Every radio host has certain words they hope are associated with their program. For Mark Kaye, he hopes “creative” is one you take away from his nationally syndicated show.
The Mark Kaye Show airs on several Cox Media Group news/talk stations and originates from 104.5 WOKV in Jacksonville. Kaye told Barrett News Media doing an entertaining and creative show is paramount to what he wants to bring listeners each and every day.
“When Rush Limbaugh was around, I loved The Rush Limbaugh Show. I loved listening to Neil Boortz. I loved listening to my good buddy Herman Cain. They were very entertaining, funny people,” said Kaye. “They brought personality — big, bold personalities — and a lot of (modern news/talk) is kind of this angry kvetching about Joe Biden, which — don’t get me wrong — we do. But we do it in a more playful manner.”
Kaye pointed to his background in Top 40 radio as the genesis for some of his content, especially games he plays with other members of his show and the audience. He added that finding a way to be creative and entertaining about topics dominating the news cycle continues to inspire him.
“It’s something that we just kind of are cognizannt of every single time something pops up in the news,” Kaye said, pointing to utilizing uncovered text messages from Hunter Biden as the opportunity to act out scenes for the audience. “You’re delivering the same information but you’re doing it in a way that people are going to enjoy. And I hope given the choice between us or somebody else who’s just reading the words, they’ll choose you.”
With taking a unique approach to the medium comes concerns that the audience could find the show unpredictable and unfamiliar. But Mark Kaye doesn’t share those concerns.
“I know a lot of people tell me I should be, but we’re very direct in what we say. I tell people flat out I am a talk show host and if you don’t like it, no one’s forced to listen. You’re doing this of your own free will. So we’re very, very, clear on what we do, who we are, and what we’re about. And the audience really seems to enjoy it. If they don’t, they go away, and we don’t have to hear them complain anymore. So I’m okay with that.”
One of the more creative ideas The Mark Kaye Show has done is unveiling its “2023 Naughtiest Person List” as Christmas approached. As one might guess, President Joe Biden was named the top recipient. Kaye told Barrett News Media not only does the topic provide content listeners want to hear, but it also serves as a research project of his listeners.
“It’s easier to connect with people if you have a common enemy. So by putting together a ‘naughty list’, we’re basically ranking our common enemy…So now I know Joe Biden is our number one common enemy, and fun fact, his wife is number two because she came in second on the list. (Homeland Security Secretary) Alejandro Mayorkas is third. I now know…in what order people dislike them. And I think that that not only entertains the audience and gives them an opportunity to be involved with the show and help create the content, but it also gives me real insight into what my audience is thinking about the people we’re reporting on.”
Kaye’s show saw expansion after the death of Rush Limbaugh, moving to markets like Tulsa and Dayton. However, he said the new markets didn’t change much about the presentation of his program.
“We’ve always been kind of on national or even international show, based on the proliferation of our streaming,” Kay admitted. “We stream everywhere and we stream our phone number and it’s an 800 number, and we were one of the few people that I think stream live and take phone calls from all over. So, you know, people think our show’s a lot bigger than it is. And we get calls from everywhere. And I think that’s something that adds to the, not just the content of the show, but the national kind of strategic look or feel or sound of the show.”
Mark Kaye noted that being based in Florida, at least in the past several years, has been an absolute benefit to the program due to the political world being focused on the state.
“Florida has become one of the biggest political hubs in the country. You have Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida; Donald Trump, who lives in Florida; Matt Gaetz, who ousted Kevin McCarthy, is in Florida…So Florida has become kind of — at least for conservative politics — Ground Zero. And Sean Hannity just moved here. The eyes of the nation, and really the world, are on this state. I think it makes it easier to be a national radio show out of a state like this one.”
With the state becoming the epicenter of the American political landscape, Kaye admitted there is some balancing that comes with discussing both Trump and DeSantis as the 2024 Presidential Election approaches.
“It’s a really weird being in Florida because most of the people in Florida love Ron DeSantis as Governor. I think most people would say the state’s ever had. However, most people don’t want him to be President of the United States, mainly because they’d like him to be Governor. We just voted for him last year. It wasn’t even six months later that he declared his candidacy,” said Kaye. “So there is that there is a weird dichotomy: Love him as governor, hate him as a candidate. It’s a bizarre place to be and it’s a fine line. we kind of go with the flow there. But I think there’s a general understanding of Florida that this is still Trump country on a national scale and DeSantis country on a local scale.”
