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10 Questions with ... Robb Francis
May 23, 2006
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NAME:Robb FrancisTITLE:APD/MD, KOLW; Host of "The Locker Room," KFLDMARKET:Tri-Cities, WACOMPANY:Clear ChannelBORN:Levittown, PARAISED:Levittown, PA
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Was bitten by the radio bug while still in single digits growing up on the great WFIL in Philadelphia. Spent a year on a college FM station at Shippensburg University and followed that with a stint on your typical W pa system at Bucks County Community College. Spent 7 years out of the business before finding out from a cousin who worked at WBCB-AM in Levittown that a new oldies station was starting up in New Jersey. With some persistence and the good fortune of meeting the PD at the time (the late great Doug Wilson), I got a foot back in door at WNJO-FM in New Jersey. Three years later the left coast was calling and I was lucky enough to land a job doing weekends at KORD-FM in Tri-Cities. I started to the Locker Room on KFLD-AM in December of 2000; I am currently programming the Superhits of the 60's and 70's on KOLW-FM as well.
1. How did you get your start in radio? Why radio?
My real start came pushing buttons for syndicated CD shows on the weekends with the occaisional weather check at WNJO-FM in New Jersey and I was lucky enough to work with tremendous veterans that wanted to see the new kid do well. Radio is one of the few mediums that still offers the opportunity to play theater of the mind. Pictures can so often do a disservice to the point you are trying to get across. When 100 listeners can draw 100 pictures or opinions of their own with the same words, that, to me, is what makes radio still vital and makes me never want a real job. I'm a music freak, and a sports freak, I get to talk about both everyday. Life is good.
2. What are you passionate about?
Eagles Football, Flyers Hockey, Tri-Cities Fever Football, my wife and family, my three labs, and my job. Not one day goes by where I take for granted the fact that I get to sit behind a microphone and talk. Every one of us in this business is blessed with the gift to entertain people. What bothers me the most are those that give our industry a bad name through payola/plugola accusations, and those that don't truly appreciate how great radio is and can still be.
3. You do both music radio and talk radio- what's special to you about doing the sports show? Are there things about doing that show that you don't get with the Oldies show?
I love doing both, without a shadow of a doubt. Both avenues offer plenty of interaction with our listeners. On the music end, our interaction is brief and is used as a element during a shift. The sports show is constant interaction. Our listeners deserve a huge amount of credit in making our sports show #1 in our time slot with our demo. You never know when something is going to be brought to the table that will take the conversation in a new direction or add a new level of depth to the topic on hand. "The Locker Room" is special also because we live in a transient community; people have come from everywhere in the country and settled here, bringing sports fans with allegiences to all teams imaginable. It's a local radio show with a lot of national flavor because of that element. We get to kick back, have fun, talk sports, and hopefully entertain our listeners. Giving away free stuff doesn't hurt either.
4. If you hadn't gone into radio, what would you be doing today?
Looking back fondly on my days as a KISS roadie.
5. You're known as "Philly Robb" on the sports show, and you're a loooong way from Philadelphia up in the Tri-Cities. What's it like to a long-distance sports fan? And do you find yourself pulling for the teams in the Northwest now, like the Mariners or Washington State or the Huskies or- gasp- the Seahawks?
It would have been harder, say, 10 or 15 years ago. Thanks to satellite TV, ESPN, web streaming, and the Internet as a whole, it's not too difficult to follow the Philly sports scene. The drawback is to not be able to go to The Linc, Citizen's Bank, or the Wachovia Center to see a game live. I did get to go to final game at the Vet when the Phillies played the Braves to say goodbye to the stadium that gave opponents nightmares. I do pull for some of the teams here in the Northwest. I actually became a Seahawks fan in 1983 when they drafted Curt Warner out of Penn State, so it wasn't too difficult to pull for them (except when they play the Eagles). I like the Mariners and tend to lean more towards WSU than UW since we are deep in Cougar country.
6. Who are your influences?
Outside of radio: my parents and sister, hands down. It's hard for them having one of their kids and brother 3,000 miles away, but they've supported me every step of the way. In fact, if it wasn't for my Dad, I probably would not have tried to get back into radio.
In radio: Tripp Rogers has been my biggest influence and closest friend; he helped me a lot starting up in New Jersey. My first PD, Doug Wilson, and his successor Scott Edwards was a big influence as well. Scott made me better on the air faster than anyone I've met. Everyday I'm influenced by my co-workers here in the Tri-Cities. After five years of being around talented people, it tends to rub off.
7. What about the Tri-Cities would surprise someone who's never been there? What's the best thing about life in the Tri-Cities? And what do you wish the area had that it doesn't?
How beautiful it is. We live in the desert, basically. We golf 9 months out of the year, have very little snow (which is a good thing), and have zero humidity. We have four seasons, but the summers and falls are a little longer. The community has recently been rated #1 in economy, safety, and growth among mid-size cities in the country. Great place to raise a family and no state income tax. The one thing this area needs more than anything else is Yuengling Beer. That's in my top 5 of things I miss from the Philly area.
8. What do you do for fun?
Work, for one thing. If work can't be fun for me, then I shouldn't be here. We have two local sports teams here, The Tri-Cities Fever in the NIFL, and The Tri-City Americans in the WHL, that keep the sports jones satisfied. I'm a video game geek, so I'll get into Madden, and whatever wrestling game happens to come out at the time.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.
...getting the latest on all of the hometown teams- thanks, Philadelphia Daily News!
10. What's the best advice you ever got? The worst?
Best: Two pieces actually - Respect is not given it's earned, and The easiest thing to lose and hardest to get back in radio is credibility.
Worst: Bet the house on the Arizona Cardinals!
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