with friends and taking in a good concert or movie in town! I love traveling, hence skiing in Park City, going on cruises, driving to the beach, and discovering new cities I’ve never been to before. This year, Chicago and San Francisco are on my list to visit for the first time!
Zac: You’ve been an APD/MD at WDCG for about five years now. Do you have aspirations to become a PD someday?
Brody: I have really started to get excited about going on to become a PD as of last year and am very lucky having learned from some of the best in the business. I love networking with people to learn different things from different programmers and when it turns into friendship, that’s the bonus. When the right opportunity comes along, I will be waiting in the wings to take on the challenge. Until then, I’m more than happy to kill it in Raleigh!
Zac: How were the NHL ALL Star Festivities in the Winter Wonderland known as Raleigh, North Carolina? Did you tell the Hockey All Stars how you won the Raleigh DJ Shoot Out at the RBC Center a few years back?
Brody: All Star weekend was a big deal in town, bringing in lots of visitors and $$$! Aside from exhibits, practice and the actual game at the RBC Center, there were some big after parties with high rollers in attendance. The only big non-sports celebrity was Ellen Pompeo from Grey’s Anatomy, who was in town promoting a charity for Huggies connected with the NHL. Randi even got an exclusive interview with her in-studio! She was somethin’! However, this DJ Shoot Out you refer to was fun while it lasted. I won three rounds against other market jocks, including one from the afternoon Sports/Talk show in town! I was the reigning champ that season, just to return in the first round of my next season and lose. I guess I had to let someone else have a taste of the big time! Not WINNING.
Zac: If you were stranded on a tropical island with the basic essentials (think Tom Hanks in Cast Away), who would you want to be stuck on the island with? A) Rihanna B) Britney Spears C) Ke$ha D) Lit?
Brody: That one’s easy, as I’ve been friends with the guys from Lit since 2000. They’ve been through a lot so I know there’d be a better chance at survival. However, Ke$ha would come in at a close second, as she’s hot and seems like she would be like “one of the guys” to hang with. Plus, Rich Davis had some nice things to say about her.
Zac; How does your brain trust manage to stay ahead of the curve and come up with compelling, innovative promotions likePick Your Purse and Little Black Dress Parties.
Brody: See my earlier answer when I was bragging about my staff. Sometimes it’s not the prize or event itself but how you present it in a creative way. It depends on how much fun and out of the box your staff is willing to be. I’ve learned a lot about how women think and what they really care about from having female promotions and program directors! It’s really trained my brain to think in a totally different way. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to thinking like a woman or understanding them!
Zac: Where do you like to find research and prep for your show? Which websites do you recommend or periodicals do you read?
Brody: This won’t be anything new to most people but I search some of the typical sites like TMZ, Huffington Post, US Weekly and the prep service we subscribe to. I sometimes find gems on Yahoo.com, with Raleigh making most national lists! Twitter has become a huge tool for me in show prep. I WAS one of the haters in the beginning with Twitter, thinking “What’s the point?” It’s become a great help with minute to minute entertainment prep, as well as artist prep. Ke$ha and Charlie Sheen are my favorite’s to follow. WINNING!
Zac: What’s your favorite kind of music (personally)?
Brody: I really like all kinds of music and my iPod reflects that. My favorite bands are Nickelback and Lit, but I’m not afraid to admit I like Katy Perry, The Backstreet Boys and Rob Thomas, too. I’m a big fan of the 80’s as well. I’m musically A.D.D.
Zac: Do you know you were the person to introduce me to Ms. Stephanie Germanotta? We were leaving CC Raleigh and you popped in a CD single and said check out this new song “Just Dance” by this girl Lady Gaga. I think it’s gonna be a HIT…looks like you were really right.
Brody: You are not the first person to say that! My Interscope National rep, Mark Neiter brought that up recently, too. I loved that song when I first heard it and I still do. I feel like I have an 80% success rate with picking “the hits,” although I will also be the first to admit when I was wrong about a record. Introduce me to someone who hasn’t played a few stiffs!
[FMQB ORIGINAL CONTENT, published March 2011, please do not republish or reprint without the express consent of FMQB. Make sure you visit us on the Web at www.fmqb.com]
