10 Questions with ... Chris Herrmann

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• WHJY/Providence MD/APD
• WCSX/Detroit APD
• WBOS/Boston PD

1. How did you become interested in radio?

Magnetic forces? My story is probably typical -- transistor radio under the pillow as a 10- year-old, a job at my high school radio station ... and that was all she wrote.

2. Who are your mentors?

The entire WBCN staff 1982-1988. It was the complete package - production, air staff, morning show, music -- and it completely crystallized my views on what radio could be. Also, WXRT ... for the last three decades! I was first exposed in 1985 and have been a fan from afar since. I can't say there is any one individual who showed me the way; it was always about what a group of people could do together.

3. How do you position The Peak being on the outskirts of the No. 1 market in the country?

We just went ahead and gave our listening area -- Westchester, Rockland, southern Fairfield and northern Bergen Counties -- a name. We call it "New York's Backyard" and lots of our imaging plays off that. We use "World Class Rock" as our main positioning statement, and have also gotten lots of traction with "Independent Radio" as well. After all, compared to NYC, we are!

4. Who's the toughest competition you face?

Cell phones! And on the radio, Classic Rock WAQX (Q104.3) in New York City is a monster and our largest cume share.

5. I believe the station is in its sixth year now; what accomplishments have you made in that time?

We've quintupled the revenue base and created a very viable 25-54 station for suburban advertisers. Our clients love us and get great results. We've built the cume to 200,000+ and have lots of reach in this part of the world. From where we started, I'll call that an accomplishment. We've also been remarkably consistent in our six years mostly on account of a very talented core group of staffers. Very little personnel change has kept us true to original vision.

6. How would you describe the music on the station?

It's just a great rock mix with Rob Arrow in charge of the flow. I'd classify The Peak as a mainstream Triple A that never loses sight of our rock base. In the words of Paul Marszalek we're a "state-of-the-art Adult Rock station." We can be surprising and eclectic, but more importantly, we're very listenable and consistent.

7. How do you stay in tune with your audience?

We all live here and rub shoulders with our audience every day. In many ways we are our audience. We listen carefully, read e-mails, solicit feedback and do our best to understand Peak listeners and not bring pre-conceived conclusions to the process.

8. How often do you do remotes ... and which work best for the station?

No remotes, but plenty of appearances. Our sales team is down with it and we always find ways to make clients happy without the bad radio one generally encounters at a run-of-the-mill remote.

9. What would surprise most people about the station?

Our market size! I've had people say, "Isn't White Plains near Albany?" No ... White Plains is 22 miles from Central Park. Though Westchester was Market #64 for a while, the total population under our city grade signal is about 1.75 million spread over five counties. If we could define the market that would put us roughly between the Cleveland and Salt Lake City metros or market #30. Out of that population we're able to claim cume of about 200,000 and often show top 10 in adult rankers against the NYC stations.

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

Thinking about my wife Sue and son EJ. Can't wait to get home and give them both a big huge hug!

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?

I'm a wonk -- love playing with technology and computers. I figure I'm lord and master of silicon and electrons and always want to prove myself right!

Last Non-Industry Job:

Medical research, summer 1983.

First Record Ever Purchased:

"Let It Be"- The Beatles

First Concert:

Wings Over America, Boston Garden, March 1976

Favorite Band Of All-Time:

The Who