10 Questions with ... Shawn Kelly

NAME:Shawn Kelly TITLE:PD/MD STATION:KRWN MARKET:Farmington, NM/Durango, Colorado/Utah/Arizona COMPANY:AGM BORN:May, 16th RAISED:All the way until now! U.S.

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started in Dallas at KNON at the tender age of 16. Slammed all over the SW from Plano, TX to NM. Have done mornings, production. MD to OM

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

Public radio, KNON Dallas, doing a TX Metal show. My influnces were Scott Shannon, Bo Roberts and Dick Orkin

2) How have the recent FCC regulations impacted the way you program your music and the station's dialogue on the air?

We don't get dirty -- and that's surprising for a Rock station, isn't it? We let the music do the talking. Our jocks just have fun. We have kids who listen, too. What are your feelings about these recent changes? Good! Too many people think they have to be dirty to be funny. That's not always entertaining. We have to entertain and sell the music.

3) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing ... for better or worse?

Worse. Labels must to learn how to be patient and let radio build their artists up. Give a song a chance to hit top. The quick fix has got to go. Think old school. And don't send me a song and ask me to play it a month later. If you send it and it's good and I get great response, I'm adding it.

3) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?

You can never replace a live person, someone who people can talk to at anytime ... someone who is local and knows about their community..

4) What makes your station or market unique?

The Four Corner's market is a melting pot. There people here are of every nation, race and religion. We have a lot of listeners who are passionate and dedicated to their music. As a station, we give them something that others don't; we let them be involved in everything that goes on. And we keep it local.

5) What can we be doing with our station websites to better our stations as a whole?

Realize that there are many different demos that see the site. Don't post half-naked women just to attract men. Clean it up. Websites are for info and entertainment. Don't play into the stereotypical hype that in order to be a successful Rock station or Classic Rock station, you have to be dirty. Believe it or not, most of your listeners have kids and don't like it anyway. Help them with your site. Don't insult them.

7) Describe your weekly music meeting ... a) what is the process when you listen to new music? b) approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play, and chart position when determining the status of a record?

Again, I'm old school thinking -- gut, sound and listener approval. It's not who we play; it's what we play.

8) How do you position the station musically and why did you choose this direction?

"Rockin' The KRWN (crown) Nation." "Nobody rocks like we do 24-7."

9) Over the years, we've had the "British Invasion," disco, new wave," rap & hip-hop, boy bands and many other genres and sub-genres of music take off. What do you think is the next emerging music trend?

Bands always need to give positive images. Sure, people will rebel and such, but our youth needs guidance. It's up to us to take them in the right direction.

10) Who is your favorite artist you have met?

Garth Brooks ... he was simple.

What do you do in your spare time?

Spend it with my wife Aimee and our kids, Matthew, Ciara, Dylan and Jasmine.

Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ______?

My wife.

How do you stay in tune with your audience?

I ask them what they want on a daily basis. I listen and then do it.