10 Questions with ... Lenny Diana

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I’ve done things at places. Too many call letters lost in the soup.

1. How does it feel to be back in Indianapolis? What’s the biggest change you noticed in the market?

It’s great to be back! I’ve been having weird moments of Déjà vu. I drive around the city, and I remember places being a lot smaller. There has been a lot of expansion and construction. I noticed that the arts community has grown. Way more shows come to Indy. There are some quirky food places that are very cool.

2. One of your earliest radio experiences was working at the old WDRE in Long Island. What was it like working for a station in your hometown?

I am barely a footnote at that station, but it was a great time in hindsight. I met many people there who I am still great friends with to this day.

3. You’ve programmed pretty much every rock format. What’s different about programming Triple A so far?

It’s been great so far; I would say the short answer about programming triple a that it isn’t myopic in its view. You can draw from many genres of music and have a brand that plays a lot of different sounds. There is a real sense of adventure in that and it makes for a great listening experience for the listener. There is a longer answer with a lot more cursing but let us save that for another day.

4. How do you feel about the current climate of music?

What has always been super interesting to me with music is that every decade has its own sort of sound, style, and its own artists. It happens super early in the decade but by the end of the second or beginning of the third year you have an idea of where the genres are going, and the artists within them. I think covid turned that cycle upside down for a minute and here we are in 2022 and no one can point to a “next big anything” or the “faces of the decade” across all formats. Everything is sort of in one place and not really moving forward at all. I think if we are to take a positive look at what is happening, we have a rare brief moment in time to look at our brands and reassess what you want them to sound and how to define them. The current climate of music is sort of at a standstill and that’s not a terrible thing because we have a rare opportunity to find the best songs available for your brand and dance.

5. What do you like best about your job? Least?

I like the local connection you make with listeners. The immediacy of what we do for them, the good we can be in and around the city. Least? The “But it streams!!!!!!!!!!!!!” line from the record community.

6. So you don’t like streaming?

It’s not that I don’t like streaming. If it streams, I am happy for you. However, there is zero correlation that a streaming record converts to radio. There is zero correlation that any app that has music on it can drive the conversation of what is and what isn’t a hit record in your city. The examples of stations who followed the algorithm vs the rhythm currently live in a very bad place. Like the baddest place you can think of… New Jersey. Chilling.

7. What is your fondest experience in the music business aside from being married to me at one point?

It’s funny because that happened so long ago, and no one knows we were married for two years. Then I tell people that and the look on their face is one of utter confusion. I’m not sure if that’s judgement on me or judgement on you. I’ve worked at a good number of stations and maybe the best part of it all is the people and the friendships that you make along the way. That’s a very Disney like answer but it’s true.

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

A wise man once told me that no matter what’s happening behind the scenes, it doesn’t matter because you control how it sounds coming out of the speakers. They can hear you smile. Entertain.

9. What career/job would you have if you hadn’t gotten into radio?

Something in marketing. I’m not sure what but marketing.

10. Fill in the blank: I cannot make it through the day without _________?

Air and water. Mocking Michelle Rutkowski. Did you know that Chicago 19 is her favorite album of all time? Don’t get me wrong “Look Away” was a big song in 1988 but come on now, let move on. That’s out there in the stratosphere, right?