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10 Questions with ... Rob Dawes
March 27, 2012
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1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
Started at WXXX in South Burlington VT way back in 1987!
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?
Working in Top 40, I knew there were lots of females listening and that is every guy's dream when he is 18!
3) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?
Q103 is unique because of the morning show we have -- The Free Beer & Hot Wings show. There is no other show like it on the air in the Capital Region and no other station can claim to have them.
4) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing? For better or worse?
My relationship with labels has changed tremendously over the past five years. My time is limited during the day with all I have to get done daily and certainly don't have the 10 minutes to talk music to every rep that calls or e-mails me. We look at the music that fits the station and play it. Simple. I do have relationships with a handful of reps and they know how we operate. They understand and it works.
5) Please describe the best or worst promotion you've ever been part of?
The best promotion has to be the "Live inside to Win The Ride." This was before all the reality television. We put four people inside a car in a mall and made them live in the car. Whoever remained and didn't get out won it. It lasted 38 days and we broadcasting live every hour from the promotion. It grew and was huge!
6) What's your take on current music? Is it as good as six months ago, better, or about the same?
Coming from Top 40 to Rock certainly took a lot of getting used to. Music is very slow on the Rock side; songs don't move up or down the charts as fast as Top 40. In the past, the rock product was suffering, but just recently a lot of great solid music has come out:
7) How do you position the station musically and why did you choose this direction?
Q103 lives in the '90s. We are primarily '90s rock gold-based. Lots of Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Guns N Roses, Metallica ... of course we rock with some of the newer music as well. We only add the records we feel will be big and fit the sound of the station. So far the music formula is working. Combine that with our personalities and the Free Beer & Hot Wings show, you have success.
8) How do you interact with your sales staff?
We have weekly meetings. I am constantly working on creating successful platforms to help sales create revenue, increase sales and hit budget. In today's world, we have to work together for the common goal or we won't be successful.
9) If you could add any one full-time position to your budget with no questions asked, what would it be?
A full-time night person.
10) How often do you do remotes and which work best for the station?
We have a few weekly station appearances. One is Trivia and we do it with a different twist, called "SMARTER THAN A Q-TEASE." We have the Q103 Q-Tease street team, consisting of five to eight rock girls. Every week, we hold a trivia night where listeners play trivia against the girls to win prizes. It is an event, which started out as what can we do different to a staple weekly event, that has grown into a big revenue source as well. I mean, who wouldn't want to play trivia against hot smart girls?
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