Page 44 - Radio_Ink

STEVE
GEOFFERIES
KNIX-FM/Phoenix
iHeartMedia
Phoenix
stevegeofferies@
iheartmedia.com
Years in Radio: 20

Steve Geofferies took KNIX in a different
direction in 2017, rejuvenating the 50-year-old
brand. “We found our strategy and stuck to
it,” he says. “Too many stations flip-flop with
the idea that a tactic is more important than
Steve Stewart (c) with Brett Eldredge and Brett’s dog Edgar a strategy, and they dilute their brand. Or Charlie Cook and Kelsea Ballerini
they only copy what their competitor is doing.
Those things lead to short-term success, and
STEVE STEWART usually major changes within the program- CHARLIE COOK
WEBG/Chicago ming department.” WSM-FM/Nashville
Cumulus Media
iHeartMedia
Geofferies says he’s been successful at pro-
steve@big955chicago.
com gramming because he listens more than he charlie.cook@cumulus.
com
talks. “I understand the value of having tal-
Years in Radio: 30 ented people on my team. I don’t believe I’m Years in Radio: 47
always right, but I’ve been good at making the
Thanks to Steve Stewart and his team, Big correct choices. I still love to learn with books Charlie Cook tells Radio Ink he has reached,
95-5 has seen an explosive reaction in and podcasts, and I always surround myself and exceeded, any personal goals he set
Chicago to all its local events, concerts, and with a variety of backgrounds, experiences, for himself when he got into radio. “I have
activations. Stewart tells Radio Ink it’s truly and lifestyles.” overachieved because I rode the right horses
exciting to see listeners come out in support And this PD writes down his goals at the along the way,” he says. “Bob Koch, an early
of the station and great country music from station every year to hold himself account- GM/owner that I worked for, had a saying:
both new and superstar artists. Big 95-5 aver- able. “This year, my top goal is to bring more ‘Nothing’s easy.’ I’ve said that a million times,
ages close to 30 events per year, with several value in my EVPP position for my markets and and it levels your expectations and rights
tentpole concerts leading the way. stations.” your efforts. Ed Salamon, Neil Rockoff, Mike
Stewart says he owes his three decades If you want to win in 2018, Geofferies says McVay, Dale Miller, and now Allison Warren all
of success to the people he’s worked with. you’ll need to understand there are a lot of encourage me and have helped me along the
“Somehow I have been very fortunate in music choices, and unless you have a unique way. I’m well aware of how fortunate I am to
my career to work with amazingly talented position, you’ll blend in with everything else. have stayed in this business for so long.”
people,” he says. “I really try to let them know “Develop talent that are culturally significant, Cook has an interesting perspective on
how much I truly believe in them and want take some chances, make some noise. Stop the challenges facing Country radio: “Our
them to succeed. Whatever it is I need to do to worrying about everything your competition partners at the record companies are trying
help them will ultimately help me in the long is doing and build your brand. Hire great hard to stake new ground for their successes.
run as well, but more important, lead to the people and appreciate them. Understand That means taking songs up the chart in about
success of the station.” social, how teenagers consume content, half the time needed to make an impact on
Stewart’s advice to young PDs: understand what Nashville partners need, music cycles, the radio listeners. Songs are being driven to
the changes taking place around you. “The research — and always stay curious. Seems number one when they don’t have the founda-
landscape is changing rapidly,” he says, pretty easy.” tion they need to satisfy the radio listeners’
“and we need to be in touch with where the acceptance of the music.
consumer/listener is, always. We have new “I would love to see programmers take
gateways to our products that we have never control of their stations’ playlists and not
had before — Echo, Google Home, smart continue to concede them to 20-week records.
TVs, podcasting, etc. Strategies that include There is a ‘life of song’ formula, and I don’t
everything from street team activations, sta- believe that it’s playing a song 90 times a
tion branding, imaging, and jock talk to social week for 15 weeks to get to 1,300-plus spins
media engagement must keep the ‘new world’ and then moving on.”
of listening in mind while also balancing the What would Cook change about the radio
need to get ratings terrestrially. Specifically to industry? “The one thing I would change about
the Country format, our listeners are so pas- the radio industry comes from the outside,” he
sionate about the product that once you get says. “I understand that digital is sexy today; I
them through any number of channels, the get that the streaming services are sexy today.
product has to be perfect — the right music, But I wish that everyone would realize that
jocks, and promotions.” radio is the one service that consistently deliv-
ers millions of listeners each week.”
Steve Geofferies smiles with his mom and dad.

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