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10 Questions with ... Al Guevara
October 8, 2007
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NAME:Al GuevaraTITLE:PD/Morning Show HostSTATIONS:KQUR 94.9 The WorksMARKET:Laredo, TexasCOMPANY:BMP RadioBORN:July 20, 1968 - Laredo, TXRAISED:Laredo, TX
Please outline your radio career so far:
KRRG-FM / June 1989 - 1994
KBDR- FM / 1994 - 1999
KQUR-FM / May 2000 - Now1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
Part-time slot filler. You could call me and I'd hop on my bike in the pouring rain to get on the air. I think my earliest influences were Rick Dees and David Letterman.
2) What makes your station or market unique?
According to the 2006 census estimate, our city's population was just over 230,000. However, combined with Nuevo Laredo, just across the river in Mexico we serve a total population of 589,309. We are still ranked as market #205. I can almost sense other border cities (Yeah, I hear you, El Paso!) nodding their heads in agreement.
3) How do you position the station musically and why did you choose this direction?
KQUR-FM just became "94.9 The Works: Fully Loaded Radio." We are building a Hot AC powerhouse, with deep 80's and 90's categories, designed to fill the massive void in the market, as well as bring the fun back to local radio. The four other English FM's are: Hip Hop/R&B (Industry recognized sister station: KNEX) Country, Catholic Radio, and some obscure Disco/Oldies/Rock/Metal/Talk hybrid out of Nuevo Laredo.
4) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?
The biggest way we compete is by continuing our big community involvement. If there is an event, we are likely to be there. If not, I'll be the first one asking, "Why weren't we?"
5) How do you feel about the new royalty rate increases for Internet Radio?
Someone's got to feed the starving music industry execs.
6) Tell us what music we would find on your I-Pod right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?
Dragonforce's "Through the Fire and Flames." Holy crap! This could arguably be my all-time favorite air guitar song. Seeing a YouTube video of some eight year old shred this on an X-Box 360 "Guitar Hero II" just pisses me off more that all I had in my youth was an Atari 2600!
7) Please describe the best or worst promotion you've ever been part of?
This happened early in my career. For some insane reason, management decided to promote the hell out of my then-PD's upcoming birthday by inviting all her "fans" for food, music and fun at some favored client's restaurant. When the time came, only about half a dozen (if that many) listeners had nothing better to do than join us for free food and drinks. Needless to say, the rest of us jocks felt it was our duty to make a dent in the booze supply on our own.
8) What is the most rewarding promotion or activity your station has ever been involved with to benefit the community or a charity?
Without a doubt, that would have to be our yearly Radio-Thon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Last year, on our "10th Annual 'Thon," we needed over $100,000 to reach the $1,000,000 total raised in our ongoing campaign. The most we'd ever raised was some $112,000. In 2005, we barely managed $65,000.
I decided we should shoot for the stars: $150,000. Our radio-thons usually out fund-raise the local network affiliates MDA/Labor Day telethon, but this figure made some of my co-workers a bit nervous.
To create some buzz, I put my trademark ponytail on the line. This was my "thing" for the last dozen years, so we got a lot of mileage out of it. Things looked pretty good when we surpassed the previous year's total on the first day. After all was said and done, we hit over $162,000, reached our million-dollar goal, and I had a local cancer patient do the honors with the scissors as I happily said goodbye to the 80's.
9) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?
The ability to convince people I have VO pipes that they should pay me for.
10) What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?
Listen to what your gut tells you. Don't have the title without exercising your programming instincts. Radio consultants are fine, but they are not perfect. You have to believe in yourself, or no one will believe in you. (Holy crap...Ozzy was right!)
Bonus Questions
1) What do you do in your spare time?
Read, watch movies, listen to music, and enjoy the hell out of my wife and kids. We laugh a lot.
2) You're stuck on a deserted island and you get to pick one artist to be stuck with you. Who would it be and don't limit it to our format?
Hell, the Pussycat Dolls. (They don't have to sing, do they?)
3) What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you? The worst?
The worst piece of advice I got from a friend who was a jock at a competing station during my first part-time gig. He advised me (and he meant it) that, "As DJ's, we are 'above' our listeners. We should picture ourselves on pedestal, speaking down to them." Luckily, even then, I knew he was full of it.
4) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Have fun, be loyal, put up with the tough times, and help younger talent.
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