10 Questions with ... Chris Eagan

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• WEZN (STAR 99.9)/Bridgeport - PD/Afternoons - 2008 to Present
• WPRO (92 Pro-FM)/Providence - I was a lowly weekender - 2007-2008
• WSNE (93.3 Coast FM)/Providence - APD/MD/afternoons - 2004-2007
• WBOS/Boston - Weekends - 2004-2005
• WODS/Boston - Weekends - 2001-2004
• WWBB (B101)/Providence - Weekends -1999-2001

1) What Got You Interested In Radio?

My aunt (Kristin Lessard) actually does mornings for Clear Channel in Providence. She's part of the "TC & Kristin" show on B101 (shameless plug). As a kid I got to watch her climb the ladder in radio. When I was in high school she used to let me come in and run the board for her etc. Watching her get into the business definitely got me curious about how it all worked. She's always been a huge help, a great sounding board etc.

2) Who do you consider your radio mentor(s)?

Kim Guthrie (Cox Media Group VP), Robin Faller (Cox Connecticut GM), Steve Hunter (Cox Media Group AC Format Coordinator), Rick Everett (was my PD in Providence for a short time) and Steve Peck (gave me my first full time radio job - what a mistake!)

3) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?

Bridgeport, CT is extremely unique. It covers Fairfield County which is extremely affluent (and no, I don't live there!) So promotions, ideas, contests and music that work in other markets in the country don't necessarily work here. It's also EXTREMELY fragmented. I have radio stations from Long Island, New York City, Hartford, Danbury CT and Stamford-Norwalk, CT right in my backyard. If you sit in the parking lot of the radio station in your car and scan the dial, you can hear NINE other AC stations - all sharing my music.

4) What is the biggest misconception about your station?

STAR 99.9 has gone through many incarnations of AC. At this point it is the "hottest" it has ever been. We spend a lot of time trying to differentiate ourselves from the competition musically, content -wise, and promotionally to get the message out that this station is not the sleepy AC that people sometimes think it is!

5) What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?

I'd like to see some of these companies that gobbled up hundreds of stations in the late 90's and early 2000's spin some of them back off to local owners. It will be nice to see a few stations in a market owned by an individual person like way back when. It will lead to more competitive programming and get things back to the way they once were (sigh).

6) What do you like best about working in this format?

AC is actually in a great spot right now because there is a ton of product to play. It's one of those formats that ebbs and flows in regards to where the music comes from. But right now there have been a huge influx of artists who fit into the AC mold. (Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, Michael Buble, Black Eyed Peas, Daughtry etc.)

7) What research tools do you use to program your station?

We use it all! At Cox we are actually very fortunate to have all the tools we need. We do yearly music tests, perceptual research, internet callout etc. It's nice to work for a company that actually values research and doesn't see it as the first thing that can be slashed from a budget to save a few dollars.

8) How do you stay in tune with your audience?

The best way is to actually get out of the radio station and meet people at appearances and station events, actually come out from behind the table and talk to listeners (yes, even the weird ones). They're just people. It's interesting to actually get their take on the things they notice about the station and the things they don't notice. I'm always intrigued by that.

9) Your thoughts on Syndication and Voice-Tracking?

I think syndication definitely has its place. But the talent or the show have to be great. Back in the day, you were syndicated if you really had the skills and had an awesome show. Now you're syndicated so a company doesn't have to hire a local morning show in 20 other markets. That's the wrong reason to syndicate.

10) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?

I think it's important for radio to see that two or three people can't run a radio station alone. You still need to maintain some level of adequate staffing. It's true that the days of the 7-midnight jock who makes $65,000 a year to just do an airshift seem to be over. But that being said, your people still need "back up". If you burn them out, they'll be looking for a way out. You don't want to constantly be turning over your staff every 2-3 years because you ran them into the ground. Figure out ways to have everyone work smart and do multiple jobs, but spread the tasks evenly.

1) What's the best sweeper you've ever heard?

Back in the late 90s WHJY in Providence used to run an ID that said "Providence radio sucks... we just suck less! 94 HJY." I still laugh out loud to this day when I think of it. It's cool when a station has a sense of humor and can poke fun at themselves or the market.

2) Besides your own, what format would you like to program and why?

I would love to program Country. I absolutely love that format! It's fun, exciting and high passion! It's great to watch the Country award shows and listen to artist after artist accept awards and actually thank RADIO as part of the reason for their success! They get the fact that "big bad commercial radio" isn't the enemy in the music world.

3) Why would someone listen to your station instead of listening to music on their iPod?

Here's why radio is great... Yeah sure, your iPod has all the songs you want. But it can't make you laugh on the way to work. It can't entertain and inform you like live local radio can. It can't tell you about a hurricane that's coming or tell you what's going on in your market. It plays about 300 songs that you actually like (just like radio) and that's it! But your iPod can't make you smile.

4) What advice would you give people new to the business?

If they ask you to do something... say "yes". Or they'll never ask you again. If you're the brand new weekender right out of school, you might have to work Thanksgiving or Christmas or an overnight. People who say "no" in this industry often find themselves out of the industry altogether.

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

Learn it all. The people who can do the most get the jobs (and keep them). If you can schedule music, image, update the websites etc. you'll be an asset and more likely to survive budget cut after budget cut.