Get to know former CC Chicago Urban PD Elroy Smith

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Posted by chicagomedia.org on May 27, 2009 at 11:19:49:

NAME: Elroy Smith
TITLE: Operations Dir, /Radio One/Philadelphia
STATION: WPHI 100.3 The Beat, WPPZ Praise 103.9, 107.9 WRNB
MARKET: Philadelphia
COMPANY: Radio One Inc
BORN: Bermuda/July 8, 1958
RAISED: Bermuda

10 Questions with ... Elroy Smith

Please outline your career path.

Graham Jr. College/Boston 1979
Emerson College 1979-1981

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

My first radio job was in Bermuda at ZFB. My debut on ZFB was a disaster. Twenty minutes after signing on the air, the station went off the air and never came back on the air until the next day. The person who influenced me in Bermuda was Sturgis Griffin, who was the Program Director. He did radio in New York City at WWRL, WABC, WBLS and CD101 as Sergio Dean.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?

In the latter '70s, I was a member of a singing group in Bermuda. I was fired right after a performance that was attended by 3-4,000 people. I had not left the grounds of the performance and I was told that it was over. I thought that we did well. We sang a song by the Persuaders/Thin Line Between Love & Hate. At that moment, radio broadcasting popped into my mind and I hadn't looked by since that time.

Days later I visited the local radio station in Bermuda, applying for an on-air job. At this point, I was asked to read copy. However, I discovered that I could not read. This was very embarrassing for me. I immediately taught myself how to read. I practiced reading out loud any piece of material I would get my hands on. This was a very tough time for me because I was doing poorly in high school in Bermuda. I went to two different high schools, both resulting in the same outcome - failure -- I never received a high school diploma. After applying to Graham Jr. College in Boston to enter into their Journalism two-year program; they explained to me that I needed to give them a reference from a politician and minister in Bermuda ... and if these letters were favorable, I would be accepted without having to submit my high school diploma/certificate of graduation. I did what they asked and was accepted. This was an extremely difficult point in my life because I was so behind in American History, reading, writing and verbalizing my point of view. On top of all of that, I had a thick British accent and was instantly labeled as an outsider. After intense hard work, I graduated in a year-and-a-half with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. This degree inspired me to go after my bachelor's in Mass Communications and my Graduate degree in Business Management from Cambridge College, Cambridge, Ma.

3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now, what you didn't then, would you still do it?

Knowing what I know how, I would have still pursued radio. The passion for this business is still incredibly intense. This business is toxic for me.

4) You just added a brand new morning show with Charlamange...

Charlamagne is an extraordinary talent. He's smart, topical, well read, understands of the lifestyle of his listeners and is a quick study. His first day was Friday, May 1st, 2009. He was on the air from 6a until 10p, giving out $100 bills every (30) minutes. Listeners have gravitated to him already.

We are top 3 with women 18-34 in morning drive, doing an all-music morning show with mixer DJ Bent Roc doing basic breaks throughout the mix. The mix and the large portion of music that we play won't go away. Charlamagne understands that he will accent the current music brand with his captivating personality.

5) Now the listeners get to participate in the hit selection process.

This strategy allows the listener to play a significant role in the music process of the station. They are required to register their name online to be one of the participates in our music online research. They are like our remote music directors for WPHI/100.3 The Beat. Furthermore, we are doing this exercise for all three of our stations.

6) In spite of the economy and the pressure, what still gets your adrenaline going?

Now more than ever, I find myself having to use my imagination and exercise smoking mirrors frequently. Finding sponsors to underwrite our promotions is mandatory. Just today, we had our annual Mother's Day brunch. Verizon, along with other sponsors, assisted us in underwriting the brunch at the Hyatt Regency/Philadelphia. It was a great event and we did not spend thousands and thousands of dollars as in previous years in putting this event together. Instead of finding tons of qualifying prizes for our 9K a day promotion (listen for nine songs in a row and qualify for 9k), listeners just qualified for the money for two-and-a-half months and no one complained about not having a consolation prize. So, we came back and qualified listeners for 10G with the same premise. This promotion gave us our biggest numbers in over a year.

7) How do you feel about syndication? Does it affect significantly on the number of hours that you have control over the music that you play?

Many years ago I wasn't fond of syndication. However, I have come to appreciate it if the content is compelling. WPHI/100.3 The Beat has no syndication on at this time and we are seeing our best numbers in quite some time.

8) Because of callout research, are today's Urban and Urban AC programmers going to be slower in adding and playing new music? What is the maximum number of spins a record in power rotation could be expected to receive in a given week on WRNB and WPHI?

For WPHI, we are approaching about 98-100 for our most-played song. One of the reasons why we are so high in our spins is because we do not have any syndication airing at this time. Since WRNB's concentration is the 90s, we are playing far few currents. Currents are no longer a priority for WRNB. Our concentration is super-serving our 90s constituents.

9) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?

I am awful when it comes to understanding numbers. This is an area that I would need to get more training. Thank God that I have a great Business Manager who consistently would assist me with any and all accounting issues.

10) How do you account for and what effect do you feel the continuing ratings success your station(s) have had and will continue to have on the Philadelphia market?

WPPZ is a monster in PHILLY. Consistently exploding in PPM 12+, 18-34 and afternoon drive, we are #1 with women 25-34 in the market WPHI has finally made a turn-around. The Morning Beat is #3 (18-34) and #2 with women 25-34

WRNB recently changed its direction to more of a '90s-based station. The reaction is our new focus is amazing. Our cume is approaching a half-million listeners.

Bonus Questions

As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?

Even through the up and downs, I have no regrets. Every challenge or disappointment happened for a reason, which only helps me to grow and to learn from the experience.

Describe your favorite meal?

Everything that my wife cooks

What's your favorite reading material?

I read anything that praises God. I love the Bible because it offers so much wisdom. The Bible is my life coach. The book that I am reading right now is entitled "Never Give Up"/Joyce Meyer

How do you feel about Arbitron's PPM replacing the diary?

I was spoiled by the diary world because I was at a station that had lots of equity in the city of Chicago (WGCI). The station was truly a brand that, whether you listened to the station or not, was top-of-mind in many diary keeper's mind. PPM is a true reality check! What is good about PPM is how it can show you immediate results of such things as a format change, a promotion etc.

You have always had a strong link to the community. You had it in Dallas, in Chicago, and now in Philadelphia? Has your outlook changed and how important is it in this age of electronic measurement?

My outlook is still very community-oriented. Here are some community initiatives that we have supported:

a. Goods for Guns; in the 18 months, we've taken hundreds and hundreds of guns of the street of Philadelphia

b. A community in Coatsville, PA was terrorized by several arsonists, resulting in many families losing everything. Our radio station went to this community to collect supplies for the displaced

c. Black Life Has Value; After a series of murders in the Philadelphia, we hosted a motivational/inspirational night with renowned motivational speaker Les Brown.

d. A teenager was thrown into a lake in Philadelphia and her little baby was left on the sidewalk. Later it was discovered that the perpetrator was the teenager's uncle. We did a fund-raiser.

(All Access)

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: NAME: Elroy Smith : TITLE: Operations Dir, /Radio One/Philadelphia : STATION: WPHI 100.3 The Beat, WPPZ Praise 103.9, 107.9 WRNB : MARKET: Philadelphia : COMPANY: Radio One Inc : BORN: Bermuda/July 8, 1958 : RAISED: Bermuda : 10 Questions with ... Elroy Smith : Please outline your career path. : Graham Jr. College/Boston 1979 : Emerson College 1979-1981 : : 1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences? : My first radio job was in Bermuda at ZFB. My debut on ZFB was a disaster. Twenty minutes after signing on the air, the station went off the air and never came back on the air until the next day. The person who influenced me in Bermuda was Sturgis Griffin, who was the Program Director. He did radio in New York City at WWRL, WABC, WBLS and CD101 as Sergio Dean. : : 2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"? : In the latter '70s, I was a member of a singing group in Bermuda. I was fired right after a performance that was attended by 3-4,000 people. I had not left the grounds of the performance and I was told that it was over. I thought that we did well. We sang a song by the Persuaders/Thin Line Between Love & Hate. At that moment, radio broadcasting popped into my mind and I hadn't looked by since that time. : Days later I visited the local radio station in Bermuda, applying for an on-air job. At this point, I was asked to read copy. However, I discovered that I could not read. This was very embarrassing for me. I immediately taught myself how to read. I practiced reading out loud any piece of material I would get my hands on. This was a very tough time for me because I was doing poorly in high school in Bermuda. I went to two different high schools, both resulting in the same outcome - failure -- I never received a high school diploma. After applying to Graham Jr. College in Boston to enter into their Journalism two-year program; they explained to me that I needed to give them a reference from a politician and minister in Bermuda ... and if these letters were favorable, I would be accepted without having to submit my high school diploma/certificate of graduation. I did what they asked and was accepted. This was an extremely difficult point in my life because I was so behind in American History, reading, writing and verbalizing my point of view. On top of all of that, I had a thick British accent and was instantly labeled as an outsider. After intense hard work, I graduated in a year-and-a-half with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. This degree inspired me to go after my bachelor's in Mass Communications and my Graduate degree in Business Management from Cambridge College, Cambridge, Ma. : : 3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now, what you didn't then, would you still do it? : Knowing what I know how, I would have still pursued radio. The passion for this business is still incredibly intense. This business is toxic for me. : : 4) You just added a brand new morning show with Charlamange... : Charlamagne is an extraordinary talent. He's smart, topical, well read, understands of the lifestyle of his listeners and is a quick study. His first day was Friday, May 1st, 2009. He was on the air from 6a until 10p, giving out $100 bills every (30) minutes. Listeners have gravitated to him already. : We are top 3 with women 18-34 in morning drive, doing an all-music morning show with mixer DJ Bent Roc doing basic breaks throughout the mix. The mix and the large portion of music that we play won't go away. Charlamagne understands that he will accent the current music brand with his captivating personality. : : 5) Now the listeners get to participate in the hit selection process. : This strategy allows the listener to play a significant role in the music process of the station. They are required to register their name online to be one of the participates in our music online research. They are like our remote music directors for WPHI/100.3 The Beat. Furthermore, we are doing this exercise for all three of our stations. : : 6) In spite of the economy and the pressure, what still gets your adrenaline going? : Now more than ever, I find myself having to use my imagination and exercise smoking mirrors frequently. Finding sponsors to underwrite our promotions is mandatory. Just today, we had our annual Mother's Day brunch. Verizon, along with other sponsors, assisted us in underwriting the brunch at the Hyatt Regency/Philadelphia. It was a great event and we did not spend thousands and thousands of dollars as in previous years in putting this event together. Instead of finding tons of qualifying prizes for our 9K a day promotion (listen for nine songs in a row and qualify for 9k), listeners just qualified for the money for two-and-a-half months and no one complained about not having a consolation prize. So, we came back and qualified listeners for 10G with the same premise. This promotion gave us our biggest numbers in over a year. : : 7) How do you feel about syndication? Does it affect significantly on the number of hours that you have control over the music that you play? : Many years ago I wasn't fond of syndication. However, I have come to appreciate it if the content is compelling. WPHI/100.3 The Beat has no syndication on at this time and we are seeing our best numbers in quite some time. : : 8) Because of callout research, are today's Urban and Urban AC programmers going to be slower in adding and playing new music? What is the maximum number of spins a record in power rotation could be expected to receive in a given week on WRNB and WPHI? : For WPHI, we are approaching about 98-100 for our most-played song. One of the reasons why we are so high in our spins is because we do not have any syndication airing at this time. Since WRNB's concentration is the 90s, we are playing far few currents. Currents are no longer a priority for WRNB. Our concentration is super-serving our 90s constituents. : : 9) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve? : I am awful when it comes to understanding numbers. This is an area that I would need to get more training. Thank God that I have a great Business Manager who consistently would assist me with any and all accounting issues. : : 10) How do you account for and what effect do you feel the continuing ratings success your station(s) have had and will continue to have on the Philadelphia market? : WPPZ is a monster in PHILLY. Consistently exploding in PPM 12+, 18-34 and afternoon drive, we are #1 with women 25-34 in the market WPHI has finally made a turn-around. The Morning Beat is #3 (18-34) and #2 with women 25-34 : WRNB recently changed its direction to more of a '90s-based station. The reaction is our new focus is amazing. Our cume is approaching a half-million listeners. : : Bonus Questions : As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities? : Even through the up and downs, I have no regrets. Every challenge or disappointment happened for a reason, which only helps me to grow and to learn from the experience. : : Describe your favorite meal? : Everything that my wife cooks : : What's your favorite reading material? : I read anything that praises God. I love the Bible because it offers so much wisdom. The Bible is my life coach. The book that I am reading right now is entitled "Never Give Up"/Joyce Meyer : : How do you feel about Arbitron's PPM replacing the diary? : I was spoiled by the diary world because I was at a station that had lots of equity in the city of Chicago (WGCI). The station was truly a brand that, whether you listened to the station or not, was top-of-mind in many diary keeper's mind. PPM is a true reality check! What is good about PPM is how it can show you immediate results of such things as a format change, a promotion etc. : : You have always had a strong link to the community. You had it in Dallas, in Chicago, and now in Philadelphia? Has your outlook changed and how important is it in this age of electronic measurement? : My outlook is still very community-oriented. Here are some community initiatives that we have supported: : a. Goods for Guns; in the 18 months, we've taken hundreds and hundreds of guns of the street of Philadelphia : b. A community in Coatsville, PA was terrorized by several arsonists, resulting in many families losing everything. Our radio station went to this community to collect supplies for the displaced : c. Black Life Has Value; After a series of murders in the Philadelphia, we hosted a motivational/inspirational night with renowned motivational speaker Les Brown. : d. A teenager was thrown into a lake in Philadelphia and her little baby was left on the sidewalk. Later it was discovered that the perpetrator was the teenager's uncle. We did a fund-raiser. : : (All Access)

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