10 Questions: Michael Moffett (Moffee)
Michael Moffett is PD for Grant Broadcasters 2ST/POWER FM/ Hot Country for Nowra and The Southern Highlands.
Radio Today's Mark Hales chatted to "Moffee" to find out his background, what got him into radio and the best lessons he has learned.
1. As a bit of background, what stations have you worked at during your career and in what roles?
Started at Triple M Brisbane casually in 2000, then my first full time gig at Hitz FM Bundaberg in 2002 – first on Nights, then Drive and MD. Then in 2004 Breakfast and PD at Magic105.9 in Port Augusta. End of 2005 moved back to QLD and River949. The first 3 years on Breakfast with Wayne Roberts, then afternoons and MD. After 5 years I headed south to Bega in 2011, as PD for 2EC and Power FM. I recently moved north to Nowra as PD of 2ST and Power FM. At this rate, I should be back in QLD by 2022.
2. What got you into radio? As a kid all I ever wanted to do was work in radio.
Mum and Dad (aka Santa) bought me a microphone when I was about 7. I thought I was pretty cool, my neighbours hated it. I would wake up listening to people like Ian Skippen on B105 and Wayne Roberts, then fall asleep at night listening to Stan Zemanek. I remember being really excited in Year 7 because I got taken to school in a B105 Black Thunder. Those were the days when it was something like a magical car, before you were old enough to realise it was really just a black Nissan Patrol with red and yellow stickers.
3. Any jobs before radio?
I worked at Target Chermside, managed to convince them that it was a good idea for me to just sit in the management office spruiking over the PA all shift.
4. You recently won your second ACRA for Best PD – Regional – for your work at 2EC and Power FM in Bega. Congrats ! What qualities does it take to be a strong programmer do you think?
Delivering what works for your audience is a no brainer, but actually think about what they want instead of what you think they want. I think often we look too closely at it. It is really important to take that step back and observe. If you have a show that doesn’t need stunts and listeners who want to know what is happening in their local area, give them that instead of trying to be too cool.
Also, it is more about the team you have. If you have passion for what you do, if you have a team that are also passionate and an attitude which doesn’t include ‘that’ll do’, you are on track. Plus in smaller regional markets, never think that BIG is impossible.
5. What is the best lesson you’ve learnt during your career?
Always love what you do, treat people like humans, and rely on Mike Byrne for content if you are doing a Dad Jokes Weekend.
6. Describe a day in the life of Moffee?
Generally up at 5am, radio on, listen to a bit of Nickelback and Katy Perry on Power, and some Fleetwood Mac and Billy Joel on 2ST. Into work around 7-8am, schedule and check some music logs, write some promos, catch up with breakfast shows, tell Greg Clark some long stories that he will lose interest with, a few meetings and fill the rest of the time pacing out the front on my phone because I have really bad reception. Head home usually around 6 or 7pm. Usually off to bed around 10 or 11pm. Monday nights watch The Newsroom and Revenge, then pretend I’m not that into Revenge.
7. What’s the best part of your job?
Working with amazing people, and seeing them grow to bigger things. For example, of my team in Bega, people like Ashleigh Blucher who won an ACRA for Best Newcomer On Air, Anthony Anderson who is reading News in Perth, Tian Gerrand who is off to take that next step with SCA, Luke Lum who went on to Hot100 Darwin and now with SCA in Townsville and Bella Frizza who is now on arvos at Sea FM Gold Coast. Plus to have everyone in the Power FM team nominated as finalists, makes it really exciting. Now working with great broadcasting professionals, legends like Graham French at 2ST, this is a man who sets the news agenda everyday and has for so long.
8. Who are the radio people and radio stations you enjoy listening to away from work?
2GB and 4BC. Information feeds your brain. Love listening to Ian Skippen and Loretta Ryan on 4BC, Skip is that perfect example of passion for what he does, and he oozes Brisbane like you wouldn’t believe. Just little things like instead of saying ‘Gympie Rd at Kedron’, it would be ‘Gympie Rd, just as you come down the hill near the old Westons Biscuit Factory at Kedron’. That paints the perfect picture in your mind. The other one is Alan Jones because the man is a machine! He is well read, he can go from talking about the great Opera Arias to talking about the Rugby. At the end of the day this is why he is the number 1 broadcaster in the country!
9. How do you unwind and escape the work pressure?
Usually driving, it relaxes me, especially in amazing areas like here on the NSW South Coast where there is just so much area to cover, plus lots of great local seafood.
10. (complete this sentence) …. in 5 years from now I will be.…..
working somewhere, happy with what I am doing and probably playing Nickelback.
(bonus question) – The future of radio is…….
positive if you want it to be. So many Social media groups seem to be filled with bitter ex radio people who think that ‘it was better in my day’, which will be said again in years to come from a different generation. The most important thing to do is work hard, be passionate, and instead of blaming Big Brother or Reality TV for missing out on the next big thing, work that little bit harder.
Mark Hales is former Editor of Radio Today, and Program Director of Nova 91.9. He is now Music Director and Drive Announcer at River 94.9 in Ipswich, Queensland. |