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10 Questions with ... Madden
November 7, 2006
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NAME:MaddenTITLE:Middays/Night SlammerSTATION:KITSMARKET:San Francisco (#4)COMPANY:CBS RadioBORN:NYCRAISED:Atlanta
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
PD at WVBR/Ithaca, NY, weekends at 99X/Atlanta, PD/MD at WRXR/Augusta, and PD at WXZZ/Lexington. I worked for a dotcom in SF called RadioCentral for a year or so, and switched back to radio as the MD at Alice in San Francisco. After a while I added a two-hour night show on Live 105 and then shifted over to Live 105 fulltime a few years ago
LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:
Deputy Campaign Manager for The Campaign to Re-Elect Tim Ryles. He was the Insurance Commissioner in Georgia
FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:
"Vivid" by Living Colour. Hey, it's underrated, man!
FIRST CONCERT:
The Connells and Buffalo Tom in Raleigh, NC
FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:
Radiohead
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I wanted to be the next Bob Costas. I went to Cornell and we had a commercial station that was run by students (sorta like WBRU at Brown). I did a sports talk show for a while and one night they need an overnight jock. I did a show and loved it, clawed my way up to program director and have been in radio ever since.
2. Who are your mentors?
I've got to start with Sean Demery, who's been giving me advice, assistance, and admonishment since I was a pimply-faced college student. It's not too late to come back, man! No one likes getting up that early, and money's overrated. Props also to Aaron Axelsen, John Peake, Val Garris, Leslie Fram, Lee Reynolds, and Jim Mahaney.
3. What do you like best about working at Live 105?
The creative freedom. I don't know if there's another station that gives their airstaff the freedom to do what it takes to put on a good show. I'm able to play records I believe in, take stands on culture and politics, take shots at people who deserve it, and just be a real person. To have that not only tolerated, but supported by management is awesome. Working with the staff here is really great; there are so many talented people here, it makes you want to step your game up. And the station's in the coolest city in America, which, you know, doesn't hurt.
4. How has your show changed moving from nights to middays?
Well the audience is older and a little more passive, so the Disaster's a little more cume friendly. I'll cover a few more general interest items, sports, etc. since the Morning Show's warmed them up in that direction. I also spend a lot of time reminding people why they connected to the music in the first place. I want people to be able to relate to the music, and by extension the show, in a really personal way.
5. Tell us about the Madden Promise weeknights at 8p?
I started the Madden Promise when I was doing nights. I wanted to develop a cause for the show, something we could fold into our campaign, "Fighting To Keep Alternative Music Alive in The Bay Area". I decided that I wanted to make a point about how much great new music is out there if you're willing to look for it. So I came up with this challenge: I was going to find every single listener of the show one new band to love in 2006. I brought in a bunch of new things from home and would drop them in the mix, and try to explain why "this might be your new favorite band."
The Promise really became a rallying point for the show. I played Panic! At The Disco, Wolfmother, Gnarls Barkley, and Silversun Pickups long before they broke on the station or on the charts (wait, Silversun Pickups hasn't broke yet? What's up with that?). Anyway, people started calling and approaching me at shows, thanking me for finding them something they loved. People would even send in pictures of themselves holding their new favorite CD.
When I made the move to middays, it didn't seem like the Promise really fit, but we didn't want to let it go, so we came up with the idea of expanding the program into a night show for the rest of the year. I'll do 2-3 of my personal selections every hour, and then we surround it with the best of new music from the station. We make the show interactive through our text program. People text us feedback on that night's selections, and we read the most interesting comments on the air. I'll often make adjustments to the music based on the response. If something gets trashed the first few nights, it doesn't make it back.
6. How do you prepare for your show each day?
I love blogs. I think some of the sharpest and most innovative writing is happening on the net. I have a roster of blogs I check every morning, for music, entertainment, local issues, sports, and media. I'll roll through those and check out a few traditional media articles I find by extension. And of course, real-life is always show prep. I try to take interesting personal experiences and weave them into the program as well.
7. What is your goal each day on-air?
Just one? I want to do a show that's accessible but still provides special moments for core listeners to get passionate about. I want to be a friend and an expert. I want to give people a reason to come back
8. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?
The Internet in all its glorious forms
9. What would surprise people most about Live 105?
That's a tough one, because I don't spend a lot of time wondering what the industry thinks of us. I would say, that looking at our 12+ number doesn't really give an accurate picture of how well the station's done over the last couple of years. We've always been a player in demo, and now with the growth of our new morning show, one that actually meshes with the rest of the station. We're poised for even bigger things.
10. What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
TV or Politics. I swear to God, I'm not an attention whore!
Bonus Questions
What are your hobbies?
I'm working towards my black belt in kung fu. I like to balance that with a steady diet of sports and video games.
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