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10 Questions with ... Beau Richards
May 4, 2010
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
On-air talent/Programming in many major and secondary markets, including KHFI/Austin, KLUC/Las Vegas, KMEN/Los Angeles/Riverside, WAGO/Chicago, WWKX/Nashville, WBSB/Baltimore, B94/Pittsburgh, WLCY/Tampa and many more.
1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
They had me at "put on your headphones." The rest is still going on and it's fun.
2) How would you describe the radio landscape in your market?
Healthy. We have signals outside our cluster that hit most of the market and are decent competitors. The big focus in the market is our six-station cluster. Q93 is a legendary Top 40 station. We reach about a 100-mile radius with a 100,000-watt signal. Our sister stations include Classic Rock, Urban, Country, News/Talk and Sports.
3) What makes your station unique? How would you compare it to other stations you've worked at?
Q93 is unique in that we are owned by local owners who are right in the building. Sure, there are hurdles, but you actually know who to go to when you need an answer, and not up a corporate food chain. I've worked for the major companies ... Clear Channel, Cox, Cumulus, Citadel ... they all have their good points and their downsides. But LIVE and LOCAL is where I want to be. Many companies are leaning toward voicetracking. Actually, we own the former Clear Channel stations, and they are all LOCAL, meaning we are not voicetracked except for some non-essential weekend and overnight shifts, and LOCAL meaning we get out into the local community, talk to the listeners, and get involved with events in the area.
Tweaking a "legendary radio station" is fun, and yes, I've been in this soap opera before. This time it's unique, with young fresh talent, some of whom have never cracked a microphone before, giving them room to learn and grow, and getting the listeners involved with the radio station. There have been some good programmers through here in the past, most notably Ron Roberts, and it's a pleasure to pick up the ball and run with this great signal. My morning partner, Lauren, is a bright up-and-coming talent who adds a lot of common sense to the show ... without "drama." My afternoon guy "Fuzzy" is a bright up-and-comer who will one day be in a top-10 market on-air. Just ask Bruce St. James, Booker, Ben Kelly, and many others who have been under my wing and allowed to grow as air talents/programmers.
4) What is your favorite part of the job?
Being on the air, and doing events to help kids. With two children, I do a lot of family-friendly events. My morning partner Lauren is right on point with topics and content ... it keeps us moving.
5) What's the coolest promotion you've EVER been involved with?
Don't know how cool it was, but it certainly drew national/and local attention. Bringing in Kato Kaelin direct from the OJ trial and having 23,000 screaming people show up to meet him. I still can't go back to that mall in Terre Haute, ha ha.
6) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?
Drug and alcohol-free ...19 years of feeling fantastic! Every day. I take the kids to football, scouting events, cook, clean, bake ... yeah as a single Dad with my 12-year-old and 16-year-oldold, they keep me current with what's going on in their demos. My son and daughter have done dances with me since they were old enough to stand, so it's a family franchise.
7) Who would be a "dream guest" to have on your show?
I've had so many on through the years, I guess a current or former president -- Bill Clinton, George W.
8) What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
I used to listen to Jim Ryan of NY fame on WPEZ in Pittsburgh. Jim's a great guy. I worked with him many years later and learned a lot from him.
9) What music do you listen to when you're not working?
Contemporary and pop music, but since I program music videos for retail for Promo Only Inc., I keep up with all genres of music. Hats off to Jim Robinson, Pete Warner and especially Chuck Barrett who have allowed me the opportunity to be part of their great organization since 2005.
10) What advice you would give people new to the business?
Become multi-talented, so you don't totally rely on radio as the only income. Live remotes, good on-air presentation, Internet and promotions all are essential experience levels needed in today's landscape. Do freelance voice over work, emcee events, etc., and you will always have other areas of communication to fall back on. I even do ski reports for markets like NY, DC, Sacramento and Denver sixmonths a year for Mountain News Network to keep in other areas of communication.
Bonus Questions
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A lawyer or a broadcaster ... because I talked a lot!
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