10 Questions with ... Rob Morris

1) Congratulations on KDWB's #1 PPM performance. What were some of the key factors that led to this lofty achievement?

It's a bit clichéd, but it was a team effort from the very top at CC corporate to the local level where there was great execution of the plan. Corporate gave us the tactical dollars to execute our marquee promotion in April/May called Star Party. Think Jingle Ball, but on a smaller scale. And, the only way in is to listen to 101.3 KDWB and win your way in -- a true old-fashioned forced listening contest that drove occasions of listening and spiked our Time Spent Listening and our cume. Our on-air talent and our promotion/online teams executed the plan to a T.

2) KDWB's numbers have consistently been substantially higher in the PPM measurement, compared to the diary. Is this simply due to the methodology, or have you made programming changes since the implementation of the PPM?

We certainly understood that the game changed with the transition from diary to PPM measurement. With that, we did make some adjustments along the way and continue to do so. PPM has helped stations that have always had large cume audience to do well, but you still have to execute the basics ... and it most certainly helps to have a well-established brand. Plus, you must give people a reason to listen, whether it's the music, a great entertaining morning show, relatable on-air talent or contesting and prizing.

3) Is it possible that KDWB was actually #1 many times over the years, but you didn't get the credit that you deserved in the diary methodology?

In the diary, KDWB always ranked near the very top in the cume audience rankers. I think because the diary allowed for "voting," TSL became over-inflated for some stations. This was not reality. You could see in some diaries where someone said they listened all day to a station with a line down the page. With PPM, even your P1 listeners are not listening at that kind of level. Certainly PPM allows for more "exposure," but those listeners at the P4/P5/P6 level are not listening (or being exposed) enough to a station to cause a major impact on a station's ratings. What PPM has done is neutralize the biased voting that was going on in the diary system. It's bringing a more accurate accounting of what people are really listening to and for how long and how often. I do think that the samples need to be much larger, and I know Arbitron is working to improve them.

4) KDWB has been around for a LONG time. What are the key factors in the station's longevity?

Yes, it has. KDWB goes back to 1959, when it debuted on AM at 630. It has always had its roots in playing the hits and having great personalities, whether on AM or FM. Brian Phillips, who starting in 1988, played a big part in the current edition of KDWB becoming the dominant Top 40 in the Twin Cities, as he set the table for us.

5) You've been with KDWB for a long time ... what are the key factors in YOUR longevity?

I have been fortunate to work with and for great people. I believe in the saying, "You Win With People." And it is true. I was lucky enough to be hired here almost 16 years ago by Marc Kalman and Mark Bolke. The late, great, Dan Kieley kept me around when he became PD in 1995 and then I assumed the PD role in 1997. Our staff over the years has always been strong, so I have been very lucky to work with great people who have contributed to our successes at 101.3 KDWB!

6) How has the Minneapolis-St. Paul radio landscape changed in recent years, and how have you positioned KDWB to remain dominant?

The Minneapolis-St. Paul radio landscape has seen its fair share of format changes, like every market -- and I am sure it will continue to see its share. Ultimately, while we are cognizant of what our primary competitors are up to, we have to focus on being the best we can be. If we focus on our listeners' wants and needs, everything will fall into place. I will say that having a well-established brand never hurts, but it does mean you have to be constantly on your game to make sure you are operating at a high level.

7) You have a very strong, heritage morning show. What are the key aspects to Dave Ryan's success?

Dave is the reason his show is so successful. He always has been an outstanding morning show talent, going all the way back to when he dominated at WNCI/Columbus. He is great at developing and producing great original content, which inevitably ends up on many other radio stations. Plus, he has always understood who he is speaking to and who he is trying to entertain. Over the years, he has had many terrific cast members on his show and he has always made them better.

8) Run down the rest of your air staff.

The remainder of Dave Ryan's morning show is made up of Executive Producer Steve "O" Latart, who makes it all run smooth everyday, and Lena Svenson, who is from around these parts and has become a star. Plus we have Crisco and Intern John, who generally cause mayhem on the streets (or at my house ... long story) and contribute behind the scenes each morning. Lucas is our APD/MD, plus he does 1-6p. Besides making sure our music is on point and delivering strong numbers in PM drive, he is always out making appearances throughout the Twin Cities. Our night talent is Steve Wazz, who joined almost four years ago from Des Moines. Wazz, too, is always out and about and also is our Promotions Coordinator. His weeknight numbers in PPM have been outstanding, just like they were in the diary days. Our swing talent, who is on during the overnights and has been our primary fill-in talent for almost any daypart, is Wayne "Big D" Danielson. Plus, Zannie K, who used to work for us back in the day, and has rejoined us for on-air work. Rounding out the air staff are Tommy Fox and Dan Riggs, who are primarily on weekends for us.

9) Any interesting website and online initiatives that you can share?

That they continue to be a strong focus and will be getting even stronger in the future. We hope to give our websites a facelift via CC-Digital very soon, and there will be even more ways for talent and our brand to create more content. iHeartradio continues to be a great platform for extending our reach and it'll be getting turbocharged in the near future. Social networking is providing us with another avenue to extend our brand and to communicate with our listeners. It truly is the best kind of way to help promote our brands, but more importantly to genuinely speak with our listeners about their wants and needs. It definitely has to go both ways in order to be successful. It's not just about us.

10) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

Besides the concept that "you win with people," which is something that both former and current Ohio State head football coaches, Woody Hayes and Jim Tressel, believe in too, I would say that every part of our team is important and every role has value - no job is too small and no person is irrelevant. I don't ever want to squash one's creativity (unless it will cost us the license). Plus, I have always believed that attention to detail will always make you successful.

Are the winters there really THAT cold?

Overrated. Yes, it gets cold here. Not much colder than from where I am from, which is Columbus, OH. And, no, we don't plug our engines into heaters in the overnight. Money magazine just named one of our suburbs, Eden Prairie, as the #1 best place to live. It said "Along with having great living conditions, the city also offers very aesthetic views with lush landscapes and 17 lakes in total. In the summer, the lakes are used for fishing and swimming, and then turn into wonderful ice skating locales during the winter months. There are also beautiful parks that offer venues for hikers, runners, and bikers." That pretty much sums up the Twin Cities and the surrounding area. Cold, schmold!