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10 Questions with ... Dale Christopher
June 12, 2006
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NAME:Dale ChristopherTITLE:APD (KKCM)STATIONS:KKCM, KRMG, KJSR, KWEN, KRAVMARKET:TulsaCOMPANY:Cox RadioBORN:Nashville, TNRAISED:Richmond, VA
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Out of high school, 1 year at Hoffman Communications' WGGM (southern gospel) and WDYL (Christian AC)...left radio for 2 1/2 years...overnights/AM board-op for Cox Radio-Richmond's WKLR (classic rock), swing shift for WMXB (AC), fill-in traffic reporter and internet production for entire Cox-Richmond cluster. Now I've been livin' on Tulsa time since April 3rd, 2006
1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
Doing weekend nights for mom-and-pop AM southern gospel station outside Richmond. Good golly was I horrible! After I left for a couple years and came back. Legendary rock PD Bill Weston (now with WMMR/Philly) hired me on faith without an air-check. I was able to learn from and work with some great programmers in Richmond - Bill Weston, Tim Baldwin, and Mike Murphy!
2) What does Christian Radio need to do in order to break through to a mass audience on a more consistent basis?
You've got to play the right music and make the overall sound of your station that which can rival anything mainstream. Spirit 102.3 has many great tools and resources at its side to make sure that happens.
3) Who has had the biggest impact on these facets of your life: Personal, Professional and Spiritual? Why?
Personal: My small group back home in Richmond and my family.
Professional: Rock PD Bill Weston taught me how important it is always to return phone calls. Tim Baldwin taught me how important it is to be consistent in everything you do. Eric Summer (now AM Drive at WPER outside Washington, DC) is one of the most infectious people I've ever worked for.
Spiritual: Two amazing Bible teachers I try to listen to on a weekly basis- Rob Bell and Erwin McManus.
4) What's your take on current music? Is it as good as say, six months ago? Better than it was? Same? Elaborate please!
All trends have a natural up and down bell curve and I think Christian music is the same way. Six months ago, we had great albums street from Casting Crowns and Third Day and I expect to hear more off those albums. I think we hit the bottom of the bell curve just recently and we're climbing back up with great new music from artists like Brian Littrell and MercyMe. I'm really looking forward to this fall.
5) If you could add any one full-time position to your budget, with no questions asked, what would it be?
Someone who could be out on the street all the time. They'd also be responsible for getting me Starbucks at a moment's notice.
6) If you could have any job outside the music business, what would it be?
I'd probably be working in the church somehow. In my adult life, everywhere I've ever attended church, I been on a team that designs and plans out worship gatherings. I love inspiring people to a potential they didn't know they had. I love seeing light bulbs go off when someone learns or sees the Gospel in a way they've never experienced.
7) If you could ask God about anything, what would it be?
I'd ask him about his grace and how he has it in Him to put up with us. I'd also want to know when dcTalk is going to get back together.
8) What is your favorite passage of Scripture?
"Consider it pure joy (choose joy), my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:2-4
9) Which character in the Bible do you most relate to? Why?
Silas...he "chose joy" in the roughest of circumstances and walls fell- literally. (Acts 16)
10) What is the most precious memory of your life so far?
Holding my nephew, Zachary, for the first time almost 10 years ago.
Bonus Questions
1) Do you read everything? Books, Magazines, etc. Nothing?
What is your favorite reading material? I get my news online. As far as books go, I'm usually in 3 or 4 at a time. Right now, it's Donald Miller's "To Own A Dragon," Brian McLaren's "The Secret Message of Jesus." I always have the latest issue of Relevant Magazine on the coffee table at home.
2 ) What's in your CD Player right now?
4Him's "Encore" - Aaron Shust's "Anything Worth Saying" - Mark Harris' "The Line Between The Two" - Fernando Ortega's self titled - MercyMe's "Coming Up To Breathe" - Wayne Kirkpatrick's "The Maple Room"
3) Do you have Musical Guilty Pleasures?
Christmas music during the summer - U2 - Dave Matthews Band - Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee from Idol - Phil Collins and Genesis (Can you say "Reunion Tour" already??!!)
4) If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you want with you and why?
My iPod (with an audio Bible loaded onto it - how's that for ingenuity?), electricity (to charge my iPod) and a good friend to talk to.
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