10 Questions with ... Alan Budwill

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I have been at Star in Seattle for almost 25 years. I've worked with Kent Phillips in Portland for another four years. Prior to hooking up with Kent in 1982, my background was in news and Beautiful Music. I worked for six years at KXL AM& FM in Portland. I started out doing part-time at a variety of other Portland radio stations. The irony of my career was playing elevator music in my teens, and then going into Top 40 and Hot AC when I was much older.

1) Who do you consider your radio mentors?

My older brother Mark Andrews, "Laid Back Lenny" (a.k.a. Jim Liniger), and Jon Barry. I worked with all of them in Portland. Mark was in radio and I used to hang out with him answering request lines. Jon Barry was the PD that put Kent and I together as a team.

2) How do you prep yourself for your radio shift?

Reading a lot! The web has made show prep immensely easier.

3) What is it about your station that you feel really makes it cut through?

Personalities that are plugged in to the community but don't get in the way of the product.

4) How often does your airstaff front and back-sell songs?

Not that often unless the song is unfamiliar or there is a relatable story to share about the artist.

5) Your thoughts on Syndication and Voice-Tracking?

We have some amazing voice-trackers here that sound live. As for syndication, I think local wins if you do it right.

6) Is Arbitron's Personal People Meter (PPM) currently available in your market, or in a neighboring market? Yes What are your thoughts on this new ratings technology?

Well, it's served us quite nicely. I'm not sure whether it's the best way to measure an audience or not. The diary certainly had its flaws. We saw that people tended to exaggerate their listening habits in the diary. I wonder if some day-parts are short changed in the PPM if people don't activate the device?

7) What long-term role do you see HD radio playing in the future?

So far around here HD radio appears to be a flop.

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

We pick great music and keep you plugged into Seattle...without getting in the way!

9) What's been your biggest disappointment in Radio today?

Local programming is disappearing.

10) What do you consider the key to your success?

Persistence! Sticking to a plan and working your butt off.

1) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?

I'm not a morning person.

2) What is your favorite TV commercial?

The Subaru commercial with the dad handing the car keys to his little girl.

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

I'm a Jazz buff and hack musician so I'd love to program a Jazz station.

4) What was the biggest gaffe you've made on air?

I swore one time when I was live on the air. I was hanging five stories up on a hook and ladder fire truck. The ladder shook and I forgot I was on the air.

5) What is the most rewarding promotion or activity your station has ever been involved with to benefit the community or a charity?

Each year we do "Bras Across Lake Washington" for breast cancer awareness. We get amazing stories from survivors. Then we get to fly our producer Leonard Barokas 200 feet above Lake Washington behind a parasail decorated with bras.