10 Questions with ... Tony Kidd

NAME:Tony Kidd TITLE:VP/GM STATION:WALR-FM & WBTS-FM MARKET:Atlanta COMPANY:Cox Radio BORN:Jacksonville, FL 1959 RAISED:Southside of Jacksonville (Mandarin)

Please outline your career path.

WQIK-A Country late '70s
WQIK-F Country late '70's
WZZK Country 1980-1986
WLLR Country 1986-1987
WBEE Country 1987-1988
WVAZ Urban AC 1988-1993
WHQT Urban AC 1993-2001
WALR Urban AC 2001-present
WBTS Rhythmic Top 40 2006-present

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

My first job was running Sunday morning Country Gospel programming. Influences: The Greaseman; Bill Tanner; Larry Lujack; BBD Banana; Tom Joyner; The Mad Hatter; Gary Gears.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?

In my second year of college, I realized radio was much more fun, then in 1984 ( realized I wanted to program radio stations. My girlfriend (now wife Jennifer) said I just didn't have the talent to be a morning man (she grew up listening to Frank Crocker and New York radio). She was right.

3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?

I'm not sure there are so many things that interest me today that just didn't exist then. However if I did, I would still learn everything I could about music systems, production and what a great talent on the air should sound like. I would learn everything I could about the business of radio - sales, accounting and people management. I would learn what makes a successful radio station from all angles (programming, sales, profit, the people).

4) Where do you see yourself and the industry five years from now? How do you feel about the PPM eventually replacing the diary?

I most likely will continue in a role like the one I'm currently in. I love dealing with people, helping them grow to the next level and improving systems. PPM will cause a shake-up in our business and will take some adjusting to understand how to program for it and sell through it. After this happens, assuming Arbitron has the system correct and we get stable numbers from all segments of the population, everything will balance out.

5) What advice would you give to someone who is programming who wants to one day move up to become a successful GM like yourself?

As I said in question number three, learn everything you can about all aspects of the business -- the biggest of these is dealing with people ... your staff. Your people will help you get the job done and grow your radio station way beyond what you could do by yourself. How do you motivate highly talented people? When do you remove under-performers?

6) What is going to happen to the training of tomorrow's talent and programmers if the current trend continues? How do you feel about syndication and voicetracking?

If programmers adapt to where we are now and realize that while our business has changed, this is only one stop along the road, it will continue to change as long as radio exists. We must adapt to the changes are continue to grow talent in this environment. Syndication has brought a higher level of entertainment than local radio has been able to deliver in most instances. If you believe that talent is rare (which I do), you're only going to have so many Tom Joyners on the talent side. If you can use a talent like his across many stations, you stand a better chance of success. If everyone was that talented, we would have millions of highly talented radio, TV and movie stars, programmers and general managers. Talent is rare and beautiful when you find it...

This just comes down to HARD WORK; as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think."

7) What adjustments have you had to make o continue to compete in the crowded Atlanta market?

8) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?

Listening to people and understanding what they are REALLY saying...

9) How do you feel the current situation with fines and firings is going to affect future morning shows?

It will cause talent to be careful in what they choose to say and do. Part of the beauty of true talent is seeing thing in a different light than the rest of us; they will figure a way to turn lemons into lemonade. Let's remember George Carlin made a living out of the seven things you can't stay on radio.

Are air-personalities going to be less creative and adventuresome because of the fear of being fired?

The really good ones will look at the landscape and figure out how far they can push the envelope and still be safe. The not-so-smart will continue to do what THEY WANT TO DO and put themselves in trouble.

Are more Urban and Urban AC stations going to be using syndicated morning shows?

Yes and no. Yes, because it's a way to bring highly skilled talent into the fold; no, because someone out there is developing a new morning show right now with ideas we haven't thought about yet. They'll try it in some market -- maybe in afternoon drive or evening -- and grow it into the next big thing. Our business is about creativity and hard work. If the ways we have always done it the only way to be creative, then are we really begin creative or just following the pack?

10) As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?

Not really. There have been a few times early on as a programmer that I should have made choices on talent sooner, but that comes with learning. I wouldn't change anything I've done.

What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you?

"Trust what they tell you, but verify everything"

The worst?

"This promotion will help us get business in the long run." (I've NEVER seen this work)

Do you read.....everything? Books, Magazines, etc. Nothing? What's your favorite reading material?

This may sound crazy, but here goes: I read four to six magazines a week (everything from 2-Wheel Tuner [sports motorcycle publication] and Newsweek to Scientist America). I read one newspaper online a day. I normally have two printed books going (one thing fun to read, the other a personal development book, management book or history book); I also read one audio book (business or management or personal development) each month -- two sometimes. And spend time in my Bible everyday.

How did the events of Jena Six affect you personally or did they?

I'm answering this the day after we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth, and while the current events in the news hold a lot of promise (a black man running for president and a woman running and both having a real shot at the job -- can anyone ever view black men or women the same after this, win or lose?? -- let's not forget we have a long way to go until all people judge each other on what they have done, not the color of their skin or their sex, sexual preference, or religion. I look at my kids and think things are better for them than they were in my time, but we still need to be careful not to fall into a false sense of security. It's still a struggle; nothing worth having has come without a struggle, so why do we continue to think it's going to be easy? One of my favorites quotes is "You're always at war ... get use to it."