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10 Questions with ... Greg Dunkin
July 19, 2005
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NAME:Greg DunkinPOSITION:OMSTATION:KMXZ, KZPT, KGMG, KFFNMARKET:TucsonCOMPANY:Journal Broadcast GroupBORN:San DiegoRAISED:Kansas City Chiefs
1) Please outline your radio career so far:
KUDL AM & FM, WHB, KBEQ, KLSI/KANSAS CITY, WNSR/NEW YORK, WWMX/ BALTIMORE, KYSR/LOS ANGELES, WYXB, WNOU, and WENS/INDIANAPOLIS,
2) What was your first job in radio?
I edited national spots out of the King Biscuit Flower Hour at KUDL-AM. Early influences? Al Casey, Tom Land, Bob Dunphy, Jon Coleman, Alan Burns, Rick Cummings (he's my mother's lover now), Jack Taddeo, Chris Woodward-Duncan, Bob Kaake
3) What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?
We've gotten away from marketing our products to the public. This is largely due to the climate on Wall Street, the need to maintain and grow margins, and also partially due to the economy since 9/11 from which I don't believe we've ever fully recovered. With increasing competition from outside mediums and radio station recall levels dipping, we need to get back to marketing basic messages to our audiences. But this needs to be done in more cost effective ways. The days of blanketing a market with tons of TV are gone. But those who do market, perform better, which translates into increased ratings and revenue. Also, we need to do a better job of giving audiences compelling reasons to listen. I see a day in the not so distant future where big name, big show personalities will make a comeback. After all, we all can play the same records. It's what we do between them that will make the difference.
4) How have music file sharing services, affected the way you program to your audience and how do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?
We need to reinvent how we market, target, and interact with our audiences. Not so much because they have more options, they've always had those, but because consumers are truly more sophisticated and expect real, genuine and timely interaction. Our relationship has to be two-way and transparent.
5) What is the most rewarding promotion or activity your station has ever been involved with to benefit the community or a charity?
Years ago Bob Lind & I did a radio-thon for Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Little did we know it would spread to the national program it is today. Looking back, it's very rewarding that the concept has spread across the country and that so many kids and their families have benefited from such a worthy use of local radio.
6) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?
A.W. Pantoja. He did afternoons at Young Country in Dallas a few years ago. He's very inventive, and unforgettable. He has the ability to instantly grab a market and get noticed without having to resort to 'Sternish' content (not that that's all bad). He's a very remarkable talent.
7) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
Marketing or Psychiatry.
8) What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?
My daughter singing Frosty the Snowman while strapped in the car seat stuck, in a traffic jam, in 110 degree heat, in Tucson. She's always right on key!
9) How do you interact with your sales staff?
We're in a business whose goal it is to help clients grow their businesses. Programmers often mistakenly think we're only in the entertainment business. Don't get me wrong, I love the creative, fun programming side of what we do, and anyone who has worked with me knows that! And while you must have standards to attract and retain an audience, programmers need to be mindful of the big picture.
10) What do you think of the Jack format?
I think it's great for radio. Not so much because it's new, different or better, but because it's shaking things up, making everyone rethink old and tried ways of programming. However, three years from now, the model of these stations will be very different. The operative word is execution. Already, some are not being well programmed or marketed. I believe personality will end up playing a much bigger role on these stations if they are to thrive for years.
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