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10 Questions with ... Stiller
July 21, 2009
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NAME:StillerTITLE:PD/middaysSTATION:WBYR 98.9 The BearMARKET:Ft. Wayne, INCOMPANY:Federated MediaBORN:Lima, OHRAISED:Lima, OH
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
KLEC/Little Rock- 1998--2004
KDJE/Little Rock- 2004-2005
WBYR/Ft. Wayne- 2005-Present1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
I luckily got on part-time at KLEC and was fortunate to have had people who were great teachers -- tough at times, but each and every year that goes by I appreciate the time and effort they put in to make sure I knew how to do things the right way. Corey Dietz, Jay Hamilton, 14k, Larry LeBlanc, Treetop Tyler, Kenny Wall and the guy who got me interested in radio, Scantman down at WLLD/Tampa.
2) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?
On the station side of things, it's the heritage. The people who have occupied the PD chair before me were/are absurdly talented and set the bar very high -- both promotionally and with the on-air talent they surrounded the station with. In turn, the listeners know nothing but great ... and expect nothing else. Comparatively speaking to the other stations I've worked at. it's a whole other animal. I've been lucky to experience both sides of the radio station game -- a guerilla start-up and a 20-year-old monster. Both experiences have been educating. On one hand, it's great to have a big promotional budget. On the other hand, it was a lot of fun playing street-war and going after the big dogs in town.
3) How have the recent FCC regulations impacted the way you program your music and the station's dialogue on the air? What are your feelings about these recent changes?
I only had a few years in before that cold day at the Super Bowl (ahem, "The Big Game") so "this" way is really all I know. It's dancing with the First Amendment. It's a complex situation with no "magic" answer to the problem. It should be regulated on a case-by-case basis and allow room for honest mistakes. I know they can fine me more than I ever want to be fined.
4) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?
Honestly, I am a bit surprised that satellite hasn't made a bigger impact by now. That being said, I'm not counting them out, either. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
In my opinion, this isn't the time I want myself or my staff worrying about it. It's been a very tough year for everyone and we need to simply focus on the task at hand. Everything else will work itself out.
5) What can we be doing with our station websites to better our stations as a whole?
Do the best you can to make the site an extension of your brand. Know why your listeners are at your site in the first place and give them what they want, while keeping the content up to date. If we don't do that, Google is just a click away....
6) What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?
Korn at Pierre's here in town. The venue holds about 1,800 and it was one of the best sets I have ever heard Korn play.
7) 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?
At home and work, it's the station I'm listening to. Over the past weekend in the car: Tupac, Biggie, Red, Motley Crue greatest hits and Long Beach Dub All-Stars.
8) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year?
All That Remains, "Two Weeks"
Drowning Pool, "37 Stitches"
Papa Roach, "Hollywood Whore"9) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
To make radio better with fewer resources than what most had just five years ago.
10) What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?
Listen, learn, and be nice to everyone ... Also, be comfortable questioning everything. There's more need for that now than ever before. There's a lot of room for radio to grow and you're the ones who, in my opinion, will have some of the best ideas for the future of this medium. Of course, if you're bringing up a problem, make sure you have a solution.
Bonus Questions
What is your favorite TV show?
24, Entourage, and South Park. Thanks to the DVR I don't have to make difficult choices about what to watch.
What do you do in your spare time?
Lately, I've been golfing a lot. It really is amazing how bad I am at that game, but it's fun.
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