Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)

This column was published August 9, 2025 in the Manhattan Mercury.

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How do you fill up your days and nights?

In what I laughingly refer to as “semi-retirement,” I have returned to my career origins by hosting a daily live radio talk show/podcast on KMAN.

What has changed in broadcasting since you left the industry in 1994?

Besides technology, it’s the way people consume the product. When I engaged some marketing pros and described a “live radio talk show,” I got back, “It may be a live radio talk show, but most people will access it as a recorded podcast.”

What do you wish you could do better?

Patience. My wife often reminds me it’s a virtue. I wish she didn’t have to.

What virtues do you possess?

I strive for justice and respect. I’ll cop to ambition too, though that has tempered a tad through the years. It’s that semi-retirement thing.

How do you solve problems?

I’m pretty big on structure and process. The first step is mapping a route. I actually once designed a system template called “The Process Process.”

What is your best talent currently hidden from the masses?

I do a spot-on JFK.

If you could wave a magic wand, how would you change today’s politics? 

I would give Congressional Republicans more courage.

What are your politics?

When I earned a living practicing them, I would describe myself as a Kassebaum Republican. I’ve been proudly unaffiliated since the turn of the century.

Who’s your favorite actor?

Until he fell from grace, it was Kevin Spacey. Perceptions count, Kevo. Other favs tend to represent my generation. I’ll watch any Jodie Foster or John Travolta vehicle.

Fav bumper sticker?

Eschew obfuscation.

You recently moved into a bigger house. Most people your age downsize. What gives?

Besides my wallet? A long-held desire to live on an actual Flint Hill.

What’s on the playlist in your house? 

We’re all over the musical map, though I feel compelled to point out that I married an ‘80s music head banger, who can often be found Armageddon It.  

Best thing about being a grandparent?

As much joy as I derive watching two little boys grow and learn, I glean an equal amount of satisfaction and admiration watching my son parent.

Of lost loved ones, whom do you miss most?

My maternal grandfather, whose attitude toward religion and spirituality stuck with me. “It’s the same God in every church,” he would tell me. “Everything else is just window dressing.”

Advice for Gen Z?

A lot, but let’s start with direct eye contact. 

What is it about Kansas?

Sometimes it takes a while, but we always seem to find the pragmatic balance. That, and the ‘all four seasons in one day’ schtick. They’re both legit.

How many of the 50 U.S. states have you visited?

All but three: Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Seems like I could knock all three out during a daytrip if I plan it right. (See also: The Process Process).

What book is on your nightstand?

And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham, who has moved to the top of my ‘favorite historian’ list. He crafts Lincoln’s life through a 21st century dissension and polarization prism.

What keeps you up at night?

Nothing. In fact, as the years move forward, bedtime goes the other way. 

What’s something you hope to accomplish in the next year? 

I intend to write another book, my third. I have an idea, a premise and a few pools of word vomit. Stay tuned, as we (used) to say in the biz.   

Mike Matson’s column appears every other weekend in The Mercury, and he hosts ‘Within Reason,’ weekdays at 9 a.m. on NewsRadio KMAN. Follow his writings at mikematson.com