Interview with Jay Seidl of Music Mix USA
MVP:Here we are on 5th Avenue in Naples, Florida. If I could describe this setting, we are amongst very high end jewelry stores, restaurants, boutiques, and clothing stores let me tell you this is where the rich and famous come to hobnob. This is the A-list folks and we are sitting out in front of one of their fine restaurant establishments and I'm here with Jay Seidl from Music Mix USA. Which is by far the most influential, most impactful, regional music video show in the state of Florida. So the first thing we are going to ask Jay is that I love the saying "It's really important you learn to crawl before you learn to walk." With the amount of impact you have in Florida, it probably has been a long process. Where did you start and how did you get here?
Jay Seidl: It started many years ago, in a TV station right here in Naples, Florida. I actually lived in Fort Myers and I remember reading an article in the paper, The News Press, about this new TV station that was starting. It was a new indie station called WNPL. I actually had plans to move to New York City and continue my acting and music. I did a few films and had an original band called Friction. I did a film with Tommy Lee Jones and Jessica Lang called Blue Sky where I actually had a speaking part and it was shot on Sanibel Island. It's a great movie! Jessica Lang actually won an Academy Award. I had a friend that was attending college in New York and I was going to crash with her for a while. Then I saw the article about this new station and I really wanted to be in television and get my chops in TV and become a reporter. So I went to Naples and talked to the station manager and they ended up hiring me. I started as a teleprompt operator and within one year I was the technical director for the 10 o’clock news, a one man band, shooting my own stand ups, and editing my own news packages and chief editor. I was able to learn everything in the business. I actually went through two engines in my car because it was 120 miles roundtrip everyday, for two years. I was very dedicated I and knew how lucky I was to get all this hands on experience. That's where I learned shooting, editing and writing - everything at this one station. I also noticed all the anchors and reporters working hard day after day not really given any respect by management. It was like "Ok, you're done, see you tomorrow, and don’t be late." I thought it would be more adventurous and exciting, but it was just a job. So I thought maybe I would try something a little different. I was a big movie and music buff and came up with an idea to feature those elements. I produced a package, which in television is what you see when you watch the news. I came up with a movie review and I called it "Seidl On Cinema" which aired on the News. One day I noticed the clips of these movies that were being sent to me actually had some soundtracks and music videos. I thought to myself I could actually do something more with this. Hence Music Mix USA. I took the videos and made my first contact in the music business, Electra Records. I started building this show and I sent out letters to other labels and got clearance on WNPL - the very first place that it aired. I was on at 11:30 P.M. Thursday nights, a phenomenal time slot. That’ how it all started. It was very exciting time!
MVP: Ok, now you're in seven different markets as someone who programs music videos and has had a show for awhile, what's your advice for other video programmers looking to expand their reach with their video show?
JS: What I found is that the biggest secret to success in the video programming side of the music business is you have to believe in yourself and you have to believe in your show. It's easier said then done, because the stations when they need you or when they even talk to you on the phone, they really want to know why they want to put it on the air. They have so many shows from New York and LA that are million dollar productions. So why should they put a local show on. You have to tell them that all though we are localized we have this regional, almost national quality production. When I present the show to the different stations I present them with an offer they can not refuse. In fact, MTV was always one example that I would use where I would explain to them that MTV does the top ten. So I get Britney Spears, I get Usher but the people can see that on MTV. They can't see Funeral For A Friend, they can't see The Shins, all the bands that college students and my demos, 18-34 year olds, want to see
MVP: Now you talked about 18 to 34 within that demographic, what do you in your mind envision the average Music Mix USA viewer to be like? Who are they?
JS: You know it's interesting because we have done a lot of contests. I’ve gotten so many emails and so many boxes full of the entry forms from the music stores. We went out there in the very beginning to get everyone. We went out there like a wildfire and doing so we saw everything from 11 year old to 40 year olds enter the contests. I have met people who you were sure they were country and they really loved death metal or hip hop. When we came up with the show's concept I did not want it to have a strict rock concept. I wanted to have all genres and it worked in my benefit. People would say you can't do that you are spreading yourself thin. You should stay hip hop or rock but the audience loves it. Back to the age question, we find every age and every type of person watching the show and that to me makes it a force to be reckoned with.
MVP: Hence the name ladies and gentlemen Music Mix USA. Alright you probably get between three and four dozen videos a week but your program is not that long so how does a guy like you weed through the videos and choose which ones actually go on the air? It must be difficult.
JS: I try my best to support the labels, indies and artists. Not in that perticluar order. I have such a great relationship with all of these people so I try to keep mix it up and in the end give the audience what they want. I always happen to like what I play, most of the time. I’m very lucky because I usually like what my viewers like.
MVP: Alright, here is a question for everyone who is involved in the music video world. What is an example of a do and a don't for these labels and independent promoters because obviously this is your baby, you never want to feel like you are in a situation where you might be compromised. So I was wondering if you could give an example of both. What do you like and what doesn't work for Jay at Music Mix USA?
JS: One of the things I do is tell the indies and labels to email me as often as possible with their requests. It’s one of the last places I check before programming my show.
MVP: Thank you so much Jay! We really appreciated you talking time out to speak with us.
