Stan Priest is a model programmer for a company that has scores of programming talent in its arsenal. Clear Channel knows a good thing when they see one, hence Priest and his oversight of two key CC Top 40 stations in Connecticut. As PD of both WKSS and WKCI, Stan’s agenda is a never-ending flow of priorities that keep him ultra busy and multi-tasking on a perpetual basis…and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
By Fred Deane
Stan Priest
Never one to conceal his passion for radio and his enthusiasm for the company he works for, Stan Priest truly exhibits inspirational behavior that at times can be infectious. Stan’s optimism about the business in general is a genuine reflection of those traits and it’s no small wonder why his talents are constantly recognized by the company he works for and the cluster he works in.
Aside from his primary duties as PD of two of Clear Channel’s prized Top 40 properties, Priest also participates in CC Hartford cluster activities that have expanded his horizons and given him a clearer vision of his own career path as he projects it going forward. It’s all about forward thinking and forward progress for one of CC’s star programmers.
You’re in the unique position of programming two CHR stations in the same state that overlap each other’s markets 100%. What are your guidelines for keeping the stations (competitively) separate but equal?
The guidelines start by recognizing that both stations are unique entities. The toughest battle I have is with the perception of the labels. In this age of cost-cutting I run into this a lot where label reps think, “Hey I can get two for one with Stan!” It’s not as simple as that. Each of these stations have unique goals and separate targets. Therefore, I have to make sure that at all times I am cognizant of making the effort to keep KC101 more adult focused, with WKSS being the mainstream. As the mainstream station, for years KSS has had the image of being very Rhythmic, because that was our target, and we were very, very Rhythmic. The advent of PPM in Hartford changed that game a little bit where we’re not as Rhythmic focused. At KC101 it’s sort of casting off the image the station had for years of being a great launching pad for guitar bands. It’s not really that station anymore. It’s not that we still don’t embrace them; it’s just a little different now where we’re not as youth focused.
What is the chemistry between the stations musically and do they tend to set some songs up for each other based on a certain degree of sharing?
I feel both stations benefit each other. They work very well together and form a strong combo. By combining the cumes of these two stations in a sales package, you can’t achieve a bigger reach in the state of Connecticut. It’s the biggest audience in the state with a monster combined cume! As far as helping each other out with music, KSS is the station that’s going to focus on those earlier, more Pop-leaning songs. However KSS is not one of the earlier stations to pop records because the median age of Hartford is one of the oldest median ages in the country. Smaller markets can tend to have an older median age, that’s why in many of these markets you find the Top 40’s or Hot AC’s a little behind the curve of the of bigger cities when it comes to new music where’s there’s a younger median age. Technically you would think in New Haven you could play much older music and that station would do well, but it actually is on par with Hartford.
What are the chief differences culturally between Hartford and New Haven that contribute to the way you program in each market?
New Haven has a little more of a small town feel and the people are very proud of their little havens in the area. Hartford is a little more transient, even though you still have a lot of people from Connecticut. It’s funny how there seems to be a trend for people when they hit the age of twenty-five, getting out of college and getting their first job, they can’t wait to leave the state. The folks that do move in because of jobs available here make Hartford like a mini Atlanta where you get a lot of transplants.
So it’s a different kind of a culture. New Haven is more tried and true Connecticut residents who’ve been there for awhile. Hartford is more of a mix so culturally I’m focusing on KSS being as mainstream as I can as if they were punching around the dial anywhere in the country hearing the biggest artists’ songs. New Haven’s a little different in that there’s definitely a vibe unique to that city. So I’ll pay attention on music that may be a little more customized to that market and artists that have somewhat of a track record
Which city do you find more competitive relative to other stations in the markets?
Both of them stand on their own very well. KC 101 is the station that’s starting to show monster growth. When you’re starting from a lower point your growth ratio looks higher as you get further down the line. KSS has a great growth rate year after year. The competitive situation in Hartford is really unique because you have one of the format captains (Steve Salhaney) programming and overseeing a (CBS) cluster across the street, and he’s good at what he does. Steve’s a talented guy so programming against him makes me better every day because he keeps me on my toes. I wouldn’t want it any other way! I came from a competitive background and wanted competition every where I went. I thrive on that environment. Both stations continue to grow but KC101 is actually the station that grows more and surprises people and a big part of that is the Elvis Duran Morning show. That show is just unstoppably huge and a monstrous force. One of the best decisions we ever made!
How does your local staff size up at WKSS?
Courtney anchors mornings and has been here eleven years. She’s built a great heritage and brand, is a household name, and has great ratings. Walmart Jeff is also on the morning show. He’s that incredibly charismatic producer/sidekick. People have learned to love the guy over the years. The newbie to the bunch is Brady, formerly the talented night guy at KC101. He shows all the promise in the world. He brings that skill-set of being able to tap into social media and all things digital, yet he’s passionate about music. He helps me out with some of the day-to-day stuff at the station as well. He’s showing all the signs of being a star.
We go to Seacrest in mid-days. How can you go wrong there? One of the biggest stars on the radio! Munchie is a strong pm drive talent who worked with Kane in the past and was a monster force doing nights in Toledo with 40 shares. When he arrived he just started killing it in the ratings. He’s also the Hartford cluster digital PD. So in being that guy for the building, I couldn’t have found a better person to put in afternoon drive and unleash the skills-set he has. Prolifik hosts nights and he’s the kind of guy you rarely meet but when you do you think to yourself, ‘Wow he’s going to be unstoppable!’ He’s also on Premium Choice Rhythmic, and does TV with Fox locally. He’s one of those guys that just looks like he should be on TV and can do multiple media ventures and be successful in all of them.
How about KC101?
As a mentioned, we start with the Elvis show. Our local host for the show is David Bartley who is a jack of all trades and is doing a phenomenal job of making that show sound more customized and local. Our pm drive guy, John Mayer, also helps me with the day-to-day stuff at KC. John has grown amazingly and is very talented in multiple areas. He’s elevated afternoon drive in New Haven to a higher level. Ashley does nights and is also head of Creative Services. She’s a super talented lady.
You’ve often talked about the joy and pride you get from working with talent. What aspects of talent management stimulate you the most?
I love all the dynamics of dealing with people. That’s my favorite part of the job. The best part is when you talk to someone and give them guidance and work with them along the way to help them achieve that next level. It’s great to see them learn the things you already know, and have confidence that they are going to continue on and take it to the next level. Usually from the minute I connect with talent and discover that we’re going to work together, there’s a plan or path I can see from the beginning. Of course there are twists and turns along the way, but that’s part of the fun. I like the surprises too. It’s all part of the experience.
What other managerial and strategic responsibilities do you engage in other than your programming duties?
Beyond my primary PD duties, I work closely with our Ops Manager Mike Wheeler. Mike’s the kind of manager that wants to empower people to do more, and to learn and expand their skills-set. He knew upon his arrival here that I wanted to eventually do what he was about to undertake. He asked me why I didn’t throw my hat in the ring for the gig, and I told him I didn’t think I was ready. I thought I could do it, but I wanted to be sure. His response was, “Okay, we’ll make sure you feel sure!” He’s been working with me to help me get to that next level. I feel I know enough to be that guy and it’s great that he’s entrusted me with more duties.
What specific exposure to other formats have been good learning experiences for you?
For our Sports station, I assembled the entire broadcast for the Travelers Golf Tournament for the past two years and it was the first time I ever dealt with anything Sports/Talk related and it had to go out to other markets. So it was a whole new learning experience.
A couple of years ago we had to make a switch-over with WWYZ, our Country station. The station was down in ninth place (25-54) when it typically was first or second, so we knew we had to make changes. When the former PD left we knew there was some work to be done so Wheeler and I rolled up our sleeves together and dug in. We changed the station and went to #1 in one book! It was one of the proudest achievements of my career. It was a lot of fun and another great learning experience. Mike also involved me in the hiring process of the new PD, Lance Tidwell. Last summer, YZ was technically the highest rated Country formatted station in the entire nation.
How has the exposure and involvement in other formats within the cluster improved your programming skills and what have you learned about yourself through the process?
The main thing it helped me realize is that sometimes we come into this business with the mindset that it’s about us or that we have to put our creative signature on everything we touch. It’s good that people feel that way and I don’t think you should be in this business if you don’t have a little bit of an ego. But it’s bad when your ego is so strong or out of control that you hamper your own ability to connect with others or to succeed and focus on what needs to get done. It taught me that I need to check my ego at the door and should focus on the team effort and the goal. It’s helped me be more focused and also made me realize that Top 40 isn’t the hardest format to program. Some formats are fairly complex, like The River, which Wheeler is programming. It’s one of the most complex formats I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s a unique creature because it doesn’t really have a core audience per se. I feel fortunate to be programming the formats I do because I do have a core audience and this monster cume I can lean on. It put things in perspective and taught me a valuable lesson.
You’ve been a PPM market since the fall of 2010. Given your experience in the measurement to date, how has PPM altered your perspective on effective programming to motivate ratings?
The first thing it teaches you is to move quickly. However, the lesson I learned out of the gate is not to move too quickly in the wrong ways, because you’ll feel the sting later on. We’ve been pretty fortunate to stay in balance with this and continually grow in performance. You have to expect ebbs and flows because the meters change. You have to be extremely responsive and a lot of stuff you hear about PPM is how you want to talk less, and it’s true. But some people have done it wrong. I watched some programmers take the personality out of Top 40 radio and make it real cookie cutter, but getting to the point is much different than not talking as much. People think less talk means to play a whole bunch of music without much imaging in between the songs, but you still need an image and personality. You just have to work harder in choosing the right words. PPM teaches you it’s not what you say it’s how you say it. You need to get to the most important point and discard all the pleasantries. So the delivery is a little different than diary.
CHR has been in a glorious music cycle for quite some time and may be the envy of all formats as all things Pop continue to flow in the format’s direction. What do you see in the current music cycle that tells you this streak is not close to ending?
If the quality and diversity of the current Pop crop stays at a high premium, the cycle should have a lot of life left in it. We have a few female artists we’ve hung our hat on for a while that continue to release hits like Katy Perry and Rihanna, along with hits from new artists like Carly Rae Jepsen. On another level, you have Adele at the end of the cycle with her current album. She’ll probably record again but when will it come and what will her appeal be next time. Will she be a Pop artist?
At the same time, all the female Pop is complemented by this Alternative leaning guitar centric sound and the current boy band movement with One Direction, The Wanted and the like. I’m curious to see how things go for Justin Bieber. I’m a huge fan and think he’s a real talent and I believe he’ll continue to do well. It’s just going to be a little different than it was earlier for him because you have a different age group following him now.
I just wonder if the public is going to be as tolerant as we cycle through the core artists over and over. You’re bound to get some changes and maybe there’s a shift coming to more Pop artists who also possess Hot AC appeal. I know PINK is about to release a new album and Kelly Clarkson is doing well right now. Top 40 has always been very nimble and we move very quickly. The format has always drawn from the best of what’s out there, no matter where it’s coming from. All I know is I get better ratings when I target right down the middle.
Do you have any concerns?
Not really, I believe Top 40 is in a good place and I don’t think there really should be any concerns. Again, we’ve built some great artist brands that are not in a rush to leave. It’s just going to depend on the listeners tolerating them.
One of the big pluses we have for us is with the age groups. The baby boomers are now all over 50-55 years-old and getting to retirement age. The second biggest wave of consumers in history (at least in America) is now in their teens. They were tweens and now they’re becoming teens. There’s a trail effect that goes down to about 5-6 years of age, so we have a good long stretch of support for the format ahead of us. This format should be fine. Of course we can damage ourselves by getting too predictable or too “bubble gummy.” I know that Top 40 has shot itself in the foot in the past and we want to be careful to avoid that pitfall again.
Regarding labels reps, what is the optimal way to promote Stan Priest?
It’s fine to make your case, tell me what you have and what’s important, and keep me posted on what it’s doing, but the optimal way is to show me how the song is gaining traction and what the story’s based on. I love test scores. I’m a fan of songs that are performing well in research. The reps just need to be reasonable at times and realize there are some songs I’m just not going to like, but I know it’s not about me. I don’t play music on my station because I personally love it. I play songs that are right for our respective competitive situations. At the end of the day it’s a business on our end, just like it is on their end and for us to win; we have to play the right music. If they’re understanding about that part, then well get along just fine.
What do think is the most misunderstood issue between labels and radio these days?
I think labels might feel that radio doesn’t give their artists enough of a chance. That we don’t take enough risks and we should go earlier and have more unfamiliar music on the air. Yet on the radio side all of our data and research dictates that if you play an unfamiliar song and your competitor is playing a familiar hit, you lose that listener to your competition. They might be hearing a great new song for the first time and their trying to sing along but they really don’t know the words. So they hit the button and there’s a song they already know and they just sing along and have a good time. It’s as simple as that with listeners. It’s not all that complicated.
It’s also not always about “Hey man, this is the one! You have to give this shot!” I understand that. The reps get very passionate about their artists and they have a job to do. But I think the misunderstanding is when we start to think that it’s about us and it’s really not, it’s about the listeners and what they’re asking for from us.
Clear Channel is involved in several national programs that incorporate various artist integration campaigns into programming content. How does this help you as a PD stay one step ahead of your competition?
You’re automatically aligned with the biggest artists and the biggest songs so it’s a great asset! This company seems like they’ve figured out that the public wants the best of the best, and we’re giving them the best of the best. So I believe it’s real smart the way this CC has been focusing. They have a good idea of how the bigger portion of the audience utilizes us. The fact that they “get that,” helps us gain in quality of product and customer loyalty, which has always been the ultimate goal for every programmer, getting your audience to embrace your product. We’re politicking for the vote every second. So if you could align yourself with the biggest and best, why wouldn’t you opt for that?
iHeartRadio is a precedent setting initiative that has certainly help place CC in a leadership position regarding digital technology, as evidenced by its industry-wide participation. How stimulating is it working inside a company culture that is so forward thinking?
It’s awesome because I feel like I’m right there moving forward instead of stagnating and sitting still and waiting for the next shoe to drop, which is what some people think is going to happen with these other companies. I have friends who work with every company in this business and when we talk they sound like they gave up on radio or that radio gave up on them 10-15 years ago.
I’ve given a lot of thought to that and part of that thinking dates back to when satellite radio first came around. Satellite radio did a remarkably good job of bashing terrestrial radio in every ad, and they were everywhere. You couldn’t miss it. So the average person on the street would say, “Radio? That’s dead. It’s all about satellite radio now.” They turned the public into evangelists against radio in favor of satellite and other choices because who wants to be old and stogy like a newspaper? That perception got to be pervasive, even to people inside the business, and radio for the first time in ten years has started to fight back.
Do you feel radio has been advocating for itself in recent times and have there been any corporate leaders setting the pace?
When Bob Pitman first started to be a part of CC I definitely saw him as that evangelist for radio. He was (and still does) represent the medium in a proud, authoritative and dominant way to a global audience. I always thought we needed somebody to do that on a big scale and turn the tide on the perception that radio was some outdated medium. He came along and pointed out the facts and has done so in a very convincing way.
Actually, our audience is bigger than ever before and our company reaches more people that even FaceBook. This thing is mammoth! So when you start to look at what we have going for us, the sum of our parts and our overall assets, radio is pretty powerful. We all need to be evangelists for our business. We’re in an awesome business that you can have a good time in. There are great margins in this business so it’s healthy. Sure it’s gone through changes but every business is going through changes. I believe radio has actually positioned itself in such as way that we’re going to be able to sling-shot out of this down economy faster and better than any other industry. We’re probably going to lead the way. We’re going to make our case and we’re going to thrive. We just need to convince our people that it’s not as bad as they might think in some places. Again, I don’t see that in Clear Channel and especially in our cluster which has such a positive vibe to it. We’ve done a really good job of being clear, open and transparent about everything with our people.
You’re among a group of several quality PD’s up and down the chain of command of CC affording a tremendous support system. How much networking is encouraged inside the company and how much do you participate in?
Everyone in the company is welcome to pick up the phone and share with each other. I love talking and working with other programmers because I’m learning from them. I’m more than happy to teach what I know as well, but I love learning from those guys when they tell me about some of their competitive situations and what they encounter. We can all benefit each other by just communicating. I’ve been really fortunate where I’ve been able to talk to the Alex Tear’s of the world, who is just one of these really incredible forces in this business. He’s going to keep growing and surprise people on just how vast his knowledge is. He’s just an amazing guy. John Ivey and Tom Poleman are also such rock solid leaders.
There are so many good people in this company and I try to connect with as many as I can. I don’t do it often enough, but that’s only because I spend so much time focusing on my competitive situations. I’m sure other guys that read this will say the same thing. We just need to find a few minutes for each other because we’re all in this together and everybody would be pleasantly surprised how much we can actually learn from each other. There are guys outside the company I’m friends with and when I talk to them about what it’s like in their worlds, it’s a little different. I believe the culture within CC right now might be one of the most connected and best networked, and programmers are getting access to great resources.
[eQB Content By Fred Deane]
