Leo Baldwin made quite a name for himself programming in Honolulu but in 2006 he left the tropical paradise and moved to the big city to take on a new programming challenge. His mission, take Beasley Rhythmic Top 40 WRDW (Wired 96.5)/ Philadelphia to the next level.
Leo Baldwin started his radio career as an overnight jock at KIKI in Honolulu in 1992. Then it was on to nights at KCCN until 1996 where he landed in morning drive at KXME. In 1999 he created Rhythmic KDDB while still holding down morning drive. Then in 2004 he was upped to Director of Programming overseeing KDDB, KQMQ, KPOI and KUMU.
His last mission on the island of Oahu came in 2005 when he signed on 93.1 The Zone. Next stop the mainland, as he was poised to take on a challenging programming opportunity in Philadelphia in 2006. Baldwin’s job, taking Beasley’s Rhythmic Top 40 WRDW (Wired 96.5) to the next level in a highly competitive radio market. Under his guidance Wired is now posting some of its best numbers to date and in the process Baldwin has created a radio station that has some real staying power for years to come.
eQB presents excerpts from the February FMQBmagazine Rhythm/Crossover Up Close withWRDW/Philadelphia PD Leo Baldwin
On Wired breakthrough year…
I think we have really zeroed in on exactly where this station needs to be musically and promotionally. I have a great air staff and they all get it and have bought into our position. Everyone has the same goals, to keep this thing rolling through ‘09.
Initial observations about Wired…
I thought there was a great buzz about the radio station, but the listeners weren’t really connecting with it. There seemed to be a lot of different messages and it was hard to tell what the true core audience of the station really was. Wired was launched well and did its job getting noticed and bringing attention to the frequency. When I arrived, some of that attention started to become negative. So we cleaned it up, got the air staff in order and began a makeover that took almost three years. Right now this station is exactly where we want it to be.
On programming Wired…
My vision was simple. Wired needed to take the next step. The “new” factor of a radio station, especially in this format only lasts so long. Then you need to take the station to the next phase and become a real force in the market place.
On being satisfied and the station meeting expectations…
I am very proud of this radio station. We reset the whole thing when we brought Chio back on in March of ’06 and have stayed consistent, which I think is the key. We have allowed the listeners to really understand our brand and what type of music to expect when they tune in.
On the importance of having a well known morning show like Chio In The Morning…
Chio brought us instant credibility. That went a long way with resetting the radio station. Now the radio station was set up with a legitimate morning show; one that had not only a history, but a history of winning. The market place began to look at Wired as a station that was going to stick around rather than one that was just a gimmick.
On presenting small concert events…
The whole premise behind these events was to give our listeners something they couldn’t get anywhere else. An “Up Close and Personal” performance that only 300 people can watch makes the listener feel like they are part of something special, and something they will never forget.
On technology and being interactive with the audience…
With this format, you have to be real aware of the technology and trends that listeners are into. Everything is constantly changing, so you either keep up or you are out of touch. The launch of our brand new website (wired965.com) has been a big boost for us as well. We keep our listeners coming back with tons of video, behind the scenes stuff and content they can’t get anywhere else.
On PPM…
I don’t know if it has really changed any of my philosophies. I think it’s made me more aware of how listeners actually consume radio and specifically my radio station. There have been some eye opening moments, but for the most part, PPM is just a more accurate way of measuring actual listening. As the kinks continue to be worked out, and I have every faith in Arbitron that they will, the industry will realize that this is the better way of measuring listening than the diary.
On PPM data…
What surprised most people was the fact that listeners don’t really have the time to listen to radio for hours at a time. They consume radio out of convenience, not necessity. It’s also interesting to see just how many stations one listener enjoys. We would like to think that we are their ONE radio station, when in actuality they have five to six stations they tune into on any given day. This is why as a programmer you need to make sure your product stands out, now more than ever.
On working in radio…
When radio stops being fun all hope is lost. What we all need to realize is that even on the worst day in radio, you still have one of the greatest jobs out there!
** QB Content by Bob Burke **
