10 Questions with … Joel Weiss WSUN Programming Assistant

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I’ve been at Cox Tampa since 2003, mostly with 97X but I was also APD/MD of WPOI (Adult Hits) before its flip to Hot 101-5. Previously, I interned at WZLX/Boston and graduated from Emerson College.

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1. How did you become interested in radio?

I wanted to be surrounded by music, but lacked the patience to learn to create my own.

2. What stands out the most from when you first started at Cox/Tampa?

Without a doubt, surviving the WPOI flip.

3. What part of your job do you like best? Least?

Best: Good new music! Anything that gets me excited as a fan of music.

Least: It can be stressful, especially surviving a format flip.

4. What is most important to you when championing new music for 97X?

A song must inspire passion of some sort, whether in me or in others. I think the change in the modern rock format over the past couple of years is indicative of that mindset. Having a big name attached to a song isn’t necessarily important, because great songs will build new big names.

5. What is the most challenging part of the job?

Time management. 97X accounts for most of my day, but I need to be able to drop what I’m doing at a moment’s notice and help other stations in my Programming Assistant role.

6. What makes 97X unique?

How collaborative our team has become from programming, promotions, sales, marketing — everyone. We challenge ourselves to innovate and find new ways to succeed. I feel like the industry standard once upon a time was programming and sales pointing fingers at “the other side of the building,” and that just doesn’t happen here.

7. How are you using Social Media?

Social networking sites are the new request lines. Listeners can post on our Facebook page and automatically be alerted when we respond, as opposed to pressing redial waiting for someone to answer. Show content, contests, conversations — there are so many ways to connect with listeners and cultivate passion for our station.

8. Fill in the blank: I can’t make it through the day without _________?

Hearing my daughter laugh.

9. What do you like best about living in Florida?

I love the winters. The beautiful weather and I don’t have to mow the lawn.

10. What would surprise people most about you?

I don’t like chocolate. I’m not allergic. I just don’t like it. That earns me some pretty crazy looks.

What are your hobbies?

I maybe find an hour or two a week to play video games.

Last non-industry job?

I worked in a factory manufacturing pens for four months.

First record ever purchased?

Guns n’ Roses – Use Your Illusion I

First concert?

Billy Joel. Saw him three times with my parents in the ’80s.

Favorite band of all-time?

Iron Maiden. UP THE IRONS!

 

Source: All Access Music Group