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10 Questions with ... Charlie Steele
May 19, 2009
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NAME:Charlie SteeleTITLE:PDSTATION:WTFXMARKET:LouisvilleCOMPANY:Clear Channel
1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
WKX in Eminence KY it was a Top 40/AC on the edge of the Louisville metro. Johnny Randolph was the PD; I was 18 and it was probably the most fun I ever had. Grew up listening to Uncle Ron Clay on WQMF; the day he died was one of the saddest days in Louisville radio. Chris Randolph on DJX ... mann I wanted those pipes.
2) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?
As far as satellite goes, we're still free. When it comes to the Internet, the business is (overall) still playing a little catch-up. The good thing is, we're catching up fast. IheartRadio is one of the best things CC has done for stations, and from what I've seen we've got some excellent stuff coming up to get our product out beyond our terrestrial signal.
3) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?
Radio 104.5 In Philly. I listen online quite a bit, and the music mix is great. I actually heard Bob Marley into Rage; it reads like it would sound ugly, but it really worked.
4) What format does not exist that should? Would it work?
A Mainstream Alt-Country station. There's plenty of gold out there, and the new stuff that's coming out now would have been smashes back in the '70's ans early '80s.
5) Tell us what music we would find on your car or home CD player (or turntable) right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?
Cage The Elephant
6) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
You can't avoid change
7) Please describe the best or worst promotion you've ever been part of?
April Fool's 1999 (I think). We did a promotion where we had "Leonard Skinner" -- and the gym coach the real Lynyrd Skynyrd was named after appeared at a local club ... and admission was free. Knowing that when we said, "See Leonard Skinner for free" ... everyone would hear "Lynyrd Skynyrd for free." We promoted this over only two days, and on the day of the event people started lining up at the club at noon. By the time we let everyone know it was the coach and not the band, the club was at capacity with 1,500-2,000 Skynyrd fans. To make matters worse, it was on dollar longneck night. Once we broke the news, quite a few bottles made their way towards the stage and our heads. After that, a Skynyrd cover band started, and people started calming down a bit. We still wound up with a couple of Molotov Cocktails next to the van the next morning, but nothing too bad came from it.
While it pissed off quite a few listeners, I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
8) What's the closest you ever came to getting arrested for an on-air stunt? Or did you actually get arrested?
Dwight Witten and I were throwing out T-shirts to the crowd at Thunder Over Louisville (the annual kick-off to the derby celebration). We were surrounded by maybe 10,000 people and we were on top of the van, throwing shirts out. People were going nuts, as they always do for a free T-shirt, and started rocking the van. A police woman came up to us and said if we didn't stop, she as going to haul us away for starting a riot.
9) How do you stay in touch with the latest music trends?
I go to a lot of bars to hear what people will actually pay to hear on the jukebox. I've actually found some quality gold titles that way. Here's another one -- go to a bar, put 5 bucks in the machine, and fill it with the music you play. Watch and see if anyone taps their feet, table, beer bottles ... to the music.
10) What other stations and markets do you like to keep track of?
WRZX in Indy, KTBZ in Houston, KPNT in St. Louis
Bonus Questions
What is your favorite TV show?
Toss up between "Lost" and "Heroes."
How much music do you listen to each week?
Depends on the week ... anywhere from 5 songs to 15.
What will convince you to add a song that you feel isn't right for the station?
Local sales numbers; I've added songs because they sold well with no airplay.
What is the most popular giveaway item at your station?
T-shirts. Honestly, you could give someone a thousand dollars in cash, and they would ask you for a T-shirt, too.
Describe your favorite meal.
Buffalo Wild Wings, Spicy Garlic Wings, an order of wedges, about 10 beers and UK on tv ... go Cats!
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