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Straight From The Mouth
The Morning Mouth's August Interview with Eric & Kathy
(Reprinted by permission; Copyright © 2007 Talentmasters Inc.)

Let's start with a quick bio?

Eric Ferguson: I started right out of college (University Of Iowa) doing nights in Allentown. My first morning show came 2 years later, at Power 98.9 in the Quad Cities. I was there two years before making the move to WZOK in Rockford, where I stayed long enough to have a cup of coffee, one up trend ratings book, and then get fired. From there came morning shows in Ocala Florida, Denver, and finally Chicago, where I've been for 11 years.

I've got to ask. When you bring up Chicago radio, people immediately conjure up names of its legendary talent: Lujack, Steve & Garry, Brandmeier, Landecker, etc. Given your success and tenure there, do you ever wish there was added focus on Chicago's current talent?

Not at all! This is a great radio market to call home. As a kid growing up

in Chicago, all the names you've mentioned were very influential to me. Brandmeier, Dahl, Landecker....those guys inspired me to seek morning radio as a career. To be able to now call them peers is surreal. I hope with the longevity and success we've had we'll one day be included with those names. That would be cool.

Who else is on the show with you?

We have a pretty large staff, and I find it really interesting and unique that we've all been together since the very beginning. There has been virtually no turnover. Obviously, Kathy is my partner and a stabilizing voice on the show. Melissa is our traffic person, but has really grown into more of a third host. The audience loves her because of her innocence and constant struggles with men. Swany is our executive producer, and is a seasoned veteran of Chicago morning radio. He's worked with them all....Brandmeier, Kevin Matthews, Steve Cochran. Cynthia is our assistant producer, and the newest member of the team....although she's now been with us 7 years! Barry Keefe is our newsman. He's been with the station more than 25 years, and I believe at one time trained Marconi. The guys is a news legend with a big voice. We're definitely a group of people that lead VERY different lives, and I think that's been a key component in our success.

How do you prepare for a show against the best shows in radio?

Having the same show with the same group of people for eleven years has allowed me a lot of freedom in planning. We don't do a lot of meetings (one a week, and it's only to talk over promotions), we don't brief each other with phone calls or emails, and we rarely speak or socialize outside the confines of the show. This is done by design. I think it's important to bring diverse perspectives, stories, and experiences to the show each day. If we spent all of our time together doing the same things or briefing each other on what was coming up, the spontaneous element of the show suffers. It becomes too inside....it's "our" group talking to the audience about what "we" did or think. When Kathy shares something, I'm hearing it for the first time, just like the audience. We're all in it together. I do the majority of the prep

the night before, usually getting underway around 7P and working until 10. I watch the first block of news and 10, and then go to bed. When I get up in the morning, I watch network and local news to get a feel for what awaits. I arrive just prior to the show starting. I can do this because Swany is so thorough in clipping and highlighting overnight and wire news items that he knows I like. Working together for so long has afforded him the ability to know what stories and bit ideas I work with best....he's a master at playing to my strengths and I trust him implicitly. It's all waiting for me as we hit the air, and it just flows naturally. For me, preparing too much causes overthinking....I like the lines and ideas to come naturally as it's happening.

Chicago is one of those markets where you can get almost get any guest you want. Of course, with all the competition, how do you get them on your show first?

We get them first by reputation and relationships. I'm proud of that. Every publicist in town usually brings them to us first because we've taken the time to build relationships, and they know what to expect. It's not an ambush interview....that's so cliche' and I have no interest in them. We won't roll over and lob softball questions....we'll ask the hard questions or put them on the spot when necessary. The key is we're not deceptive or mean spirited. You can get people to talk and say interesting things without being a jackass.

What was your biggest guest-coup?

I'd say Oprah, because it wasn't planned. She listens when she works out, and we get word back from her people from time to time. One day, she just picked up the phone and called the request line wanting to talk to us about having dinner with Bono the night before. Oprah wants to tip us off about strolling Michigan Avenue hand in hand with Bono the night before. C'mon...that doesn't happen. Oprah almost never does radio. It was a pretty cool moment. We're lucky in Chicago because a lot of celebrities come through town and many film here. Will Ferrell stopping by occasionally is great. Jack Black is one of my favorites. Jessica Biel - self explanatory.

This interview is being featured in the 'Boot Camp edition of The Mouth. This year they'll be a lot of young up & coming personalities in attendance who would love one day to make it to a city like Chicago. What

would you tell them is the main difference between doing a show here compared to other cities?

To be honest, I think it can be significantly HARDER to do a good show in a smaller town. Guests are tougher... resources are fewer. It requires a lot of determination, leg work, and commitment. I've always said there are a lot of people doing great shows in small markets that just need a break. I've heard many small and medium market shows that are significantly better than big market shows. For whatever reason, they just haven't got their break. But you can't quit on that goal. You have to continue to work hard, be determined, and believe your day is coming.

What's the best advice you ever got about doing a morning show?

Jeff Johnson at Alan Burns & Assoc. gave me some advice when he helped me land my first morning show. He told me, if you can hit one home run a day, you'll be successful. One memorable moment in the show....one killer bit. That's all it takes...it's that simple. I've applied that theory for the last 16 years, and it works.

One of the biggest challenges for a lot of AC morning shows is you're choosing topics or show prep, are you always conscience of this line?

Never. Our show is designed to the lifestyle of the listener, not the format of the station. We have a wide range of audience....18 year olds to 60 year olds. With multiple generations tuned in, their are multiple different "lines"....it's impossible to focus on one. We simply try to do an entertaining, topical, funny show. I always believe talent should ask themselves, "are you having a good time?" If you're not answering yes, then you need to be doing a different kind of show. Fun, laughter and enjoyment is infectious. If you're genuinely having a good time, your audience will pick up on that.

You and Kathy have had long morning marriage. What's been the trick to keeping it on track?

Mystery. Kathy and I have been together for eleven years, but we're still learning about each other every day. I truly mean that. I'm amazed that I'll find out something about her or something she thinks that I had no clue about. This happens a lot. It gets back to leading completely separate lives outside the radio station... it makes for a better radio show. Also, the gratuitous nudity has been key.

What are your thoughts on the radio business today, compared to when you first got into radio?

Wholly different, but cyclical. I think syndication has single handedly killed local, creative radio... and that sucks. But, I think the days of building creative, talent driven radio are on the verge of returning. Radio management, from my perspective, is beginning to see the error of it's ways in not developing talent. That's what sets their properties apart and makes them unique. That's what will be a selling point to advertisers in the future. It may not be tomorrow, but the day is coming.

If you were invited to speak to group of top PD's to offer advice on how to best manage a morning show, what would be your top 5 tips?

1. Patience! Give them the freedom to discover their voice.

2. Micromanaging kills creativity. Daily airchecks and critique meetings are ridiculous and counter productive. If you need them to mold - or control - the talent, then you've hired the wrong talent. That's on you.

3. Allow them to make a few mistakes. It's okay to talk about them, but don't beat them up about it. Talent knows when things aren't going right... they're beating themselves up already.

4. Have their back. If a moment comes up where you can back an air talent - to a pushy client, a whiny, complaining listener - they'll remember it. Loyalty is a big thing... and it will pay off for you later.

5. Stay off the hotline! If you've got something to say, save it for later. The best way to build a combative relationship with your morning show is to challenge them in the midst of them doing their job.

Read previous Morning Mouth interviews.

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