10 Questions with ... Rod Arquette

NAME:Rod Arquette TITLE:Program Director STATION:KIRO-KTTH MARKET:Seattle-Tacoma COMPANY:Bonneville International Corp. BORN:6/18/53 RAISED:Potsdam, NY

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

After attending school in Texas, began my career as morning jock and news guy for KADQ-FM in Rexburg, Idaho. After my work covering the Teton Dam Flood in 1976, offered a job and moved into news at KBOI-AM in Boise. Spent 2 years in Idaho before moving to Salt Lake City in 1979 where I went to work for an all news station KWMS as a news anchor and eventually News Director. Moved to KUTV Ch 2 as a producer, reporter and fill-in TV anchor. Moved back to radio in 1988 as News Director of KSL Radio. Promoted to Program Director and then V.P. of News and Operations. Moved to Seattle in the spring of 2007 to become PD of KIRO/KTTH.

1. Bonneville has, to the surprise of those who remember the company's past reputation for traditional, staid programming, developed into one of the nation's most innovative companies in the talk and news formats. As one of the people most deeply involved in that process, how did that come about?

It came about because of our CEO Bruce Reese's strong desire to be creative and innovative. As we started moving more our news and talk products to the FM dial, Bruce asked all of us to begin developing news/talk programming that could appeal to a younger audience. That's what prompted development of "The Nightside Project" in Salt Lake City and efforts throughout the company to find talent that appeals to a younger demo.

2. You started in radio news, moved into TV news, headed back to radio news, then climbed the management ladder, so you've seen the way radio's changed over the last 30 or more years. What are the biggest changes in radio, and radio news, that you've seen in that time?

As the audience has changed, we've needed to change. Our presentation is getting less structured and more relevant to what the audience wants. The use of sound in all our presentations is more important today than ever before because the new generation of listeners can visualize stories very easily with the use of sound. I think we've also become better story tellers. The truth and facts are critical, but they must be told in a way that keeps people listening.

3. You've made several changes at KIRO that seem to be aimed at getting and retaining a younger audience, and you were instrumental in the development of KSL's young-adult-targeted "Nightside Project," but KSL has an FM signal. Can an AM station get a younger audience in 2008?

That's the $64,000 question. If we don't try , we'll never know. We've all heard the expression..location, location, location... but people will find great talent if you find it, develop it and promote it.

4. You're programming two talk stations in Seattle, both are serious competitors in the market... how do you keep themcompetitive without cannibalizing each other? How are the two stations positioned to maximize their performance?

KIRO is focused more on breaking news, emergency traffic and local talk. I believe it's the heart and soul of Seattle. We have a great news heritage and powerful local talk talent in Dave Ross, Dori Monson, Ron and Don, and the introduction of Luke Burbank. KTTH gives us a chance to serve conservatives in the Northwest, and they do live here, with strong nationally syndicated hosts, although Glenn Beck is from here and Michael Medved lives here along with a very good local host in David Boze.

5. You spent a long time in Salt Lake before coming to Seattle -- now that you've been in Seattle for about a year, what has surprised you the most about radio and listeners in the market? What's unique about Seattle?

What a great city. The people in Seattle are extremely passionate about their community and the issues that affect their daily lives. People here get involved in everything and it feeds right into our news and talk programming. They expect a lot from the radio stations in this market and we can never disappoint them.

6. Crystal Ball Time: What differences do you predict we'll see for radio ten years from now -- will AM still be viable, will HD ever take hold, will streaming and podcasting finally become a fully monetized business, will talk radio be reaching younger audiences?

Yes to everything. We will be challenged by existing technologies and some we haven't even thought about yet. We need to be focused, disciplined and nimble in executing whatever we need to do. The radio business needs to live with a sense of urgency every day.

7. Of what are you most proud?

Outside the business, my family. Cindy and I have been married for 30 years and have three wonderful sons and an entertaining old English bulldog named Lucy. Within the industry, just having the opportunity to come to work every day in such an exciting business. I've been proud of the opportunity to work for a great company that cares about its people and the various communities in which it operates.

8. Who are your radio influences?

On the radio side, a man by the name of Pete Gardner. I worked for and with Pete for a short time in Salt Lake and he really gave me some tremendous opportunities and showed me the better way to do things. Pete is just one of several people who along this path we call radio have given me the chance to both succeed and fail.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without __________.

...listening to my radio stations and downing a Diet Coke with Lime.

10. What's the best advice you ever got? The worst?

The best advice came from my father: smile and the world smiles with you. The road has been smooth so far; I can't recall any bad advice..