10 Questions with ... Scott Steele

1) What led you to a career in radio and what was your first job?

I have always enjoyed the power of radio and the emotions it struck early on in life starting at 7.  I tried to sound like they did on an old boombox.  8 years later, I got the opportunity to take a summer class at a vocational school.  That got my foot in the door doing Oldie’s radio on weekends working Saturdays 6pm-Mid, then 6am to Noon on Sunday.  Who knew a radio stations lobby's couch could be so comfortable? I got my first opportunity after being recommended by my radio vocational instructor to Greg Allen, PD at KNLT-FM in Tri Cities Washington.  I got the chance to work in rock radio being hired by Curt Cartier at crosstown KXRX-FM.  

2) Who were your early influences and mentors?

Our vocational school instructor Marv Carstens. He taught me "If you want to be in radio, do not NO.  Be the yes guy even if you're asked to clean toilets.” So that has stuck with me going into my 28th year of radio.  Greg Allen let me mess up in overnight to get my radio legs toned.  Cartier for teaching me the technical side of what it takes to make a radio station hum along with beating me into rock radio shape.  Cartier's prior PD, Gary Allen eventually became my mentor here at Rock 94 And A Half after he brought me up two hours North into Spokane in 2009.  Gary Allen is a MAJOR reason for the person I am today professionally and personally.    

3) How long have you been at KHTQ (Rock 94 ½) and what makes this station so unique?

I'll be starting my lucky 13th year at Rock 94 And A Half this October, and since the first day I heard this station online back in the 90's, the balls that Rock 94 And A Half had by playing bands like Sevendust, Godsmack, and Five Finger Death Punch in the early stages of their careers...over all day parts.  Now, they are the musical core of this powerhouse.  The other core of this station, the faithful listeners.  

4) Congrats on your new promotion at KHTQ. You have the dual role as PD and Morning Show host…how do you balance your time so both roles are effective?

Going to bed after Jeopardy is definitely new for me, but I’m totally used to it now.  It takes a full focus of 5 hours for the Twice As Much Rock Morning show and the admin stuff around that, even when at home and on weekends.  God bless technology with the ability to dial in and do behind the scenes stuff.  Also having people like Roadhouse and Scott Rusk, along with GA's (Gary Allen) ear greatly helps.  

5) I know that longtime and former PD Gary Allen has stepped away and is now the station’s Brand Consultant. What is he helping you with in his new role?

Even away, he's still teaching me things every day.  He's one of those people that you frequently say to yourself, "DAMNIT, why didn't I think of it that way?" A lot of his help is the mastery of the psychology of listening patterns, psychographics ect.  The guy is a true master of programming!  

6) What is the rest of the station lineup after your Morning show?

We have our go-to guy Roadhouse back in mid days. He gives us a great snapshot of what the 18-34 demo is about now a days.  And just recently we brought in Scott Rusk, a solid Spokane radio pro to anchor afternoon drive and to add another solid set of ears to the sound of the station.  

7) Now let’s talk about the music. Rock 94 ½ plays a healthy amount of current rock. Approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, music streaming, and chart position when determining the status of a record?

I don't believe one is more important than another, as it all makes up the pie graph of the success of each song.  That's the joys of managing our library locally.  We get to test music frequently with our listeners using on air digitally with our database of listeners in real time.    

8) KHTQ also has a reputation as a “tastemaker” station…especially when it comes to playing new Rock music. How do you balance the new current rock and library music, so it doesn’t adversely affect the station’s Cume and TSL? 

The Cume and TSL gods giveth and taketh each month.  Of course we notice those, but a real barometer is the frequency and usage of our database program and in our real time online/app streaming numbers.  When it comes to new/gold tracks, we have a close bond with our listeners using our texting system so that is an amazing catalyst to see if a particular track is working or not.    

9) What's your take on current Active Rock music and the Rock format overall? 

I believe it's pretty healthy, but it's only gonna get better as 2022 progresses and restrictions lighten up along with artists releasing two years of material they can actually tour on.  If a radio station can't bond the artist to the listeners, then how can the listeners bond with the artists?  We want radio to be that connector, and look forward to having those face to face, hand shake to hand shake bond with the artists to our listeners.  Now that 6-foot bubble is quickly shrinking!

10) Finally, what do you enjoy doing for fun when you are “not” in radio work mode?

I've made the mistake of falling into home remodel projects prior to the pandemic.  It's rewarding, but oh boy, it's challenging.