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10 Questions with ... Ken Auge
January 19, 2021
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
In 1987 I walked into KDWD in Burlington, IA on a Sunday afternoon and asked if I could make a tape. The guy had me read some news copy and hired me on the spot to work Sundays. It turns out he wasn’t blown away as much as he was the GM who was covering the shift and just wanted it off of his plate. A couple months later KBKB in nearby Fort Madison hired me to work full-time overnights. From there it was WIXX in Green Bay for about a year until I got the chance to do mornings and music at WTBX in Hibbing, MN. I then went to WOZZ in Appleton to do mornings and was the station’s PD for part of that time. After a brief stint at WQLH in Green Bay, I went to work for Saga at WYXY in Springfield, IL in 1997. Two years later they brought me to Star in Des Moines for mornings. I’ve been here since and added the PD job in April of 2019.
1. How would you describe your first radio gig?
It was that part-time job where I was hired to work Sunday afternoons. I ended up working pretty much every day because it seemed as if most of the employees never wanted to work. I couldn’t understand why someone was always asking me to cover their show because I wanted to be on all of the time. I guess it worked out for all of us.
2. What led you to a career in radio?
It interested me for as long as I can remember, but I always thought I wanted to be a lawyer. A year and a half of partying in college led me to a reality that I needed to get it together and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I was driving around on a Sunday afternoon when I drove past a radio station and I decided to get out and take a chance.
3. In addition to programming Star, you also sit in the lead chair on the morning show. How do you balance your day with all of those responsibilities?
It is certainly a big responsibility. I forced myself to get much better at organization and to make time for things other than the to-do list. You have to make time for the big picture. Honestly though, isn’t pretty much everyone living with more responsibilities? I can’t think of anyone that isn’t doing more than one thing.
4. Who would you love to plug in across from you folks as a “dream guest” on the morning show?
I’ll go with Paul McCartney. I think he’d be fun, tell great stories and sing a little bit. I think he’s also at an age where he wouldn’t hold back. I think it would be really interesting.
5. You have long-tenured station/market vets in both middays (Karess Carter) and afternoons (Jimmy Wright). What do they bring to the table as performers and advocates for the station?
They’re great at connecting with our listeners. They know the community and they understand what the Star brand is all about. Add in my morning co-hosts, Colleen Kelly and Kurt Van Auken. We’ve been doing this show together since 2000. Our Promotions Director, Jenny Bessman, has been here for years and is great at her job. There are many others. I feel like I have one of the last radio stations in America with this much talent, smarts and experience. It makes my job much easier and I highly recommend it!
6. What have you learned about programming during the pandemic that you’ll carry with you moving forward?
That you just never know for sure what might happen. I’ve been in radio a long time but never experienced a situation where we threw the whole plan for the year out in March and April. Not to mention we had no idea what to expect in the weeks and months ahead. Being able to adjust and go with the flow is a reality for everyone in this world and obviously we are no exception.
7. “Local local local” has always been radio’s mantra. How do you keep your station visible and involved in the community, especially in these crazy times?
There obviously hasn’t been a lot going on so the airwaves and socials have carried most of the weight. We talked to stores that had toilet paper and restaurants that were open for take-out. We had different local teachers on to give a fun at-home activity to do with the kids. We talked to local charities and asked how our local listeners could get help if they need it or provide help where it was needed. We kept our contests local. We do secret sound every summer and always use local sounds so that was a nice piece of normalcy I think we could give our audience. On the other hand, we had a big promotion planned for the State Fair and when it was cancelled we came up with a different idea using the State Fairgrounds that we could do on the web and socials. It really is about looking for opportunities wherever you can find them.
8. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
People want to listen to other people. Someone they like, respect or find interesting and they believe they know.
9. What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid? Jock(s)?
Like many people growing up in the Midwest it was the great Chicago stations like WLS, B96 and The Loop. I was a fan of Steve and Garry, Jonathon Brandmeier, John Records Landecker, Eddie and JoBo and so many others. I also listened to Spike O’Dell and KIIK 104 in the Quad Cities. In my hometown I listened to Mitch Matthews on KBKB. That guy understood theatre of the mind and being local. People loved him and deservedly so.
10. Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?
Scott Allen was my predecessor at Star. He’s a really smart guy and was great to work for and I learned too much to possibly mention. Ryan Patrick programmed our sister station (KAZR) and really helped me when I became the PD at Star. Steve Goldstein brought me to Des Moines and always had his eye on the future of our business. I feel lucky to have learned from him. Steve Reynolds taught me a great deal about morning radio and I still learn from him. Wayne Coy started helping me when we were both in southeast Iowa and worked for competing stations. I had been in the business two years and had never heard the term aircheck until he offered to listen to mine and offer help. He also hired me at WIXX. I know the Oscar music is running me off but I want to mention Jeff McCarthy, Bill Klaproth, Joe Crain, Randy Lane, Jim Schaefer and Steve Louizos. Also, Dave Luczak in Milwaukee and Mojo in Detroit have been very kind to share their knowledge with me. I know it’s a lot but I’ve learned a lot from these people and many others I didn’t mention. I’ve been very fortunate.
Bonus Questions
When things are back to “normal,” which 3 artists (budget and access are of no concern) would Star 102.5 line up for a listener appreciation concert?
Well, the listeners need a concert to remember so Harry Styles, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. I think that’s a show Star listeners would be really excited about. I can hear the screaming already.
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