1. Tell us about your market and how it is
unique?
K L V V sits in the
middle of a triangle between Oklahoma City, Tulsa
and Wichita, Kansas. Our signal bumps up against
all 3 metros. In fact, to get our ratings from
Radio Research Consortium, we have to work with
numbers from all 3 Arbitron Markets. We serve a
good number of small-medium sized towns with our
main signal, a full power station/repeater and 5
translators. We are excited to be offering a second
format to these areas later this Summer as already
mentioned.
2. What is the most fulfilling aspect to you
personally about Christian radio?
On a day to day basis,
seeing how God uses music to minister to people.
Sometimes I think people think "It's just a radio
station." But I see it as an awesome tool of God.
Most fulfilling is seeing people come to know
Christ as Savior. K L V V events over the years
have seen God move in over 4000 lives. We write
in every contract of every concert we do that there
will be some sort of gospel presentation and make
counselors available. This has not always been
popular but God has blessed for that stand.
Incredibly.
3. How has God used you in your role at KLVV?
I think I was willing to
do what had to be done, especially in the early
years with very limited staff. God does great
things through people who are just willing.
4. What is the criteria that determines if a
song receives airplay on your station?
I think AC is an artist
driven format. I think people have artists that
they love and that's who they want to hear. We have
to be sensitive to new artists, of course, and we're
seeing a lot of new artists these days. A new song
from a core artist is almost always "out of the box"
with me. I'm a big proponent of songs that you can
learn easily and sing along to. I like big hooks
and catchy phrases. Sting once said "I write one
"hit" for every album that sells the record and then
people buy it and hear what I have to say." I don't
have a problem with that. Deep songs are generally
not radio songs. I don't think "Becky" has time to
sit and listen to lyrics or read a liner sheet and
"contemplate meaning." She wants a song that has a
simple message and even better, might make the kids
behave and maybe sing along and have fun together.
The great popularity of worship songs shows that
"simple" plus a few deep lines can come together.
We play quite a bit of Worship on our station. I
like the fact that a good part of the audience
already knows the song and is now hearing their
favorite artist sing it.
5. What kind of promotions work best for your
station?
All of our concerts are
great experiences. Getting the listener excited at
an event is always good. We've had great success
with Kid DJ Day. Being small market, this kind of
an event is extremely do-able. Letting kids come to
the station, sit in with the DJ for a couple of
minutes. We give them a tape of their
"performance," put them on the webcam so Grandma in
Indiana can see & hear them over the Internet.
Months afterward, anytime you see a kid that was
there, that's the first thing they talk about, " I
was on the air with you!" Our Summertime Water Park
parties always do well. Each year for our Summer
Giveaway, we involved the entire staff, either
giving a new grill and coming to your house to cook
steaks. Giving a new mower and weed eater and
coming to take care of your yard. Something where
we interact with the listeners in their
surroundings. This past Summer we gave a family a
Day at the Lake with boat and jet ski rides and a
catered picnic (and a huge cooker to take home).
Our station has made some great friends through
these kind of promotions. With the incredible
increase we have seen with Internet listeners, we
have tried to gear many web site promotions toward
things they are able to participate in. An on-going
Caption Contest at our site has become very
popular. We talk quite a bit and share testimonies
from Internet listeners and our "hometown" listeners
seem amazed (as we are) that THEIR radio station is
reaching around the world with the message of
Christ.
6. How do you think Christian Record labels
can better serve Christian radio?
Speaking as a
non-reporter... I'd just like to get the music on
time. I do get frustrated when songs are charting
and even playing on "20" that I don't even have in
the building. (And it's not a large percentage that
I don't get.) But it is embarassing to have to beg
for a song when I thought the #1 job of a promoter
was to get their artists' music into the hands of
people who want to play it. I'm still wondering why
they're not making singles available for download
for stations.
7. In your opinion what are the biggest
obstacles facing Christian radio today?
I worry about the
constant flux of the record companies. There just
seems to be no stability. How can unstable
companies truly promote and help the careers of
these artists, especially new artists?
I don't think personal
MP3 players are going to be a huge impact on "Becky"
but for stations with younger audiences... hey...
I'm sitting here with my Dell Digital Jukebox with
1500 songs (half it's capacity) at my fingertips. I
am ALWAYS listening to my favorite songs. What do I
need or want radio for? I would think we need to be
ready to find the answer to that question.
8. What do you believe is the primary role of
the Christian radio air personality today?
Not to sound trite...
but "a friend." I think the personalities that
"work" are the ones that make you feel good, maybe
even "special." Make you feel smart for tuning them
in. If not to provide a laugh, at least a smile.
Someone just like them. They're enjoying the music
right along with the listener... and, because he/she
has a great job as a DJ, he's privy to some
interesting information about the music and the
artists. But, he doesn't lord it over them, he's
excited to share something that he knows the
listener is excited about too. And let's not forget
the opportunity to remind listeners that they are
not alone in their service to Christ.
9. What (if any) other Christian radio stations do
you consider as innovators today?
I try to keep an eye on
KSBJ as much as possible (not as much as I'd like).
Not because, objectively, they are a station with
big numbers and Sharathons, but because it just
seems like God's hand is firmly on them. I try to
watch the Fish stations as well. They were an
inspiration in a way for our new station The House.
We really felt like the connection with a name could
really work well as it has for them. And it's hard
not to see what KXOJ is doing. Bob Thorton seems to
be everywhere.
10. Where do you see Christian radio in 5
years?
I think asking a 5 year
question at this time in history is too dangerous.
Who knows what possibilites and new technologies are
going to come along in the next few years. I hope
that Christian Radio and the music industry are well
prepared and flexible to adapt. (It is obvious that
the entire recording industry (not just Christian)
was NOT prepared for the public demand for
downloadable music.) With the available
technologies, what people "need" radio for is
becoming narrower and narrower. We have to really
work to discover what "need" may still be there and
maybe... more than ever... be so good at what we
do... that people "want" us to be the ones to
deliver the music, the information, etc.
