10 Questions with ... Darren Stephens

NAME:Darren Stephens POSITION:PD/afternoons STATION:WKHT Hot 104.5 MARKET:Knoxville, TN COMPANY:Journal Broadcast Group BORN:Wiesbaden, Germany (Military Kid) RAISED:New Orleans, LA

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KLRZ/New Orleans, WHMD/Hammond, KUMX/New Orleans, KNOU/New Orleans, WYIL/Knoxville, OM of Opus Broadcasting/Tallahassee, WKHT/Knoxville

1. What initially got you interested in Radio and what was your first paid gig in Radio?

My brother. He worked at WPFM and Island 106 in Panama City. He's nine years older than I am so when I was 11, I thought he was coolest person ever! He was in radio so I wanted to be in radio. I could kill that S.O.B now. No, he didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer, he was in RADIO! I followed him right down the crapper. But, I love my job!

2. What keeps you in Radio?

I find it amazing that Radio skills are pretty much useless in any other profession on this planet. Think about it, when most people I know lose their jobs, they either end up selling cars (USED of course, for some reason, we Radio peeps don't have the ability to sell NEW cars) or they are dj'ing weddings and birthday parties. So, I decided to go to school to become a licensed Real Estate Appraiser in Louisiana. That's what we call in a "back-up" plan. So now with the economy booming, nobody can meet credit standards to buy a home and therefore not much need to appraise a home. Just perfect. To answer your question, my complete inability to do anything else. And I love my job!

3. This is Round 2 for you in Knoxville having previously been PD the Citadel Top 40/Rhythmic WYIL, that has since flipped. What made the return to Knoxville so attractive?

From my first stop, I knew that the Rhythmic format and Knoxville we're a winning combination. This is a beautiful city with Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge about 45 minutes away. I missed the area after I left. Plus, when I was interviewing for the job, the station had been consistently in the 4 and 5 shares 12+. WYIL had a 6 share with a crappy signal before WKHT had signed on, so I knew the potential for the station to grow was through the roof. They proved that fact before I was even in place, landing an 8 share! That was without a PD in place and speaks highly to the talents of OM Rich Bailey and consultant Mark St. John.

4. What did you see as your biggest challenge when you accepted the job as PD at WKHT?

Walking in right after the best book in station history and trying to make sure we continue the forward momentum. We have a done a good job but I expect much better. I have a young, hungry staff, that really wants to win. We have and will continue, with much force, to kick butt.

5. What secret about Darren Stephens will surprise even those that know you well?

Hmmm, I'm not sure what to say that will not get me in trouble.

6. You are a New Orleans native. Many of us get to visit and enjoy the great food. Where do the locals go for a great meal?

Oh,oh,oh.... GREAT question! I think I'll stay way from the obvious answers like Brennen's, Commander's Palace, Emeril's, etc. If you go to New Orleans you have to try Drago's in Fat City. Be sure to order the fried ravioli with crawfish (ohhh! holy lord)

7. Who do you consider to be your mentor(s)?

I have often been thrown into sink or swim situations without much guidance. However, I did have the chance to work with and learn much from Jeff Johnson at Alan Burns. I now work with Mark St. John from Zapoleon. I can't even start to explain how talented this guy is. He's not only brilliant but we have a great working relationship. It's very rare to say this about a consultant, but I totally trust him. My boy Vinny V. at WACT in Tuscaloosa has always been a great therapist who listens to me bitch and points me in the right direction. Finally, I have never met the man but have always looked up to Cat at KLUC in Las Vegas. I would work with him for free just to learn how he programs. He always wins. Think about all the competition that has came at him in that market, but nobody can beat him. He's like the Yoda of the Mainstream Rhythm format.

8. Without naming names...who's is the strangest person you've ever worked with and why?

I think the people and personalities we work with are what make Radio so fun. When I first went to Tallahassee, I was just the PD of the Top 40/Mainstream station. Triad Broadcasting owned the Group but was soon bought out by Opus. Opus made a number of changes when they bought the cluster. They decided to fire the PD of another station in the cluster. So the GM brought him into the office and told him the news.

The PD decided to take his time packing up his stuff in the office. I shared the office with him so it was a little strange. He was packing up his desk, one paper at a time and one pencil at a time and surfing the Internet between each paper and pencil he put in the box. I left that night around 9 or 10pm and he still had not packed about 90% of his stuff. I told him goodbye and how great it had been working with him, etc. I get to the office the next morning and guess who sitting at his desk still surfing the net. Yes...a little strange. I went on working that day and then did my afternoon airshift. When I walked from the studio back to my office, he was still there. This is day 2 of him being fired and he's still not packed up. In fact, I believe the second day he didn't pack anything. Just surfed the web all day.

Day 3, he's still there. Our GM walked into the office and asked to speak with him in private. I assumed the PD was going to be told he was given ample time (understatement) to pack his stuff and that he needed to leave. Well the PD walked back into the office after the meeting and said, "let's go smoke". When we went outside, he tells me that the GM changed his mind and wanted him to stay. I couldn't believe it! His whole "I'm not going to leave" thing worked. I was happy for him but it was crazy.

Fast forward a few months and they decided to fire him again. So, I'm thinking, this should be interesting. The difference this time is that they already had the person in place to replace him. Fast forward again, three days, you got it, he's still there. You can't blame the guy, it worked for him the last time. This time however, the GM would not be returning to ask him to stay. When he left for night on the third day after he was fired, the new PD of the station had our midday/production guy pack the old PD's stuff, drive the stuff to his house and made an exchange, his stuff for the company cell phone.

I haven't heard from the guy since, I think he may have returned to the twilight zone.

9. What would you like to do better as a manager?

Create world peace. It has always been a distant goal that seemed unreachable. However, with the chance to have Sarah Palin as VP/Bikini Babe, I think even Osama Bin Laden would put down the dangerous weapons...and become part of the stiff reform.

10. Let's say that you are going to get married. You can pick any artist or group to be your "band" to play your reception. Who would it be? Keep in mind that they will be called upon to do a few traditional wedding reception favorites. (ie...the Chicken Dance...etc)

Anyone who knows me, knows the answer to this question. I'm not sure if she could perform and be the bride at the same time, but Avril Lavigne-Stephens would top the list.

What song, in rotation now, always seems to make you want to smile when you hear it on the station?

Not in my rotation but anything from Katy Perry. By the way, she's my back-up plan if things with Avril don't work out.