10 Questions with ... Kyle Bailey

NAME:Kyle Bailey TITLE:PD for KQEN, Production Director for Brooke Communications STATION:Newsradio 1240 KQEN MARKET:Roseburg, Oregon COMPANY:Brooke Communications BORN:40 something years ago, right here in Roseburg RAISED:moved around Oregon (dad worked for the state highway dept)

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

1. How did you get your start in radio? Why radio?

I was planning to be a lawyer and something went tragically wrong! While living in Medford, OR in junior high, I started listening to Jerry Allen on KYJC (he's now the voice of the Oregon Ducks) and Doc Jones on KBOY. I could tell how much fun radio was (except I didn't know the difference between lawyer pay and radio pay!) and started to get interested in it as a career. Moved to Hillsboro in High School and the HS had a media class and student radio station playing Van Halen into the cafeteria. Started hanging out at KUIK and calling in HS sports reports, then I got a weekend air shift at the end of my junior year in HS. Worked there the rest of HS and during my time in college also and beyond.

2. About what are you most passionate these days?

Espresso and good radio. Need one to do the other.

3. You're programming in a relatively small market after being in Portland - How are you able to maintain a local presence and local programming on a small market budget? What, if any, special considerations are there in doing talk and news in a market the size of Roseburg as opposed to, say, Portland?

Our company is owned locally and that makes a big difference. As the medium changes, we have made adjustments, and one is having KQEN increase the news staff and time for local news. We have a two hour morning news block, an hour at noon (with a local interview show), and 90 minutes in the late afternoon with local talk and news, plus news briefs in the evening. Combine that with Rush and Lars Larson's Oregon show and it's working well.

Having a news team that has lived here for a while means we know the issues and the newsmakers. We are also not afraid to work harder to get important stories and to work weird hours sometimes, if that is what's needed. As we have increased local news, more sponsors have come on board. Our News/Sports Director, Brian Prawitz, has won numerous awards from Associated Press in Portland for the quality of our coverage. I am very grateful our company has supported an expansion in local news coverage at a time many are cutting back.

4. What's your philosophy regarding syndication -- what do you look for in a syndicated program, and what do the shows you air bring to the table? How important is it to carry those programs on a live basis?

I think the key is the combination of quality local coverage/programming and the top national talkers. We have Rush, Lars Larson's Oregon show, Dave Ramsey, Jim Bohannon, Coast to Coast, and more. With the exception of Dave Ramsey and one hour of Lars, everything on the air weekdays is LIVE, so when you hear news and political talk, it's up to the minute. I cringe when I am out of town and hear a great national host say "coming up, we expect to hear who John McCain will pick for VP," 10 hours after he made the pick! If you care about news, you already know the story, and radio then sounds less important. I have scanned many websites and notice some N/T stations are almost all tape-delayed outside of the news blocks. In their quest to get the biggest "names" in talk, some are sacrificing the immediacy of the format, which is a mistake.

5. You've been serving as a jock and production director as well as talk PD -- which job is your favorite? What's your favorite part of the work day (other than the end)?

I do afternoon news, co-host a couple local shows, produce lots of spots, and more, so it's a busy day. My favorite aspect is planning and getting all the pieces together to keep KQEN growing. Next to that, I love when the News Director calls and we have "breaking news"... though sometimes the story may be a downer, it's great to see how fast radio can cover a breaking story. Give us a cell phone and we are rolling! Our willingness to cover breaking news on evenings and weekends also plays into our success.

I am shocked at how many N/T stations treat radio like a 9-5 job and are unwilling to serve their community in "off hours." With all the options available, radio needs to hustle a bit more to keep listeners tuned in. We recently had an area high school catch fire on a Saturday, and both the News Director and I dropped what we were doing in our personal lives, and provided live on scene coverage for a few hours until the situation was under control. To just wait 'til Monday to cover that story would have been ridiculous, yet I can think of several N/T stations in our region who would not have called staff in, had that happened in their town.

6. Who are your influences, mentors, and inspirations in the business?

Wow -- how long do I have?

Mike Carter, our GM/VP here, is a great inspiration; Matt Williams (now in CA), who I worked for in Portland; Tom Moore, also a co-worker in Portland, who always filled my brain with ideas for improvements in whatever I did; also, the many people I don't know personally but whose work I pay attention to in other markets, who still do radio with gusto.

7. Of what are you most proud?

My family (wife who is an incredible school teacher, two great kids), and the growth of KQEN in the last few years. Getting to live in a great community and know that what you do really does make a difference is priceless!

8. What do you do for fun?

I volunteer on several committees in the community, emcee numerous events, play sound guy for a church band, and am just getting back into bicycling. I think it's important for people in radio to be involved in their town, outside of the requirements of their "job."

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

...at least one Dutch Bros. Quad Mocha.

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

Best: At a time I was thinking of bailing out of radio, someone reminded me how unpopular lawyers are and said I made the right choice and should stick it out!

Worst: Years ago, I had a connection to someone on Larry King's staff and they had an opening to work with his then radio show, and somebody told me that inspite of my political science interest and radio background, I couldn't possibly be good enough to get a job with a national show, so I listened and didn't apply. Have always wondered "what if"!