10 Questions with ... Jack Pelon

NAME:Jack Pelon TITLE:GM STATION:KPOF FORMATS:Christian Inspirational (75% music) LOCATION:Denver BORN:Denver RAISED:Denver

Brief Career Synopsis:

Born and raised in Denver, I earned a degree in Building Industry and Real Estate Management from the University of Denver then served in Vietnam with the US Air Force. I first started in radio in 1969 in Denver with an AM/FM combo KRKS and KLIR. I started as an announcer, became MD, got an FCC First Class license and became the Chief Engineer. KLIR became the No. 1 station in Denver. I then started a syndicated music format and consulting service for a 10-year period. KRKS invited me back to be GM, a position I held until the station was sold to Salem. Then I took the GM position at KWBI, a successful non-commercial listener supported station in Denver, where I served until EMF/K-LOVE purchased that station and translator network. In April 2002, I was asked to manage KPOF radio, a historic station started in 1928, where I still serve as GM.

1) What made you get into the music/radio business? Who were your early mentors? What was your first job in the business?

I have always had a fascination with radio, the theater of the mind. Word pictures painted by good radio scriptwriters could make my imagination go wild. When I returned from service in Vietnam, George Basil Anderson and his son Roger, owners of KRKS and KLIR, offered me a part-time announcer position Friday nights 6-midnight. I owe a lot to the Anderson family for giving me that first opportunity, but more importantly, showing me directly and by example good radio operation and excellent business ethics and integrity. They allowed me to learn all aspects of radio and challenged me into areas of radio I had not expected to be involved with.

2) What do you think is one of the most important topics facing radio and the music industry right now? Why?

Radio is being challenged by so many competing ways people can be entertained. Radio and every other medium is scrambling for people's attention. Radio has been known for, and is capable of, being up-to-the-minute relevant with information of interest to the local community. If we are nothing more than talking head jukeboxes, then people have many others options including the mp3 player hanging around their neck. Local and immediate service is unique to radio, so in my stack of priorities, service to the local community is right at the top in terms of continuing to be viable and ultimately surviving.

3) KPOF adopted HD radio early on. Why is that a priority to your station? What's the feedback been on it?

In April 2002, when I accepted the responsibility of managing KPOF, I knew I must bring this historic AM station to its highest and best use with quality personnel, a format that would serve the community and the highest possible technical excellence which soon included digital. AM radio has not been able to deliver audio at a level of quality people could hear in their own library of music at home since the introduction of the 33 1/3 vinyl long play record. That was over 50 years ago! Now radio, both AM and FM, has an opportunity to deliver audio with technical quality on par with what people expect of their other personal listening devices. For AM stations, this is huge! For FM stations it is equally important in the long run.

KPOF became Colorado's first HD radio station on February 27, 2004. Since then, we've been consistently promoting the benefit of HD radio with on-air announcements, having many demonstrations and open house events. We have given away a dozen HD radios in contests with more giveaways planned for the future. Everyone that hears HD radio is totally surprised by how good it sounds. Our travels have verified that our HD radio reception is very similar to our 5mv/m primary contour. One of the pleasant surprises was driving up Boulder Canyon to the northwest of Denver. Our AM HD radio signal remained strong long after all FM signals were totally destroyed by shading and multipath. Is the reception flawless? No, unfortunately the same occurrences that tear up AM analog reception can also interrupt HD radio reception: lightning flashes, corona leakage from high voltage transmission lines, fluorescent lighting inside buildings and other sources of AM noise can interrupt the decoding of digital information packets, causing the receiver to revert back to the analog signal (which by the way is not flawless either). In spite of some drawbacks, HD radio for us has been terrific. We as a station staff are extremely pleased and our listeners are very impressed with the improvement!

4) What makes KPOF unique?

KPOF is a pioneering station, having been broadcasting since March 9, 1928. The pioneering continues with the adoption of HD radio. In the current competitive climate, KPOF exemplifies local service to the community with live local announcers who get out of the studio and into the community as much as possible. That emphasis since 2002 has allowed the station to grow significantly in a very competitive market.

5) What do you do to inspire your staff for success in the field on a daily basis?

Weekly staff meetings that include reminders of our purpose as a team are extremely important. We support each other, not allowing anyone to hide in a pigeonhole. We stay focused on our purpose and are willing to fill in for each other to accomplish that task. It can best be summed up in a statement I made to the staff the first day I became manager, "We are not here to make this station successful. We are here to make the people we serve in this community successful in what they do. If we focus on that, the well being of the station will take care of itself."

6) What advice would you give to someone new to the business?

Have a passion for serving people. If you can't do that, please stay out of radio, because you will destroy what radio is all about. If you have a passion for serving people, you will have a wonderful and enjoyable career. Radio is both fun and rewarding.

7) What are the most important tools/resources you use to stay on top of the format's growth and daily changes?

Certainly trade organizations, trade publications and resources are very important, but in terms of an individual station service and success, nothing is as important as staying in close contact with your local target listener. Listen to what your listener is telling you both directly and through targeted research. Be keenly aware of voids in your market.

8) Who has had the biggest impact on your life, personally, professionally and spiritually?

I would have to say my father had a tremendously important positive influence in my life. He taught me the importance of integrity, of serving others and of having a strong foundation of spiritual faith. I will always appreciate and respect my father for his investment in my life.

9) If you could have any job outside the music industry, what would you do?

That's a tough question to answer because I don't have anything tugging me away from radio right now. I went to college with plans to be an architect because I was a bit artistic like my mother, but obviously ended up in radio where fortunately I've had the opportunity to design and build many studios, so that ability did not go unused. My wife Beth says I would have been a good plastic surgeon, but that won't happen. I enjoy skiing, fishing and photography, but I don't think I could earn a living there. So here I am, loving what I'm doing.

10) What do you love about Colorado? Why have you stayed all these years?

My mother carried me to Colorado, just four months before I was born! Colorado is a great place live and work. I'm still here because I've had the rare opportunity to manage three different radio stations all here in Denver. For that, I am very grateful.

1) What is your favorite quote?

There are so many good quotes by some very sharp people, but I suppose one that has a great deal of daily application in our very busy lives is, "If you don't have time to do it right the first time, when will you ever have time to do it over?"

2) What book have you read that has touched you or taught you the most?

I must honestly say that reading the Bible has had the most influence in my life. It has very practical life application advice; it is very encouraging, inspirational and gives hope for day-to-day living.

3) What CD is in your CD player right now?

Are you kidding? I have a very good digital HD radio station to listen to! I do like a lot of different styles of music from classical to bluegrass, but honestly I have enough passion for what I am doing to primarily listen to the station I am responsible for.