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10 Questions with ... Rob Anthony
May 26, 2020
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1. What’s the story that brought you into a radio career, and how did you end up with your current job status at KDUV?
My grandparents were farmers that founded KDUV in 1991. My grandpa was even a night DJ when it started, he used to give five year-old me shoutouts and play my favorite Carmen & dcTalk songs in the evening. I grew up around it. In college, I got involved with video and media production; so about eight years ago, KDUV called me up and said they needed somebody to make video and web content part-time. Around the studios, I started picking up production, voicetracking, and eventually took on more and more responsibility until I became PD a few years ago.
2. Was radio always in your sights for a career? If not, what sort of career were you aspiring toward prior to radio?
I thought I would get into radio, but like mainstream talk radio. Before that, I wanted to just be a musician—playing worship or maybe a U2 cover band.
3. Who was most instrumental in grooming you into the broadcasting world? Who have been some of the most prominent voices speaking into you even now as a radio personality and programmer?
When I first started at Spirit 88.9, former PD and current nurse practitioner Joe Croft showed me everything he knows (except the medical stuff), I even got to do my first pledge drive with him. My first CMB Summit, I heard Rob Wagman talk about music and programming philosophy and knew I needed to stalk him down and get him to mentor me. To this day, I’m grateful for all the wisdom he’s imparted and time he’s invested in me. Then, at summits and other events, I met some really great programmers who I could just pick their brains, so shoutouts to them: Jeremy Sweat, Mike Couchman, Keith Stevens, John Lawhon, Jeff Scott, Todd Amlin, Dan Young, I could go on and on.
4. What is the music that’s made up the soundtrack to your life did CCM have any profound impact on your life growing up?
Grade School: Carmen, dcTalk, Audio Adrenaline, Newsboys and all the other CDs that were in the giveaway closets at KDUVfm. Middle/High School: MxPx, Project 86, Supertones, Dogwood – ALL the Tooth & Nail punk and ska bands. College: the Beatles, Hillsong United, U2, Coldplay, The Thrills, all the hipster indie stuff. Now: Frozen II and Moana Soundtracks. Thanks kids.
5. How have you developed—maybe even evolved—your on-air personality from your earliest years behind the mic to present day?
I used to come on-air and take the angle that I was just a young guy with very little value because of a lack of life experience, now I’ve come into my own of, “Maybe I don’t have it figured out about I think what I’m learning could be valuable to you as well.” Also, dumb parody songs and dad jokes.
6. What have you learned is the most challenging process of music programming? Conversely, how has that part of your gig been the most natural fit for you?
The most challenging is when there’s been a song that I love and think is amazing, but it never tests out of “new" and ends up dropping. It almost feels personal and there’s no rhyme or reason to the audience knowing what’s good. But I’ve been better at separating those feelings. Music Programming has become a natural fit because of the way I’ve approached balancing data/charts/trends with gut. I LOVE information and all that data stuff and plugging it in to help me approach what’s out there more strategically.
7. What have been some of the highlights you’ve experienced on-air over the course of your career? Any lowlights?
On-air highlights: Being real about stories of my life; opening up vulnerably, and seeing listeners respond relating to it and encouraging me in the process. I walked through the grieving process with listeners when, a few years ago a long-time best friend of mine was killed in a car accident, and I was in awe at the outpouring of love. Lowlights: When I failed to clarify about our phoner and my cohost thought for a good 10 minutes we were interviewing Matthew West, when it was really Matt Redman.
8. How has the COVID era impacted you most particularly both on-air and as a staff leader at the station?
On-air, it feels like it’s brought us closer with our listeners, because it’s a shared experience that has affected every single person on the air and listening at home. As a staff leader, I realize where we can amp up our promotional efforts when we’re not doing concerts and live events.
9. What have you learned about yourself most—both professionally and personally—throughout these past few months in light of the virus?
That I am a terrible work-from-home candidate. Way less productive. But how important it has been for me to invest more time with my kids during the day.
10. What do you most look forward to as we slowly roll into the second half of 2020?
Approaching all of the things we used to do that were considered “normal” with a newfound gratitude. Maybe an audience more eager than ever to engage in person?
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