10 Questions with ... Chris Austin

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started at 94.3 KILO in 1996 doing weekend overnights. I moved over to Clear Channel in Colorado Springs in 2001 where I did a little bit of everything from on air to websites, promotions and was the assistant production director for 99.9 KVUU, 96.9 KCCY, 96.1 The Beat/ Mother, and KKLI 106.3. Across town to Cumulus in 2012 to do middays on 92.9 Peak FM, and then back to the building I started at in 2014 to do mornings and imaging on 103.9 KRXP.

1. How did you first become interested in radio?

When I was 8 or 9 years old our neighbor was the night jock on 94.3 KILO. She was nice enough to give my mom and I a tour of the station and I was hooked! I wanted to work there for sure! Then as I got older listening to KILO jocks like Allan White, Red Noize, and Big Phil Lawless sealed the deal. I was fortunate enough to start my career at the station I grew up listening to thanks to Rock N Roll Peg Pollard who convinced then-PD Rich Hawk to hire me.

2. Congrats on your recent promotion to MD. What's been your biggest challenge?

I haven't been on the job very long, so right now my biggest challenge is trying not to schedule two Imagine Dragons songs in the same hour! Besides that, the daily grind of crafting a music log has been an adjustment. Coming from a production background, where I was working on different projects every day at my own pace, putting aside the time to get tomorrow's log ready every day has been different.

3. How do you sort through all the new music for KRXP and explain how your music meeting is structured?

Our PD Ross Ford and I are talking just about every day about new stuff coming down the pipe. Every Monday we meet and work out what we'll put into our weekly new music test. Since March I've been sending out the test via email to our building staff including air staff from our sister station KILO, sales, and the business staff. It has been a really effective tool for picking new music. Before our music meetings were held in a cramped production studio with like five people listening to songs. Having the meeting virtually has allowed everyone to listen at their own pace. It's increased the response we get and given everyone a sense of ownership on the station.

4. What is a typical workday like for you now that you moved from morning to middays?

Well I get to sleep in and come to work at a humane hour which is awesome! I try to get in a couple of hours before my show and check the headlines and the building charts for the day. I love doing some cross talk with Coba, our morning show host (and my former co-host) before my air shift. Then the air shift from 10am to 2pm and logs after that. My hat is off to anyone that can get up at 3am and come in and be sharp on the air. I did it for three years and never got used to it.

5. How would you describe your on-air style?

After 20 years I'm still trying to cut the fat! Especially doing a midday shift, I like to get out of the way and let the music do the work.

6. What is your favorite part of your job?

I'm a huge sports fan, so it's got to be being part of a team. I like the feeling of everybody pulling in the same direction for a common goal and celebrating all the successes we achieve together. Working for a station that I believe in so much like RXP makes all of that so much sweeter.

7. What's it like working at Bahakel Communications?

It's awesome! After working many years in corporate radio I couldn't think of a better company to work for. It's smaller so you don't have all of the big corporate bureaucracy and all of the employees are aware of what's going on in the company. It's more of what radio used to be. We are responsible for our station programming, promotions, everything. I love that, and working in the same building that I started out in is really cool. Shortly after I came back I found an old phone list with my phone number from 1998 on it. Weird!

8. You're a Colorado Springs native. What do you like best about living in The Springs?

First off, it really is one of the most beautiful cities in America! Pretty much anywhere you go you can get a view that will take your breath away. We get tons of sunshine and there are too many outdoor activities available to count. Also the close proximity to Red Rocks Amphitheater is awesome!

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ___________.

Music.

10. What would surprise people most about you?

That before getting into radio I was a chef and wanted to have my own restaurant.

What are your hobbies?

Going to shows and watching sports. I have been a huge sports fan forever. I got the chance to meet Joe Montana when I was little and I've been a huge Forty Niner fanatic ever since! I love the Boston Celtics in the NBA, and The Kansas Jayhawks in college. ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!

What are weekends like for you?

I've got 3 young kids so my weekend is filled kid stuff!

First record ever purchased?

Weird Al Yankovic in 3D 1984!

First concert?

Monsters Of Rock Mile High Stadium July 30th, 1988

Favorite band of all-time?

Bob Marley and the Wailers