Tommy Chuck is Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Tampa and day-to-day programmer for AC Mix 100.7. Chuck has created a brand with a clear identity, local talent, and a mission that goes well beyond music.
“The foundation of the radio station is always in the music,” Chuck says. “That’s kind of what casts the wide net. We say, ‘over four decades of variety.’ Pretty much everything from the ’80s through now. Pretty balanced in all eras. It’s a radio station for all people.”
A Local Lineup with Real Personality
And while variety is the hook, Chuck emphasizes that the station’s air staff is an essential part of the formula.
“We have some great local talent. ‘Laura and Brody’ in the morning do a very family-friendly, fun show. Very positive. Little nuggets of news you need to start the day. And then some cute little clever games that put people in a good mood as they’re going to work or going to school.”
“Ashley Morrison is our midday host. She’s also the Brand Manager for our Country station. Born and raised right here in the Tampa Bay area. Just got married to a St. Pete fireman. She’s as local as local gets.”
Mix 100.7 maintains its focus on relatability and personality, even during evening hours.
“Kristina’s on at night. She’s a new mom of twins. She brings that experience into the show, and she’s right in the demo. All of our personalities are. They’re talking about things that women in their 30s, 40s, 50s care about, and playing music they know and like.”
Chuck’s goal was always to avoid turning the station into passive background noise.
“A lot of AC stations fall into that bucket. I never wanted to be that. We try to have our personalities actually doing things, talking about things.”
That extends to the station’s imaging.
“I try never to write our imaging like ‘radio blah.’ I think some of that personality comes from my CHR background. We want to sound clever, fresh, not generic.”
Balancing Four Decades of Music
The music comes from four decades.
“We probably play a little more ’80s than other eras, but only by a little bit. There’s a pretty good balance of ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. We even throw in some legendary songs from the ’70s. And we play two or three currents an hour. I say ‘currents,’ but you know current by AC standards.”
When Storms Hit, Mix Steps Up
Mix 100.7 takes its community role seriously, especially during hurricane season.
“Hurricanes are always topical in Florida. But after what we went through last year with two back-to-back hurricanes, it’s more real than ever. We had people on our team who lost everything. I lost my car. It was parked here at the station while we were working. Looked outside, and we were surrounded by three feet of water. Cars were floating in the parking lot.”
The Tampa cluster and Mix 100.7 have a commitment to long-form emergency coverage.
“We serve as the unofficial hurricane team for the company. Ryan Gorman from our news/talk station WFLA anchors it, and we pull in contributors from across the cluster. Ashley Morrison, Laura Diaz, Big Rig from 98 Rock, and others. We’ve got a plan, roles, and responsibilities all laid out.”
And that extends to helping other markets.
“Last year, we did long-form coverage that aired in Orlando, Tallahassee, Fort Myers and even in markets like Myrtle Beach and Columbia, South Carolina. We activate our Tampa team, tap into their local resources, and provide live, wall-to-wall radio coverage. That’s a badge of honor for us.”
Connecting on Every Platform
The station’s digital and social media strategy is just as active and purpose-driven.
“Facebook still reaches the most people, but we’ve put a big effort on Instagram in the past few years. We do a lot of contesting, promotional stuff, and local content there. TikTok—we’re trying to find what makes sense for the brand, especially with morning show content. ‘The Debate at Eight’ has become a standout. People love it.”
Experiences That Matter
While cash remains a powerful prize in any contest, Chuck says experiences matter more than ever.
“I don’t know that anything is bigger than cash because of the flexibility it gives. But we frame our giveaways around experiences. A night out for a mom, spa day, theme park tickets, or telling your kids you’re going to Disney. It all matters. It’s about making people feel something.”
Community Comes First
Mix 100.7 has strong community partnerships.
“We’re doing back-to-school promotions now. One of them is called ‘New Gear for the New Year’ with our sponsor, California Closets. ‘Laura and Brody’ are paying for kids’ wardrobes on the morning show.”
The station is also involved in iHeart’s national “Thank a Teacher” initiative, giving away $5,000 classroom grants. The local “Golden Apple” program allows teachers to apply for assistance in stocking their classrooms. Complete with surprise visits from the Mix team.
The Power of Holiday Radio
Chuck says the station’s holiday programming is another area that has become core to the brand.
“We jumped into the Christmas music game in 2019 as a way to relaunch the station. We weren’t sure it would stick, but it blew away expectations. Now we’re the top Christmas station in town, in-demo. We do everything from giving away trees to letting kids call in and talk to Santa.”
Planting Seeds for the Next Generation
Chuck also values the small, simple ideas that connect with listeners. One of those is Mix 100.7’s partnership with Junior Achievement’s BizTown program.
“Every fifth grader in Hillsborough and Pinellas County goes through BizTown. We sponsor a storefront that’s a radio station. Kids get to be the DJ, the program director, and the salesperson. We brought in real equipment and built a basic studio.”
“My son got to be the DJ once. A competitor even sent me a photo. Her son was the DJ at Mix. It’s just a cool thing that plants a seed. And those kids go home and talk about the brand.”
“Radio Summer Camp” and Promotions That Work
The morning show just wrapped up a very creative take on a summer promotion.
“We created ‘Laura and Brody’s Radio Summer Camp.’ We picked five kids each week. They came into the studio and co-hosted the show. We gave them headphones and a gift bag. It was just simple fun. But it works. It’s experiences like that that make this station what it is.”
Staying Plugged In With Local News
The station remains committed to delivering local news throughout the day.
“We run local newscasts not just in the morning show, but at noon and five. It’s just 90 seconds, but it keeps people informed and keeps the station from being background music. People want to know what they missed at lunch or on their drive home. So we give it to them.”
Let the Fun Come Through
Chuck says the guiding principle for Mix 100.7 is simple.
“I’ve always believed that if you’re having fun, it comes through the speakers. It becomes contagious to the audience. This business is supposed to be fun.”
“I love my job. iHeart’s always given me the freedom to create and make great radio. Hopefully, something people hear on our stations helps them catch a little fun and go make it on their own.”
Listen to Mix 100.7 here.
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Jeff Lynn serves as Editor of Barrett Media’s Music Radio coverage. Prior to joining Barrett Media, Jeff spent time programming in Milwaukee, Omaha, Cleveland, Des Moines, and Madison for multiple radio groups, including iHeartMedia, Townsquare Media, NRG Media, and Entercom (now Audacy). He also worked as a Country Format Editor for All Access until the outlet shut down in August 2023.
To get in touch with Jeff by email, reach him at Jeff@BarrettMedia.com.
