And then it got wierd....

Cameron · Post by **Cameron** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:29 pm

From Allaccess.com:

10 Questions with ... Jay Nunley

NAME: Jay Nunley
TITLES: PD
STATION: WKLC (Rock 105)
MARKET: Charleston/Huntington-Ashland
COMPANY: LM Communications
BORN: Logan, WV
RAISED: Logan, WV
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
WVOW-Logan, WV 1985-1988
WKLC-Charleston, WV 1987
WRVC (now WDGG)-Huntington, WV 1988-1989
WKLC-Charleston, WV 1990-1991
WKLC-Charleston, WV 1992-1994
WXRC-Charlotte, NC 1994-1996
WHCN/WMRQ-Hartford, CT 1996
WRQK-Canton, OH 1996-1997
Cromwell Group-Illinois 1997-1999
Cromwell Group-Tennesee 1999
WKLC-Charleston, WV 2000-2003
WRVC-Huntington, WV 2003-2006
WKLC-Charleston, WV 2006-present

1) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?
I wanted to be on the radio as long as I can remember. My parents got me one of those old flatbed cassette recorders when I was 6 or 7 years old, and I used to make fake radio shows. The news director at my hometown station, an exceptional broadcaster named Bob Weisner (he's still there) was the guy who solidified it for me. I can remember listening to him on winter mornings and thinking that being the guy who gets to tell people schools are closed had to be the coolest job in the world.
I knew for sure the first time I cracked the mic. Most radio guys will know what I mean. I get a rush every time a go on the air even today. That first time was an amazing feeling. The first time a hot chick actually talked to me in high school because I was on the radio helped a lot too.

2) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?
Yes. No doubt.

3) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?
WKLC has something no other station or cluster I've worked for has. It is very hard to quantify or define. Part of this is simple. It was the station I grew up listening to once I discovered music. It was (and is) my dream station. The other part is not so simple. There is a special kind of feel or atmosphere to the place. There is a specific WKLC culture that keeps you coming back.

4) How have the recent FCC regulations impacted the way you program your music and the station's dialogue on the air? What are your feelings about these recent changes?
Because Rock stations are always being specifically targeted, you have to live in fear all the time. You have to give your audience the content they demand, and at least a portion of that content can get you fined into the ground. Rock radio has suffered because of this. We are less able to compete and less entertaining now. This has encouraged our audience to adopt emerging competition from Internet and satellite faster than everyone else has. I'm mostly angry about the whole thing. I have no desire to air a bunch of obscenity or disgusting garbage, but I would like entertain and serve my audience without fear.
More than anything else it's a freedom issue for me. The rules are vague and seem to be arbitrarily enforced. I have no desire to air a bunch of obscenity or disgusting garbage, but I would like to entertain and serve my audience without fear. Rule by fear is patently un-American. If I was given clearly defined rules and if they were enforced uniformly and universally, I would have no problem at all.

5) How have music file sharing services, affected the way you program to your audience?
None. Download and sharing figures are basically another chart. I pay the same attention to it as I do any other chart, which is not much beyond using it to help with decisions on a few currents or recurrents.

6) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing? For better or worse?
There are a fewer and fewer relationships. That's the best way to sum it up. There are fewer programmers, fewer label reps, and fewer relationships. Also, the fact you have to do a day's worth of paperwork, get three of four lawyers involved, and provide a notarized transcript and aircheck just to get some "win it before you can buy it" CDs makes it all pretty stupid.

7) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
There are two things that are equally important.
We all have too many jobs, especially in small markets. Every single staffer is doing what used to be two or even three full time jobs. The product has suffered mightily because of this. Even the most energetic and dedicated person simply cannot give the proper amount of time and effort to that much work.

The other thing is there are no overnight guys anymore. We have no farm team.

Describe your weekly music meeting. A) What is the process when you listen to new music? B) Approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play, and chart position when determining the status of a record?
My MD brings in the best draft picks for that week. I will also add a few into the mix on occasion. Everyone is invited to our music meetings. I like to hear opinions on new stuff from as many people as possible. Most of the time it ends up being the two of us (everyone else is usually too busy to join in).
We listen to the tunes one by one. We throw out the ones that do not rock or do not fit well with the station. After that we choose the best ones or the ones that appear to be the most popular.

The percentages are like this.

Gut/Ear: 85%
Research: 0% (I'm not sure there is any point in researching music that no one has ever heard before.)
Sales: 10%
Video Play: 0% (Do any of the TV channels actually still play videos? How about Rock videos?)
Charts: 5%

9) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?
WEBN and WAAF are tied. The reason? They kick ass.

10) What's your take on current music? Is it as good as six months ago, better, or about the same?
Rock has been in a major doldrums for longer than I like to think about, certainly a lot longer than six months (more like six years or more). I can think of maybe 15 songs from the last two years that we'll still be playing five years from now. We have a lot of marginally decent rock tunes and very few truly great ones. As far as non-rock music goes, with the exception of a very few country and hip-hop titles, it's all crap.
Bonus Questions
What is your favorite TV show?
Right now it's "Rome" on HBO. My all-time favorite is "The Simpsons."
What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
Marijuana Farmer/Moonshiner.
What was the first song or full-length release you purchased?
The untitled fourth Led Zeppelin album on cassette.
You're stuck on a deserted island and you get to pick one artist to be stuck with you. Who would it be? (Don't limit it to our format.)
Beyonce.
You're stuck on a deserted island and you only have five CDs with you. What are they?
Alice in Chains "Dirt"
Black Crowes "Southern Harmony and Musical Companion"
AC/DC "High Voltage"
Soundgarden "Badmotorfinger"
Robin Trower "Bridge of Sighs"
Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?
Coca-Cola and Marlboros.
What do you like best about working in this format?
Rock has always been and still is about rebellion. Even the suit-and-tie guys who listen to rock gravitate toward this format because it's their chance to "stick it to the man." There is a non-conformist vibe that no other format has (well, maybe Talk has a little of it). I am enjoying my time at Rock 105 because I am closer to the bars that cater to gay-man-love. (That may-or-may-not have been part of the article...C.S.)

Scott Reppert · Post by **Scott Reppert** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:56 pm

High Points: "Bridge Of Sighs" and that nothing had to be censored.

Low Points: Beyonce and that nothing had to be censored.

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:05 pm

He is totally making that part about the hot chick in high school talking to him because he was on the radio up. The only person who talked to Nunley in high school was me, and I waited till I was like 25 to become hot.

SPIKE NESMITH! · Post by **SPIKE NESMITH!** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:06 pm

Yes, we ALL love Beyonce's low points. =q *slurp*

AmpedNow · Post by **AmpedNow** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:58 pm

Great Q & A...

I like the part about rock being all about nonconformity. That's very true.

Zak Tyler · Post by **Zak Tyler** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:29 am

daveinthemorning wrote:The only person who talked to Nunley in high school was me, and I waited till I was like 25 to become hot.

so you were what, a sophomore at that point?

The People's DJ · Post by **The People's DJ** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:21 am

WOW...nice editing. Try posting the whole thing.

7) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
There are two things that are equally important.
We all have too many jobs, especially in small markets. Every single staffer is doing what used to be two or even three full time jobs. The product has suffered mightily because of this. Even the most energetic and dedicated person simply cannot give the proper amount of time and effort to that much work.

The other thing is there are no overnight guys anymore. We have no farm team.

Now I will tell you that I know we need better news programming. We need to make sure that our news isn't old. That its fresh. Thats why I'm hiring Mark Hallburn as our new news guy. This guy is great. You know, he knows everybody in Hollywood. Remember the footage of The Hindenburg? That's him. Do you remember the call "The Giants win the Pennant!" Thats him too.

Yea..cheap shot. And I really don't care.

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:32 am

K-Rock wrote:Great Q & A...

I like the part about rock being all about nonconformity. That's very true.

No, It's not.

fearpeddler · Post by **fearpeddler** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:51 am

was a good interview. hell, i actually learned sumthin..

AmpedNow · Post by **AmpedNow** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:35 pm

genlock wrote:
K-Rock wrote:Great Q & A...

I like the part about rock being all about nonconformity. That's very true.
No, It's not.

Well, okay.

Zak Tyler · Post by **Zak Tyler** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:08 am

K-Rock wrote:
genlock wrote:
K-Rock wrote:Great Q & A...

I like the part about rock being all about nonconformity. That's very true.
No, It's not.
Well, okay.

maybe he's saying that it could possibly be "conforming to the non-conformist way of life" or "conforming to the socially unacceptable and disruptive"

just throwing darts at the cat here.... maybe one will stick

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:18 am

Speaking of Nunley, where is his royal Jayness? He hasn't been heard from since Cameron revealed the details our our sorrid weekend with Jessica Ralston.

Cameron · Post by **Cameron** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:02 pm

...looks like he's reading the trades.
The boy can't hold a job.
We've been in Iraq one year longer than Jay's longest-stint of employment.

Ace Purple · Post by **Ace Purple** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:25 pm

Cameron wrote:We've been in Iraq one year longer than Jay's longest-stint of employment.

"Stay the course!"

In many cases in broadcasting, to move up you have to move on. When I worked for Bubba it was funny to see the list all the different markets he worked in (some very briefly, e.g. Philadelphia) before finally settling into a long-term gig.

Jay Nunley · Post by **Jay Nunley** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:24 am

Asshat #1 wrote:Speaking of Nunley, where is his royal Jayness? He hasn't been heard from since Cameron revealed the details our our sorrid weekend with Jessica Ralston.

I'm here. I have no problem with your sorrid weekend. I don't even know what that means. If it were a sordid or torrid weekend I would be very upset, but that would never happen. Jessica loves me completely and powerfully. It borders on obsession. She even got mad because I said ATV girl was good looking. That kind of jealousy can only be a product of BIG love.

Asshat #2 wrote:]We've been in Iraq one year longer than Jay's longest-stint of employment.

Yeah, and the places I worked less than 6 months aren't even included like WEMM, WVSR, Greenville, Corpus Christi, and etc.

That's right, bitches. I worked WEMM. I kicked ass.

I kicked ass for Jesus.

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:28 am

Little known fact..Jay was fired from WEMM for singing along with the songs..

"Jesus loves me, bitches!"

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:39 am

Jay just refused to dress like the Reverend Jack.

OldSkool · Post by **OldSkool** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:47 am

Speaking of longest stints (insert pun here), I wonder who has been employed for the most years in Tri-State radio (must be living and currently working). Would that be Clint McElroy?

Where were you employed for the longest consecutive period of time in tri-state radio? Mine was WTCR.

Cameron · Post by **Cameron** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:24 am

Jay Nunley wrote:
Asshat #2 wrote:]We've been in Iraq one year longer than Jay's longest-stint of employment.
Yeah, and the places I worked less than 6 months aren't even included like WEMM, WVSR, Greenville, Corpus Christi, and etc.

That's right, bitches. I worked WEMM. I kicked ass.

I kicked ass for Jesus.

One of the funnier WEMM/Jay stories is when he cracked-open the microphone and told the kids on Holy Saturday to, "be sure to leave a tooth under your pillow so the bunny that grants you eternal salvation will visit and give you candy and shit."

At that point, Mortenson asked him to politely leave them off the resume.

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 11:29 am

Well I have been in radio for 19 years in the Tri-State and have been doing mornings at WVOW since 1993.

Damn, no wonder I drink so much!