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10 Questions with ... Scott Hutton
January 23, 2012
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- 1993 -- Sales in Bakersfield, CA, American General Media
- 1999 -- Dir./Sales, American General Media/Albuquerque
- 2001-2005 -- Market Manager, American General Media/Albuquerque-Santa Fe
- 2005-2007 -- Regional Market Manager/Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Farmington, Durango, Cortez (17 stations for AGM)
- 2007-Present - Owner/GM Hutton Broadcasting LLC
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I didn't have another job.
2. After years of working for "corporate radio," what prompted you to start your own company in Santa Fe?
Well, my last job with American General Media wasn't exactly corporate radio, but calling the shots is much more fun than answering to someone who doesn't reside in your market. If you want to hire someone or buy something, you decide. Someone else doesn't get to make that decision for you.
3. Tell us about the stations in your group.
Our formats are Triple A, Rock, Top 40 hybrid, Progressive Talk, Country hybrid and EPSN. Between the six stations we offer our listeners and advertisers a nice balance of demographics and content. We program our stations uniquely to cater to the City Different (Santa Fe). Our market sees right through cookie-cutter formats. The market appreciates the direction of our stations and our revenues prove that point.
4. You have consolidated your online presence at one website. Tell us about that.
Last year we were fortunate enough to purchase Santafe.com. We decided to enter into the online-publishing business and produce articles, videos, blogs, podcasts and streaming of all of our stations to complete the content circle and offer Santa Fe and visitors to Santa Fe a complete guide to our market. So far it's working.
5. Are there some Internet-only stations/streams?
Yes, we launched two Internet-only stations: the old BLU 102.9 (chill) and High Altitude, which is a local music station.
6. How does the site cover other aspects of the Santa Fe community?
Not only is the site a content machine featuring articles, videos, blogs, podcasts and music, it has a complete online calendar, directory and much more. We are still working on the organization of the site, something that's not as easy as it seems when you have 13,000 pages.
7. What are some of your biggest challenges as an independent radio group?
Resources ... period. We don't have a staff outside of our market working on solutions for radio and media today. Sometimes I wish I did.
8. What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
Transition. Kill or be killed. If you are not becoming a full-service media group, call me in five years, we might be able to buy you.
9. I hear you are a Dave Matthews Band fan!
Oh, yeah!
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ...
... coffee!
Bonus Questions
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?
Ski, golf and being with my kids.
Last non-industry job:
Waiter.
First record ever purchased:
The Temptations
First concert:
Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five Pepsi Tour
Favorite band of all-time:
Dave Matthew Band
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