10 Questions with ... Dave Benson

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started as the 19-year-old, late-night announcer on freeform Radio Free Madison in Madison, WI in 1972. Followed the music to KGB-FM/San Diego, WMET/Chicago, WYSP/Philadelphia, WXRT/Chicago, WLUP/Chicago, KBCO/Denver, KFOG/San Francisco, KMTT/Seattle and WNRN/Charlottesville, VA, with consulting duties at SBR and on my own, as well. I was also the tour manager for The Pat Metheny Group for a couple of years.

1. How did you become interested in radio?

It was the music, not the medium that I was hooked on. I didn’t want to be on the radio until I realized it was a way to discover and share music with friends.

2. Who were your mentors in the early days?

Jim McInnes, Rick Leibert, Bob Coburn, Greg Solk. And then, John Bradley and Dave Rahn at SBR helped me see myself as a modern radio programmer. Dwight Walker, former GM at KFOG, was and is a friend and mentor.

3. What has been your biggest career highlight?

I could list dozens of proud achievements and once-in-a-lifetime events or encounters but I think the highlight of my career was that it happened the way it did … when it did. I went from Freeform Radio to AOR to Triple A and into the digital era playing music I loved for my music loving peers. I lived in nice places, worked with great people, never had a dress code and made a decent living.

4. What’s life like after programming commercial Triple A radio?

Honestly, I didn’t have a problem disconnecting from the format or the industry. The harder adjustment was the personal; “who am I if I’m not completely immersed in my work?”

5. Tell us about your Jazz and freeform online stations you are doing.

I do a bi-weekly online radio show called Odd Sundays At Noon It’s me doing the mixed-genre music mixes we tried to do on Freeform Radio. www.mixcloud.com/Bensonic

My bigger project began as a demo for a branded stream idea but grew into a 24/7 online Jazz station. I’m getting my MusicMaster geek on trying to get Jazz to program and flow the way I want. It’s the station I listen to and, I hope, for anyone who loves Jazz the way I do.

6. What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?

Its certain demise. For mainly technological reasons, but also poor industry vision and guidance, fed by cannibalistic, non-broadcast ownership. It will take a few more years, but radio frequency delivered mass media will soon be relegated to the fringes of the larger enterprise. If they’re lucky, it will become the vinyl of media formats -- kept alive by trendy, nostalgic purists.

7. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

Telling people what I really thought or felt was the best way to go.

8. What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?

Do whatever interests you. Be honest and reliable. Start a savings regime for yourself NOW. Good luck.

9. What would surprise people most about you?

That I hate rutabaga?

10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without …

… Reminding Zigaboo what a good boy he is.

Do you have a favorite charity or philanthropic endeavor?

Nothing specific, but I’m interested in anyone, or any endeavor dedicated to recognizing that our democracy is under attack and needs to be defended.