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10 Questions with ... Chris Williams
January 3, 2006
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NAME:Chris WilliamsTITLE:PD/Afternoon DriveSTATION:WBZY, 1053 the BuzzMARKET:Atlanta (#10)COMPANY:Clear Channel RadioBORN:Athens, GARAISED:Athens, GA
LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:
I took a sabbatical from radio for 4 months in 1996 to work for the Olympics.
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I began at WRFC and WPUP in Athens in 1992. In 1998 I joined the programming staff at 99X until I was sacked last summer.
FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:
I can't remember the first one I ever purchased, but the first CD I ever shoplifted was Aerosmith "Permanent Vacation." The first CD I ever owned was a birthday gift and it was Whitesnake "Come And Get It".
FIRST CONCERT:
Michael W. Smith with a church group (no kidding)
FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:
Living Colour
1. How did you become interested in radio?
As silly as it sounds, I started doing the morning announcements in High School as a freshman. There was an AM station across the street from my school and my little taste of the medium gave me the nerve to go apply for a gig. I applied the summer of '97 and was told to come back the first of the month to see if anything opened up. I got the same message on the first of the month for 14 months straight before I was finally hired to board-op the syndicated ESPN feed Saturday and Sunday nights.
2. What led you to WBZY?
Well, professionally for me, there is no opportunity I covet more as a programmer than launching a new station. After being asked to leave at 99X last summer, I had been interviewing all over the country for my next programming opportunity. Providence stepped in and opened a door in my own backyard.
3. Why was the station re-launched?
At 96.7, WBZY was purely meant to be a flanker to 99X. It was a station in a closet, VTed, very niche, very young, and almost completely current based. The signal also only reached about 10% of the market. In order for this to be a full-fledged competitor in Atlanta the programming approach had to be reinvented and it had to move to a full market signal at 105.3. Other than the call letters, this station is nothing like the original incarnation.
4. How has The Buzz changed?
The biggest change is obviously moving to 105.3, a signal with full market coverage for the Buzz. The second largest change is in programming philosophy. 1053 the Buzz is a station that has shifted from flanker mentality to a mainstream market competitor. The station is very well balanced, focused and staffed (with more on the way). It has evolved from a VTed staff to a live and local airstaff and a dedicated promotions team. 1053 the Buzz is a priority for CC Atlanta and no longer an afterthought.
Musically the station went from being very pop punk-based to a very balanced rock station. There was an entire untapped rock universe -- Mudvayne, System Of A Down, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Korn, Staind, Trapt, P.O.D., Disturbed, Story Of The Year, and Nickelback -- that wasn't being exposed in Atlanta. The station went from being 95% current-based to about 50-50 gold to current/recurrent ratio. It's programmed to be a mass-appeal radio station.
5. What is your biggest challenge?
Well every position has to be filled from scratch, from Promotions Director to PT airstaff. Normally as a PD you are only filling one vacancy at a time while relying on the experience of your veterans to help pick up the slack of the rookies. Right now, it is critical to identify people for our staff who are going to be able to join a team of all rookies (this is the first time for all of us inventing creating this station) and help pick up each other's slack. Along those same lines, creating a station from scratch also involves creating new systems from nothing. The efficiency taken for granted at a mature radio property has to be invented for the Buzz.
6. What would surprise people most about the station?
As 967 the Buzz, this station had a 3 year life cycle as a flanker trying to shave teens and early 20's listeners from 99X. Because of that history, we see a carry over in perception of the make-up of the Buzz audience. The reality from the last book is that WBZY's new audience is only made up for 16% teens. I think another huge surprise would be the amazing gains and wins we've accomplished anecdotally and in the ratings in only 6 months in Atlanta. For example, in the latest trend 1053 the Buzz has already moved past 99X with A18-34 in afternoon drive and at night. The stations are now only half a share apart 12+ and only eight-tenths of a share apart overall 18-34. In every demo that we haven't caught up with 99X, we've closed the gap in only 6 months!
7. What do you like best about your job?
Man, I love the energy and enthusiasm every member of the Buzz team shows for the station. We see, hear and experience the passion from the audience for our new baby and we have become addicted to the rush of that momentum. In order to continue to feed that addiction, there is a steady flow of ideas and feedback on how we should continue our evolution of 1053 the Buzz. Inventing a station from nothing is such a gratifying thing for everyone on the team. There are no sacred cows; there is no voice on the team stuck in "the glory days" who wants to do things the way they've been done. Because of that, everyone is willing to take risks on coming up with and executing new and untested ideas. Selfishly, I also love being back on the air fulltime again doing afternoon drive. That was always the root of my passion for radio and to be able to do it everyday is suck a joy!
8. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _______?
being carried by Whip, Josh, Aly, Jake, Lacey, Double Down, Ryan, Pete, Gretchen, Hugh, Paul, Kim, Buzz, Mike, Aaron, Blake, Dave, Chris G., Taylor and the dozens of others in the building who make it alright for me to experiments on them and make mistakes trying to discover the best station we can build.
9. Besides your own, what is your favorite radio station and why?
Well, Sean Demery has and will always be a mentor and a role model. His worst ideas are better than my best ideas. The originality that comes from Live 105 motivates me to be a better PD and air talent. Locally, Dylan Sprague does a masterful job of executing the textbook CHR station. I learn more about how to execute by listening to Q100 for an hour than you would believe!
10. Biggest career highlight?
Serving as the PD at 99X for 3 years was a dream come true. Now, being given the opportunity to create a station in my own backyard that I hope will soon represent the format as well as 99X did for so many years is the greatest challenge and opportunity I could be granted.
Bonus Questions
What are your hobbies?
I am still very involved in the theatre. I just finished my first run with a professional company last month. Prior to that, I was just doing community theatre, but I've made the leap! I build koi ponds and raise koi. I just broke ground on a new one when I officially took the job with WBZY. I hope to complete it by April 1, 2006. During my unemployment, I took up softball and discovered that I may be the worst co-ed slow pitch softball player every. I also took up bowling and discovered that I missed my calling. After less than a year I'm already breaking into the low 200's on a regular basis. Next time I get sacked I'm goin' pro.
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