MEET MARK

It’s been said that Mark Zito’s friend summed it up best. “I think people will find you funny. But I don’t think that anyone can truly like you until they’ve had the opportunity to hate you on their own terms first.”

Well, if that’s the case, a lot of people should LOVE Mark Zito.

His former college station hates him. His old high school doesn’t like him.  And although it’s not confirmed, he’s pretty sure that most of his one night stands weren’t big fans either.

But whether he’s serving the longest suspension in a station’s history (WJPZ, Syracuse University) or getting banned from being within 5 feet of a microphone (East Greenwich High School), one thing has remained constant:  His inability to shut-up…ever.   

“I’m not good at staying quiet.  In fact, I’m downright terrible at it.  I used to have to bring home behavior reports everyday in 2nd grade because I couldn’t shut up and I had poor self-control.  But that’s what makes radio fun for me.  I love to talk, and luckily, that’s a big part of the job description.”

A native of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, Zito has always had a love for radio (not to mention, a face for it) and it’s apparent, nightly, during The Mark Zito Show.  The show, which broadcasts live Monday through Thursday at 9PM East, is a multimedia journal of daily news, life events, and celebrity interviews.  The program is based out of The Orange Television and Radio Network in Syracuse, NY, but it can also be heard on numerous college radio stations around the country and seen on Shovio.

In addition to being the host and namesake of the country’s only live syndicated college talker, Zito made a great impression on the radio industry this past summer, working at SIRIUS/XM Satellite Radio. While there, Zito worked on The Covino and Rich Show (with Spot!) and as one of the youngest hosts in the history of the company, heading up his own talk show, aptly titled, "Mark Zito's College Radio on Satellite Radio." 

Now, as he finishes up is senior year at Syracuse University, he's back on college stations with his team and ready to grow the show even further.  Part of this plan includes bringing the fun to Shovio.

“It’s almost cliché in broadcasting at this point, but nothing is off-limits.  I’ll tell you about my hook-ups, my failures, and my successes.  I’m never going to try and be something I’m not.  Yeah, I may like to talk about sex, but I also love John Mayer and I see romantic comedies alone.  The [Mark Zito] you hear on the air is the same guy you’d meet in-person.” 

That’s not to say that Zito’s candid attitude doesn’t get him in trouble both professionally and personally; it’s just that, for him, the reward is usually worth the risk.  “It’s weird, but I’d rather say something into a microphone than say it to someone in person.  It’s masochistic, but it’s also a lot of fun.”

And, whether you hate him or love him, the 22 year-old is just glad he has your attention.  “I look at riling people up as a badge of honor.  Conflict is fun for me.  As a listener, do you like what I’m saying?  Well, then I want to hear from you.  Don’t like what I’m saying? I still want to hear from you!  I want everyone involved, especially if you’re a cute girl.”

Whatever his last year in college holds, Zito knows one thing for sure: he still doesn’t have self-control, and he still can’t keep his mouth shut.  He hopes that’ll give both fans and critics of his show plenty to talk about.  Smirking, Zito said, “People call me egotistical.  And I like to say, ‘I don’t think I am…but if I were egotistical, I’d definitely be the best at it.’”

To e-mail Mark, CLICK HERE.

  

(C) 2010 Content property of MarkZito.com or its original owner. Art by Caldwell Tanner. Coding by Wade Needham.