10 Questions with ... Rich Stevens

NAME:Rich Stevens POSITION:APD/MD Midday Personality STATION:KALC (ALICE 105.9) MARKET:Denver COMPANY:Entercom BORN:In "Da Bronx, NEW YAWK CITY" Baby! RAISED:NEW YORK CITY

Please outline your radio career so far:

I've been all over! I started in TALLAHASSEE at WTHZ (Z-103), and I eventually went on to work at WHTZ (Z-100) and WPLJ/NEW YORK. Then I went to WAVA/WASHINGTON DC and to WJHM (102 JAMZ)/ORLANDO, WFLZ, The POWER PIG in TAMPA, to KSLZ (Z-107.7) ST. LOUIS with stops along the way in WEST PALM BEACH, MIAMI, JACKSONVILLE, SARASOTA, SAGINAW, SAVANNAH and LITTLE ROCK.

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

I was APD/MD/nights in TALLAHASSEE, which only lasted a few months, before I got promoted to mornings. I've had many early influences including BJ HARRIS, JEFF KAPUGI, SCOTT SHANNON, JAY THOMAS, DAN INGRAM and of course JOEL DENVER!

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?

Ever since I was a kid, I was fascinated by radio, microphones and the power it had. I love making people smile, and I knew that radio would provide me with that opportunity. I was fortunate enough to get that opportunity and I have been so thankful ever since.

3) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?

I think the concept of satellite radio is good. However, the one thing I was always taught is to be local. You can never be local enough! I'm not sure how satellite is ever going to be as local as we need to be. If there's a terrible house fire here in Denver, and a family is displaced due to that tragedy, we can get on it right away helping them raise funds We can do a street party to get them the supplies they need and a place to live. We can do all that in a matter of hours because we are here in the market. I don't see satellite radio able to do anything close to that on a local level.

4) Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?

The industry always seems to revert to its roots every few years. As it redevelops itself, then we all realize that it was better off before! As for me, I'd love to be here at (ALICE 105.9)/DENVER, or have a bigger role within the ENTERCOM family. This is such a great company to work for!.

5) What can we be doing with our station web sites to better our stations as a whole?

One word - "Audio!" It amazes me how we are radio stations and are based on audio, yet so many radio sites don't have nearly enough audio content online! In my opinion (for whatever that's worth) a radio station website should be an extension of the actual on air product, not just a place that we can dump all those lovely sales promotions we don't ever want on air. Station web sites should have all the info that a P1 could ever want to know about their favorite station, and it should also be readily and easily available for them to find without jumping through lots of hoops, links, sign ups etc.

6) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?

That would be STEVE YOUNG, at WRMF/WEST PALM BEACH.

7) Please describe the best or worst promotion you've ever been part of?

The best had to be while I was working in ST. LOUIS. One of our competitors had the worlds largest "SEINFELD FINALLE" downtown. They showed the show on the side of a huge building. The screen was like 60 feet high by 100 feet wide. We knew there would be thousands of people at that promotion, and there was no way for us to top that. So we needed an idea. In the middle of the night it came to me! We rented a hotel room across the street from where they were doing the TV show. We took our logo and our globo, and waited for nightfall. Then we put it right on the bottom right hand corner of their screen! The next morning on the front page of the St Louis newspaper was the story of the thousands of people that watched the finale of Seinfeld on the side of a building downtown. There was a picture of the building taking up half of the front page. And of course, there was our logo as if it was our promotion!

8) What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?

First, get out and meet your P1s! You have to get to know where they hang out, where they eat out and play. Then go there! Second, always remember no idea is a bad idea! You would be amazed who can give you some great ideas in your own building. Talk to as many people as you can when brainstorming.

9) Are you still doing the very cool custom radio station screensavers? Didn't you have another innovative product too?

Yes I am still doing the screensavers. You can check out some demos on the website at www.thinkfulsolutions.com. The other product is the radioactive desktop which you can check out at www.radioactivedesktop.com. Also, if any station wants to give away and/or use any of my patriotic screensavers they are available free of charge at www.usa.thinkfulsolutions.com.

10) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?

WFLZ/TAMPA, FL. They are always ahead of the game and know when to jump on the next big thing before anyone else is even thinking about it.

What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

No matter what size market you're in, you'll still have the same problems!

Tell us what music we would find on your car or home CD player (or turntable) right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?

Actually, my new favorite toy is my I-Pod which already has over 1500 songs on it in the short time I've owned it. I've got everything from FRANK SINATRA, to EMINEM, to TONY BENNETT to GWEN STEFANI. It's a very weird collection, but I get to listen to whatever I want depending on my mood. Its great!

What are your three favorite industry web sites?

www.allaccess.com
www.allaccess.com
www.allaccess.com