10 Questions with ... Tom Cook

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• KWAY-FM/Waterloo, IA
• WMT-FM/Cedar Rapids, IA
• KIGL/Spencer, IA
• KDAT/Cedar Rapids, IA
• WMLI/Madison, WI
• WLTQ/Milwaukee
• KRBB/Wichita
• WSNI/Philadelphia
• WLTW/New York (weekends)
• WRVF/WVKS/Toledo
• Clear Channel/Toledo Ops Manager
• WLHT/WTRV/WFGR/Grand Rapids MI
• Townsquare/Grand Rapids Ops Manager
• Townsquare/Michigan Regional Ops Manager
• WWMX-WLIF/Baltimore

1. How would you describe your first radio gig?

My first gig was at KWAY-FM in my hometown of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa. The station had just switched from automated beautiful music (shout out Drake-Chenault) to live Soft AC and I knew they'd need air talent.

I sent my 'playing radio in the basement aircheck' to PD Bob Foster and he eventually asked me to come for an interview. My mom drove me to the radio station (about 15 miles north) and I met with Bob for a few minutes. He offered me Saturday and Sunday afternoons 12-6p and I was so excited! I started the day I turned 14.

By the way, I was a pain-in-the-ass teenager and I KNEW IT ALL! With age, time, and perspective, I have incredible appreciation for how much PD Bob Foster taught me AND how much patience (not always!) he had with me.

It was a dumpy building in the middle of a cornfield with equipment held together with duct tape and baling wire, but I was ON THE RADIO!

2. What led you to a career in radio?

In short, a love of music AND looking up to my big brother! My brother Alan Cook went to start on-air when I was 5 and I always found it fascinating to hear him on the radio – and he got to play records? What a dream! When Alan worked at KLYF/Des Moines in the 80s sometimes I'd go with him to the station and make airchecks or dub songs for myself in production while he was on the air. Eventually, he went to WENS/Indianapolis and I'd do the same things. That was the GOAL - to be just like my big brother!

Oh, and looking back through the very few baby items (I was the youngest of 3 boys, by that time my Mom didn't really have the energy to keep up on baby books lol), there's a note at 1.5 years that says "seems to really enjoy music" and there's a picture of me holding a mic and either talking or singing, so that was a sign too!

3. You're still on the air every day, rocking afternoons across the hall on sister WLIF. What does it mean to you to still be able to hit the studio?

Every day jumping in the studio is a nice escape from reality. After all these years, I still find magic in communicating one-on-one with people and finding topics that connect and get a reaction even if it's in text. I do what I call "pseudo-live," usually tracking but when there's something big happening, I'll jump in real-time or track just a few minutes ahead.

4. Who would be a "dream guest" to have sit in with you on your show?

That's a loaded and difficult question because I have a lot of varied interests. Around here there's a LOT of civic pride – more than any other market I've been in. Marylanders and Baltimoreans LOVE their state and city. So, I'd say current Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. He rose in profile during COVID and seems to have a lot of bipartisan support and interest, and seems to be a pretty normal dude. And if he falls flat, around here you can't go wrong talking about Crabs and Old Bay Seasoning.

5. Your morning show, Kramer & Jess, just received a contract extension. How do they set the table for the rest of Mix's broadcast day?

I'm so proud of these two! I'd followed Kramer since he was a first-time morning guy at Island 106 in Panama City and when my GM Tracy Brandys and I decided it was time to shake up the morning show, Kramer was my first contact. When I asked if he had anyone in mind who might be a great co-host, he said "Jess Dutra. She is star, she just needs an opportunity to shine." This show is one of the best hires of my career. Not only do I love them as a morning show, I really love them as people. I enjoy hanging out with both of them because they're just good people.

The show is all about content and interaction. Yep, there's benchmarks and drama, there are calls and texts, but there's also REAL and RAW emotion that makes a true bond with listeners. I'm amazed at how fast our audience clicked with both of them, and that is growing every day. The show can't really be put into a few sentences – they have depth and breadth and nothing is off-limits, so long as it makes a connection and they feel it will hold meters. I'd encourage you to listen to the on-demand podcast "Kramer & Jess On Demand" to get a feel for the show.

In middays, Corinna Delgado is another superstar. She does mornings on 94.7 The Drive in DC and tracks middays for us on Mix 106.5. It's also not uncommon for her to be in our Baltimore studio at least once a week, she drives up and does her show live and interacts with sales and everyone in our building.

Afternoons is market veteran Priestly. He's been involved with Mix 106.5 since October 1997 (we checked the dates!) and this market LOVES HIM. They've grown up with him, seen him grow from cocky Top 40 night jock on the former B102.7 and now know him as a dedicated father of three. During COVID, we had him really lean into doing his show from the "Priestly Family Studio" because it humanized him and deepened his bond with parents facing the same upheaval and chaos as our listeners. He has gotten more comments from listeners about the "PFS" than we ever thought was possible. They loved the realness and peek behind the Priestly curtain.

Nights are anchored by another market vet, Neci. She's been on Baltimore and DC radio for, well, I'm not sure, but it's been a long time. Her biggest claim to fame would be many years spent at 99-1 WHFS. Neci's laid-back style is atypical for Hot AC's but the audience loves her. She also has an ear like no other and knows about songs way far in advance – it's not uncommon for me to get a Saturday night text "hey have you heard 'x song'?" and I'm like how the hell do you even know about this?  Neci is a music LOVER in every definition.

6. How did navigating the pandemic make you a better programmer and broadcaster?

With the benefit of hindsight, much like happened with marriages and relationships, the pandemic strengthened some and weakened others! I'm fortunate to have a great staff – and I'm a believer in hiring/having the right people and staying out of their way to let them get ratings and make magic. So, I was never worried about (most of) my staff continuing their high level of content.

While everyone was working from home, it became even MORE important to communicate with each other – whether text or calls or Zoom – to talk about show ideas, break content, sales initiatives. And oddly, I think we were BETTER communicators (particularly programming + sales) when we were apart, because we HAD to be.

7. For a while it was a struggle to be out in the community engaging with. Are things pretty much back to 'normal' as far as all that goes?

Yeah, we're pretty much back to normal. For a while, the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) was packed in afternoons but fairly open in mornings – and you could see that in the PPM data. Now traffic at all times of the day is back to being as bad as it was pre-COVID.

Priestly is out doing live shows at Cross Street Market in the Fed Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, hosting charity events, hosting at concert venues, and with his 3 kids is constantly on the run to soccer games every weekend.

Kramer & Jess are out doing "Purple Media Night" at the Ravens and going to the Orioles, hosting events for Johns Hopkins Childrens Center, and doing a program we created called "Show Me Maryland" going to different counties or areas every weekend to "become a local" which has been huge for our audience to get to know them.

8. 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)

9. What was your favorite station(s) to listen to when you were a kid? Jock(s)?

This is easy. 105.7 KOKZ/Waterloo, IA. This station was "Hot Hits" with lots of energy, jingles, and larger than life personalities. People my age still talk about "OK 105.7" or "OKFM" even today. Brian Wright and The News Twins Polly & Molly, The Fox That Rocks, Zeke Jordan, Ron Newman, and countless other talent made that station a monster. Wish I had known then to record more of it, but I'm pretty sure KOKZ was just as good as my mind wants to remember it.

Brian Wright was the PD and I was just a kid who loved his station and morning show – and always looked up to him. Some people might say Scott Shannon or Rick Dees or Dick Purtan, but Brian was that person for me. When I took over Townsquare/Grand Rapids, I was fortunate to connect and forge a friendship with Brian that endures today.

10. Who were your mentors? Who has influenced your career the most?

I've been VERY fortunate to have great PD's and mentors over the years.

Bob Foster, Dennis Green, Dick Stadlen, Lyman James and Brian Check were all huge in many different ways.

And, I also have to shout out some amazing GM's too – Andy Stuart in Toledo, Russ Hines in Grand Rapids, and my current GM, Tracy Brandys.

You learn something from every single person you work for – whether you realize it or not - and if things happen as they should, you'll be made up of the best parts of all of them. 

My current GM Tracy Brandys taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life – both personally AND professionally.  I've always tended to take things personally, particularly when it came to my work; early in my time here, Tracy and I weren't seeing eye-to-eye on something, and I started to take it personally and shut down.  Tracy reads people really well. She stopped our back-and-forth, looked me square in the eye and said "you're taking this personal, STOP taking it personal, it's not personal, it's business." 

I grumbled about it under my breath for at least the next 24 hours lol, but … she was right.  I *did* take things too personally - it *wasn't* personal, it was business – and I needed to be better about it. I wish I had learned that lesson about 25 years ago because it would've helped me better navigate some professional (and personal) situations with more clarity, logic, and balance.  It was a great life lesson that came awfully late in my life.

I do want to get sentimental for a minute though:

My first PD Bob Foster was a great teacher and coach, and he took a chance on a 14-year-old who thought he knew it all. Looking back, I can say without hesitation that I wouldn't have put up with my shit, but maybe he saw a lot of himself in me. We hadn't spoken since 1993 but when I got word he passed away in 2019, I drove from Baltimore to Waverly, IA, to pay my respects. I never expressed my gratitude when he was alive but sure hope he heard everything I said when I spoke at the funeral. Dammit, there's something in my eye.

Honestly, I could write paragraphs and paragraphs about each of my PD's and GM's –but I'm not sure anyone wants to read that except me (see "length of time vs lack of content above). 

With the Royal Farms Arena at your disposal and an unlimited budget, which 5-6 acts would you pull together for a station listener bash?

Unlimited budget? Be still my heart. Lizzo, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Maroon 5 and Nelly for a throwback!