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10 Questions with ... Benji McPhail
October 3, 2022
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
- KGNU/Boulder - Promotions, On-air, 1989-1992
- KBCO/Boulder, Overnights, Assistant Studio C Producer, Morning Show Producer, 1992-1996
- KRSH/Santa Rosa - PD, Mornings, 1996-2000
- Mediabase 24/7 - Field Researcher, 1999
- Radio One Networks - PD for Modern Rock affiliates, 2001
- KKPL/Fort Collins - PD, 2002-2004
- KCUV/Denver - MD, Mornings, 2004-2008
- KUNC/Colorado - MD, 2012-2016
- KJAC – The Colorado Sound, PD – 2016-2021
- KKXT/Dallas – PD- 2022 - Present
1. How did you become interested in radio?
Music has always been my biggest passion. I would have made a great rock star but, I have no talent. When I started college, my goal was to become an MTV VJ. After volunteering at the local community station (KGNU), there was no going back. I was hooked.
2. What's it like going from the Colorado Sound to KXT?
It's been a lot of fun. The Denver market is probably the most competitive situation for Triple A, so it was a daily battle competing against KBCO and Indy 102.3. In Dallas, I have the widest lane I've ever had in radio. I am able to play an even bigger group of artists to an extremely large audience that are very receptive to new and established musicians.
3. How would you describe the music on the station?
I like to say that we play everything from Billie Eilish to Billie Holiday. We really do have a broad reach when it comes to what we play. KXT plays a lot of new music. Over 50% of our playlist is current and recurrent. We also feature local music at least once an hour.
4. What are you doing promotionally that makes you stand out in market #5?
KXT is slowly creeping out of the pandemic. We finally re-opened our performance space in March. We began to be onsite at events in June and began hosting sound check parties also in June. We just had our volunteer orientation last week, so we have a street team that is ready to go. This Fall we are hosting our first Get Loud with KXT show at Klyde Warren park and are expecting 10,000 listeners to join us. We are creating a public music meeting in November, and we are expecting to be full steam ahead with all of our promotions by January 1.
5. Tell us about the local music scene in Dallas and how you spotlight local talent?
The local music scene is awesome. We are working hard to get the word out about the amazing talent coming out of DFW. When you look at the history of the market it's quite impressive. Starting with Blind Lemon Jefferson to Stevie Ray Vaughan to St. Vincent. DFW has produced its' fair share of great music. KXT's mission is to put a spotlight on this scene and help elevate it to the next level. KXT played a big role in the development of Leon Bridges career and artists like Abraham Alexander and Joshua Ray Walker are in the wings ready to be the next big artists from DFW with many more right behind them.
6. What marketing are you doing to get the word out?
We are about to be really active in the community. KXT wants to be with our listeners and engage with them at every opportunity. We are developing events like our Public Music Meetings and creating new partnerships with existing events. We want to show our listeners that we are a big part of North Texas and remind them of the important role that music and KXT has in their lives.
7. How are your music meetings conducted?
Everyone on the staff listens to a ton of music, we take great pride in leaving no stones unturned. Thursday mornings we meet. We go through the local music submissions first to see if there is any potential to get them more exposure. After that it's a free for all. We make sure we discuss all the new releases then check to see if there are any records we need to revisit. We are as thorough as possible but at the end of the day we still go with our gut most of the time.
8. What do you view as the most important issue facing public radio today?
The biggest issue for public radio is how to attract younger listeners. There are so many choices for the audience that the biggest hurdle is educating younger listeners that we have more to offer. There is a stigma that their parents listened to NPR, so it might not be cool. We counter that with some really creative imaging and by taking the lead with new music. As a result, we have kept the upper demo happy and brought on a lot of younger listeners as well.
9. What do you think of the current state of the Triple A format?
Overall, I think the format is strong. It really depends which side of the fence you are on. Non-comm seems to be a little stronger overall. I think most listeners are fatigued with the amount of commercials that are played. I am so fortunate that KXT provides its audience with incredible music and no commercials.
10. What is your typical day like?
One of the reasons I love radio is that it is different every day. Here is what I am up to today. It started with a review of North Texas Giving Day followed by a meeting with my Audience development team. After that I scheduled music for an hour and returned various emails. I had to deal with an emergency involving a band at a taping for a live session. Next, I am meeting with our digital director to discuss our plans for Hispanic Heritage Month. Barring any other crisis,' I will finish the day by recording my show. That's typical.
Bonus Questions
Last non-industry job:
Truck driver for a recycling plant
First record ever purchased:
The Clash - Give 'Em Enough Rope
First concert:
Rolling Stones/Heart/George Thorogood - Folsom Field, Boulder, CO 1981
Favorite band of all-time:
The Clash
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?
Cycling, yoga, cooking and dogs.
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