10 Questions with ... Kain

NAME:Kain TITLE:Mornings/Creative Services STATION:KKNN MARKET:Grand Junction, CO COMPANY:Cumulus BORN:Aurora, CO RAISED:Colorado Springs, CO

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KKMG/Colorado Springs, CO -- 2000 to February 2003
WYUL/Malone, NY / Montreal, QC -- February 2003 to March 2004
KRPX/Corpus Christi, TX -- March 2004 to June 2005
KFRQ/McAllen, TX -- June 2005 to September 2006
KILO/Colorado Springs, CO -- October 2006 to July 2008
KKNN/Grand Junction, CO -- July 2008 to Present

1) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?

I literally just started making calls and started showing up my sophomore year of high school. Two weeks later they lost the weekend overnight guy. Then radio began to take over. I knew being informative, entertaining and sharing my thoughts with the community was what I wanted to do when I realized how powerful one station could be. It amazed me just how much a station and the talent could affect one person as well as their loyalty. I wanted to be a part of that relationship.

2) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?

Every station and market I have had the pleasure of being a part of has been unique. Something that I've never seen executed so well is when we get all of the stations in the cluster to work together to bring events to the community that are well received.

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

One thing stations should be doing more of is using the benefits of social networking and the viral nature of the Internet to draw and keep listeners coming back. As always, staying current, up to date and targeted is important as well.

4) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing? For better or worse?

It's really a matter of which labels that actually see the benefits of befriending the stations, as well as how their reps work with the stations on individual levels. 10th Street Entertainment/Eleven-Seven Music does this well.

5) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?

Right now it's important to keep up with technologies that could be used to benefit a station instead of seen as an enemy of terrestrial radio.

6) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?

I've always admired the styles of Phil Hendrie and Glenn Beck.

7) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?

Denver Talk powerhouse KHOW.

8) What's your take on current music? Is it as good as six months ago, better, or about the same?

It is surely getting better. For a long time there wasn't anything that personally struck me as worthwhile out there. It's nice to finally see these albums that have been promised and pushed back finally coming out. Along with the super-groups and bands getting back together, even though they may have to find suitable replacements for some members.

9) Please describe the best or worst promotion you've ever been part of?

Back in September we did the annual RockJam, which was my first huge station promotion after my arrival in July. I had never been a part of something so big. Two days of rocking and camping out with tens-of-thousands of listeners for a few days was awesome.

10) In today's world of multi-tasking and wearing many hats, how do you find time to show prep and what sources do you use?

I constantly show prep, whether it's something I find online or something I experience. The social networking phenomenon and the way the Internet has evolved have made it possible to gauge what opinions and reactions might come about before cracking the mic.

What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?

The Dropkick Murphys' show at the Fillmore in Denver. By far one of my favorite bands and venues. I can't remember the last band I saw selling merchandise at a reasonable price.

What was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you at a remote?

I was at a bar remote once where a loyal listener was trying so hard to find himself a lady for the evening he ended up spending the rest of the night wrapped in the arms of a "woman" -- who clearly was not a woman. All thanks to the lovemaking skills of the station's afternoon girl.

Favorite artist you have met?

The late great Dimebag Darrell.

What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you?

"They sound hotter on the phone than they are in person."

What's the best liner you've ever heard?

In Colorado Springs the new Classic Hits station in town was running imaging attacking the Operations Manager across town. That brought a smile to my face.