|
 Originally
published on May 2, 2008
Norm Schrutt
After 46 years in the business, Schrutt & Katz CEO
is still having the time of his life
There is
only one Norm Schrutt. After celebrating
his 75th birthday this year, Schrutt
is about as active in the business
today as he was when he started in
radio sales 46 years ago. With a zest
for life and a phenomenal sense of
humor, this bigger-than-life character
now spends his time working on behalf
of one of radio’s greatest assets:
talent.
Getting
into the business: Jim
Arcara hired me at [50,000-watt CHR/top
40 giant] WKBW in Buffalo in 1963. A
childhood friend, Warren Potash, worked
for KB and used to say, “You’re
crazy selling cars; you’d be great
selling radio time.” They hired
me because they were deficient in automotive
sales and they wanted someone that knew
how to do that. I had every car dealer
in a radio ad. I worked on and off for
Arcara for the 35 years I worked for
[WKBW owner] Capital Cities. I was a
salesman, then a sales manager and then
the general manager at KB. Then I was
transferred to KZLA/Los Angeles and switched
that to country. I stayed there a year
and we bought [WKHX] in Atlanta. I came
to Atlanta and in 1982 was made president
of [Capital Cities] owned radio stations.
Liner
Notes
Profile:
Norm Schrutt
Title:
Schrutt & Katz CEO
Favorite
radio format: Rock
Favorite
TV show: “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Favorite
song:
“Anything by Eric Clapton or Eva
Cassidy.”
Favorite
movie:
“‘Once Upon a Time in America,’ the
long version. I love Jewish gangsters.”
Favorite
book:
“I love anything by Kafka, because
I love happy endings. The book on the
nightstand is ‘Kavalier and Clay’ by
Michael Chabon.”
Favorite
Restaurant :
“Patsy’s in New York, because
it’s Scott Herman’s favorite
and he always picks up the tab. I also
love the Second Avenue Deli, but the
funny part is it’s [now] on Third
Avenue.”
Beverage
of choice:
“Vodka rocks or iced tea.”
Hobbies:
“Avoiding all forms of exercise.”
E-mail
address:
schrutt@
nsstalent.com
Why
you left ABC: I was
old! I had to retire at 65, and I
was 63. I wanted to retire before
I was 65 and then Disney bought us
and all the guys were saying, “Let’s
just take the money and run,” and
I left. That was 12 years ago.
Founding
of Schrutt & Katz: I
am one of these guys that didn’t
have any hobbies. I don’t play
golf. I don’t play tennis.
I work. You hear about people that
retire and then a year-and-a-half
later, die. I was married at the
time and I thought sitting around
the house would just about kill me.
I realized a lot of the agents I
dealt with were lawyers. I felt radio
talent was better served by a broadcaster
than an attorney. Attorneys knew
the law better, but I knew broadcasting
better. The benefit with opening
Schrutt & Katz is Joel Katz was
an entertainment lawyer and I thought, “I’ve
got the best of both worlds, and
my clients will be better served.” I
left in December, 12 years ago, and
right after the holidays, I started
the company. I am now sole owner.
Mission
of the company: To
make all my clients rich and their
employers richer.
Long-range
plans: I
decided to cap it at 20 clients, because
I didn’t want to have employees.
I have a secretary and me. I’m
probably more [of an] agent/manager.
The worst thing in the world to be is
a 50-year-old jock with not enough “fuck
you” money in the bank, because
our business throws out those kinds of
people. The guys that really got it can
stick around; those are the 500-pound
gorillas. But there are a lot of 200-pound
gorillas. I’m older than John McCain.
I say to the people I represent, “Someday
you’re not going to want an 80-year-old
agent.” And they say, “As
long as you can walk, talk and negotiate,
I don’t care how old you are.”
Biggest
challenge: Waking
up in the morning. At my age if I wake
up, that’s great. I suppose my
business challenge is to make a fair
deal for my clients and also their bosses.
That’s really important. If you
work for a smart, creative program director
who works for a very smart general manager,
it’s a great marriage.
State
of radio: Managers
say all the time, “Norm, you got
out at the right time.” And everybody
is looking for the bottom line. I don’t
believe “profit” is a dirty
word. I think radio stations should make
a profit and jocks should be paid fairly.
Upper management has obligations to the
banks and their investors and we have
to understand that. It’s a business,
and it’s a great business. There’s
no heavy lifting and if you work hard
and work smart, you can be successful.
People say, “Boy, this guy’s
lucky,” but really, the harder
you work the luckier you get.
Career
highlight:
I worked for the same company for 35
years. I retired when Disney bought us.
In my radio career I am proud of the
movement of WLS [Chicago], WMAL [Washington],
WBAP [Dallas], from radio stations to
talk radio stations. To turn those big
AM stations around is not an easy job.
On the agent side of my business, the
trust of the people I represent is very
important to me and is a highlight. It’s
wonderful to have these two careers:
35 years at one thing and now 12 years
being an agent.
Career
disappointment:
I have had a great career. I have great
friends and clients and I’ve worked
for some marvelous people. Arcara was
wonderful to work for. Don Bouloukos
[former president of Capital Cities/ABC-owned
radio stations] was great. The sales
department I joined at WKBW included
Dick Rakovan, Warren Potash, Tom Fennel,
Bill Campbell, and Jim Arcara was the
sales manager. There was never a day
I came to work that I didn’t want
to come to work.
Most
influential individual:
I always say I worked for Arcara for
most of my career and Arcara always says
that everyone’s entitled to make
one mistake. Potash helped me a lot when
I began. The guys at the top, Tom Murphy
and [Daniel] Burke, everybody should
work for people like that. I don’t
know that we were ever paid the most,
but you couldn’t beat the work
environment.
Advice
for talent:
Work hard, be creative and understand
it’s a business. Remember, it is
only radio. You have to be able to laugh
at yourself. Jocks get in all kinds of
trouble. They push the envelope and then
wonder why they got in trouble. I say, “You
went too far, go to the line, take two
steps back and have a good time. Just
enjoy yourself and understand who your
audience is.”
Advice
for broadcasters:
Real estate says “location, location,
location.” In radio, it should
be “talent, talent, talent.” That’s
the horse that pulls the wagon. I have
huge respect for talent, because I can’t
do it. People say they only work four
hours a day. Not good ones—they
work their . . . off!
‘Real estate says “location,
location, location.” In radio,
it should be “talent, talent, talent.” That’s
the horse that pulls the wagon.’ —Norm
Schrutt
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