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Dan Tooker - "Dan Tooker in the Morning" - The BEACH
November 15, 2007
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Thursday, November 15, 2007
SET THE SCENE: What are the 'it factors' in your show... and what can listeners expect when they turn it on?
Dan: Local, Local, Local. I think our show is the most local show that I have heard. We also put the listener first. They are the stars not us.
OPTIONS: If not morning radio, what else?
Dan: A Sports agent or Professional Cyclist.
THE SHOW:"Dan Tooker in the Morning"THE STATION:The BEACHTHE CAST:Dan TookerResume Time
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY: Give us brief rundown on your career:
Dan: I started at WIBC Indianapolis, KLYV Dubuque, KFRX Lincoln, KHKI Des Moines, KJYO/KTOK Oklahoma City, KMLE Phoenix and then KFDI Wichita. All Mornings except WIBC where I did sports. We will be announcing our next stop in a couple of weeks.
What's It All About?
SITTING ON THE BEACH: What have you been doing in your time off? And what are your thoughts about radio as a listener... for the moment?
Dan: You mean other then surfing porn and staying up late? Seriously, I have taken time off before but this has been the most productive. I'm not a guy who listens to a lot of radio. I'm a big Jim Rome fan but that's about it. This time I have listened to a lot of morning shows some I was interviewing to replace and some I was going to compete against. This is what I have found. We have all gotten LAZY. Example: I can't tell you how many crappy entertainment reports, country minutes, hip hop news segments, etc I've sat through. Most shows do that stuff because they have nothing else or it's a bench mark and then they put it on the website. Why do we still do these segments? Because it's easy. If you are going to do these segments you better be on the stories like perezhilton.com because if your not your a day late. Listeners are smart and the internet has changed how we should do shows. Your better off to play a song then give them info they have already heard/read. We have to give our listeners something that they can't get online. We have also gotten way to self centered. I'm not saying don't talk about your life and open up to listeners but make sure it has a listener benefit. I was listening to one show and they where playing a game with a listener. During the game the show started talking and joking around. Three times the listener tried to jump in and add something and all three times all four members of the show where so busy talking about themselves that they didn't acknowledge the caller. The caller then hung up and the show didn't even realize it till they where done chatting and they asked a question to the caller. That show was in a top 10 market. In another market I heard a midday guy telling me what was in his "Lunch Box". This guy should be happy he isn't voice tracked and he is telling me what is in his freakin lunch box. With very little development for younger talent we all need to hit the F5 button on radio. I'll get off my soap box now.
Most Memorable
OL' FAITHFUL: What's the one feature, bit, or element you've felt the most confident about during your career?
Dan: Caller number 10 LOL!! Anything else no matter how great you think it is can suck on any given day.
OOPS: What's the one bit or stunt you wish you had never executed?
Dan: Seriously??? To many to count.
NOSTALIGIA: Name your most memorable radio moment. (Good or bad!)
Dan: Good but off air. Winning the CMA after leaving the station. No other show has done that. Bad, was my experience in Phoenix. It just was a really tough year for a lot of people but it was a crucial learning experience and it has made me a better talent.
Celebs-N-Stuff
NAME DROPPER: Who was your most memorable CELEB interview? (Good or bad!)
Dan: I have been really fortunate to interview some big celebs but my most memorable was Larry King. He is the only person in 14 years of radio that I was nervous to interview. I was like what am going to ask this guy that's not going to suck or sound stupid. He was such a pro. His wife was with him and she has the hots for Neil Diamond so we played with that. Whenever I think the show is bullet proof or we think we are really good I think about that interview. Larry King is the real deal. A true broadcaster not a DJ.
Quick Word Association
Country Music
Dan: In a great grove right now. I'm a fan!!
Sales People
Dan: Necessary evil. LOL
Songs in AM Drive
Dan: Play as many that make your show number one.
HD Radio
Dan: Over rated just like XM and gang
Lance Armstrong
Dan: Great guy, casual friend and he is pretty good on a bike
X-tra Pointers
INSIDE INFO: Tell us one thing about yourself that most people don't know. Be honest.
Dan: My desire to win is borderline unhealthy. If we are not winning I am miserable and when we are winning I'm just as miserable because we aren't winning by more. I've seen a shrink about it but I never could stay focused because she was kind of hot in a shrink way.
YOUR TWO CENTS: If there was one piece of advice you could give, what would it be?
Dan: Funny story. I went on a road trip with a good friend of mine who is a PD. About half way through the trip I realized something weird. It was the way we talked about radio. We where talking about cluster revenue and how much we made for the station etc. For two hours it was cash, money, budgets and ten years ago we would have been talking about the listener. Some how in the last 10 years we have forgotten about the listener. I think you have to be more well rounded then years ago. As a show host you need to know what your show bills, work well with sales and clients all while keeping your listener first and foremost. Today you have to be a business man or woman as well as talent.
BONUS QUESTION: You just won a CMA Award... did you get a gift basket of some sort? If so, what was in it?
Dan: LOL Yes, we got a bag of something but honestly I haven't opened it yet. But who doesn't love the guy at the convention that is wearing the free SWAG around that he just got two hours ago. You always know what's in a SWAG bag before you open it when you check into the hotel and get on the elevator because there is always some dude already wearing it.
BitXChange THANKS Dan Tooker!
You can EMAIL Dan HERE: dtooker2000@yahoo.com. -
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