10 Questions with ... Craig Cooper

NAME:Craig Cooper TITLE:PD STATION:KROG MARKET:Medford-Ashland (#210) COMPANY:Opus Broadcasting BORN:Waukon, Iowa RAISED:Waukon, Iowa

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I began in high school, working some hours at KQYB/Spring Grove, MN. Then, worked a couple of years at my hometown station, KNEI/Waukon. For a year, froze at KVOX/Fargo. Following that, mornings at KGGY/Dubuque, MD/APD at WTNV/Jackson, TN, a variety of roles in KSYR/Shreveport (MD, PD, mornings, etc), weekend/swing at WKDF/Nashville, Director/Programming for Styles Media/Dothan, AL, and finally, my present position of PD/afternoons at KROG.

LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:

Pizza Hut in Fargo

FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:

Nick Gilder - Hot Child In The City on a 45

FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:

AC/DC, George Strait, Green Day, Skynyrd, to name a few

1. How did you become interested in radio?

I was born with very little sight, so radio was much more interesting to me than TV. As a kid, I was always trying to pull in distant AM stations at night, imitating the jocks on the FM Top 40 stations, etc. I would play around with the antenna until I could pull in stations like WLOL in Minneapolis and listen to jocks like Bill Lee and Heinz & Bergland and say to myself, "I wanna do that."

2. What led you to KROG?

I had visited this part of the country on vacation and thought it was a unique area. I had grown up in the Midwest, lived in the South, but hadn't lived out West. So, when I was offered a position here, I took it.

3. Why was KROG successful in the Fall '06 Book?

We took the station harder, musically. Playing the more adult records just wasn't working. Fortunately, my idea for a new morning show (Cosmo & J. P.) worked, thanks to the guys working very hard. I try to keep the clutter to a minimum. We play hits and my staff is very dedicated.

4. What are you most proud of from the Fall '06 Book?

I'm proud that we increased the cume. The station had been losing cume for three years or so and we were able to reverse this negative trend.

5. What would an outsider find most surprising about the Medford market?

Probably that it doesn't rain that much here. Sure, it rains frequently from November through March or so, but, April through October is mostly dry. I think when outsiders think of Oregon, they think it rains all the time.

6. What makes your station unique?

For the most part, we are live from 6 AM to 7 PM. We have a local morning show. While KIFS and KZZE are solid stations with very good air talent, they both have syndicated morning shows, as do a few others in the market.

7. What's the story behind the station name?

The name was here before I arrived. The Rogue River is a prominent feature in this area. Consequently, the valley in which we live is known as the Rogue Valley.

8. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?

Working out before I come into work. I find it helps get me focused for the day.

9. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

I would say the ability to adapt and be open-minded is the one constant. I have programmed four formats, scheduled music for six, and pulled air-shifts on seven formats. Ownership changes, musical directions change, and I have found that by demonstrating a willingness to learn and adapt that I have stayed employed. Oh yeah, and working cheap helps too!

10. What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?

I probably would have been a meteorologist or a teacher. I find weather to be fascinating. I covered Hurricane Ivan, with my entire air staff, on WTVY a couple of years ago, while power was out and tornado warnings were being constantly issued. It was the most rewarding thing that I have ever done, on-air. There's nothing like getting those calls from listeners, thanking us for being there.

What are your hobbies?

I like to work out, read, watch football. Whitewater rafting rocks, too.