Best PD in Seattle

[radioprofessor]

Reading the thread on programmers who are on the air leads me to ask the question: Who is the best PD in Seattle? Let's set some criteria for good programmers:

1. A track record of success, ideally in this market or nationally.
Have they been a winner? Do they adapt to change? Does the station adapt?

2. Are they leaders?
Do they inspire loyalty with their staff and managers. Are they respected in the market among clients?

3. Are they creative?
Anyone can follow, do they create great promotions, provide innovative format adjustments and talent coaching.

4. Are they recognized within the industry as a leader?

5. Are they honest and fair with talent, sales and listeners?


My view is that Seattle radio is quite average, yet some programmers seem to have a following based on some earlier threads. I would be curious as to the
criteria and rational for the percieved success of local programmers, many who have been here for some time. There is a long list of Seattle PD's that are not doing well in bigger markets. Preston and Mays in SF come to mind. Others have had huge success like Brian Thomas in NY. In my view, if PD's meet the above criteria they are the best at what they do.

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

OK, I'll have a go at this.

Best PDs: Carey Curelop, Jay Kelly and Eric Powers. They meet all five of your criteria.

Worst PDs: Lazlo, and whoever's running Movin' (sad, ain't it that no one even cares who's PD?).

You didn't ask about the AMs - but IMO there isn't a good PD among the group. Arquette hasn't done much to reinvent KIRO other than window dressing, and Dennis Kelly isn't what I would call a "top PD".

 

[c daye]

Dave Logan is legendary....WCBS, one of the founders of XM, etc. Currently KBSG. Waiting for and watching innovations there.

 

[Johny947]

If you think that Jay Kelly (fake name) meets the criteria of numbers 2 & 5... then you have never worked for him. I wanted to reply to this an hour ago, but I've been laughing to hard at that notion to type.

If anyone names Dave Richards on this list, I'll be back to tell you again how wrong you are (ryan castle deserves the respect at KISW, not Dave... which is also a fake name, perfect for a fake PD)

 

[radioprofessor]

I have ignored the AM dial for the most part, which reflects the ratings in the market. KOMO PD Dennis Kelly has a strong national reputation as a consultant and clearly meets criteria 1,3 and 4 based on success in the consulting arena, particularly with Bonneville. I am surprised he is working for Fisher and not Bonneville in this market. Arquette does not have the national reputation, but has made changes to KIRO.

I would agree that Carey Curelop fits the criteria, except number 4. It is difficult for programmers in non-contemporary formats to get national acclaim. Carey would top my list in this market along with the PD at KCMS and the PD at KWJZ, she has a strong national reputation. The PD's of KUBE, KJR, KPLZ and KOMO would fit three out of the five categories (1,3,4), the other criteria would be internal and only known to staff and those that deal with them in the market. I have not been in town long enough to get a fair read on these criteria.

 

[mammaknowsbest]

Ms Hart at Clear Channel, Carol at KWJZ and don't ya find it interesting that when S. Stewart returns to program music at KMTT they jump to number one. These are the strongest PD's in town. Weak are all am stations which are irreleevent. KZOK is off t he shelf Classic ROCK with no competition, same for KUBE and KCMS. Get real. The real answer to this question is there are no real good PD's left in seattle. Most have been promoted like ms hart or moved on like Chris, liza and other talents. Ya ya sad.

 

[djdan]

PD's that have been here a while, do well on sales calls and seem to deliver ratings in their demographics, in alphabetical order:
Becky Brenner/KMPS
Carey Curelop/KZOK
Jay Kelly/KJR-FM
Kent Phillips/KPLZ
Eric Powers/KUBE

Only Jay Kelly's KJR-FM are not top ten billing stations in the market as well.

 

[monkeygirl]

don't ya find it interesting that when S. Stewart returns to program music at KMTT they jump to number one. KZOK is off t he shelf Classic ROCK with no competition...Get real. The real answer to this question is there are no real good PD's left in seattle. Ya ya sad.

When did Shawn Stewart return to program music at KMTT? She was hired to be the Music Director and midday talent. And because KZOK is the only pure Classic Rock station in town that diminishes Carey Curelop's talent and regard as a Program Director?

What does 'ya ya' mean, anyway, outside of a book and flim which have nothing to do with radio?

 

[mammaknowsbest]

Those who know ya ya, know what it is. Read the book again. Monkey you are kidding right?? I love this line:

WHEN DID SHAWN STEWART RETURN TO PROGRAM MUSIC AT KMTT? SHE WAS HIRED TO BE THE MUSIC DIRECTOR...

What does a music director do if not program music?? Mamma is laughing hard right now. Ya ya funny!
Go Shawn!

 

[Oscar6man]

Jay Kelly? BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! He's ruined KJR-FM.

 

[monkeygirl]

I'm not going to read the book just to try and figure out why you use the phrase as an adjective so often. I thought if I asked, you might be kind enough to tell me, but it's not important, I was just curious.

In commerical radio, most stations have a Program Director and a Music Director. The Music Director's job is generally to act as a liason between the record labels and the Program Director, screening music and bringing it to a weekly music meeting for the PD to make the final decision on whether it gets played or not. Duties do vary from station to station, company to company and market to market, though. The Program Director is normally the one who programs the music, hence the title. Shawn Stewart was KMTT's Music Director when Chris Mays was the Program Director. She also subsequently was given the midday airshift in addition to her MD duties. When Chris Mays went to San Francisco, Shawn Stewart was promoted to Program Director. She 'exited' KMTT and was re-hired as the Music Director and midday host and Kevin Welch is now KMTT's Program Director.

Normally, I wouldn't address this mistake, but in a thread that's about current Program Directors, you're giving credit to Shawn Stewart for Kevin Welch's job and bestowing his job title on her. Shawn Stewart was (and likely will be again) a fine PD and does deserve a lot of credit, but not for this (unless I'm mistaken about the dates the ratings cover) and she is not KMTT's current Program Director.

I'm ya ya sorry I wasn't clear in my first ya ya post on this.

Go, Shawn, indeed!

 

[slickkicker]

Six minute breaks followed by lame content makes me reach for the I-Pod. If I were 22 again I'd demand that the control freak give me a station to play with.

In the last 18 months most outlets have had incredible opportunities to expand with HD. I still havn't sampled any of the "other" channels provided by Seattle radio. There's nothing there.

The best PD in this town will take one of there "obscure" outlets and let some kid go for it. We're waiting.

 

[Bongwater]

I'm not going to read the book just to try and figure out why you use the phrase as an adjective so often. I thought if I asked, you might be kind enough to tell me, but it's not important, I was just curious.....

My wife cleared me up on some of this "ya-ya" stuff. "It's some boring chick movie that I'd rather have an aneurysm than watch again."

"Does it have anything to do with radio?"

"As much as Sudoku, what's this about anyway?"

She read Mamma's posts and said "She's probably doing some off-air thing in a research department somewhere. Just let it go and let her run wild..."

 

[Ron_Obvious]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I have been operating under the assumption that the ya-yas to which mama refers are different than those the Rolling Stones urged us to "get out" back in 1970.

 

[Bongwater]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I have been operating under the assumption that the ya-yas to which mama refers are different than those the Rolling Stones urged us to "get out" back in 1970.

Agreed (and I have that record somewhere), but the context in which Mamma was using it isn't even CLOSE....

 

[Radio-Yo-Ho]

Worst Mama in Seattle

I am embarrassed by Mama. She bases everything on sex.
She LOVES Shelly Hart, Shawn Stewart and Carol Hanley simply because they're female. She's sexist and doesn't even realize it. Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm all for equality, but not at the expense of professionalism. Just because we don't have penis' doesen't mean we're better than the rest. C'mon! This business is still male dominated, but lets give credit where it's due, not where there's no penis.
Ya ya stupid.

 

[Rhythmon]

Ms Hart at Clear Channel, Carol at KWJZ and don't ya find it interesting that when S. Stewart returns to program music at KMTT they jump to number one. These are the strongest PD's in town.

I think Shawn Stewart had some positive input and minor accomplishments in her short year as KMTT Program Director, but was well on her way to becoming an influential and extra-ordinary PD, when she was canned by Exitcom - good thinking boys: fire someone who thinks differenly than you. That's progressive! I'm glad Kevin Welch had the foresight to hire her back as MD.

I don't know anything about Carol at KWJZ, so: no comment.

Mama - you're praising Shelli Hart at Clear Channel? Mid-days on KUBE, PD at Funky Monkey and also PD at Q-Country? THAT Ms. Hart? She's had impact as a Seattle PD? Please. She doesn't even make any of the decisions! They've got her stretched too thin, to a point where she can't even answer her own telephone, let alone do a quality job of Programming a station. She was at the right place at the right time, and willing to take it on. Can you say Peter Principle?

The best PD in Seattle is Kevin Cole - KEXP. Non-comm or not - he gives his audience what they desire - and wins his demo.

 

[Bongwater]

I can't really say exactly WHO is the best PD in Puget Sound, (but I do listen to KPLU a LOT-some damn FINE music on 88.5/88.1/88.7/91.1/90.1/89.3/the internet, wherever you are.) But I say it's the PDs who not only care about the hardcore target demos, but listen to casual listeners input as well. For me, it's KPLU, for my wife, KEXP and for commercials, my girls LOVE KBKS (but they're still in that single digit age bracket.) For me, I'd say currently, KZOK rules above all else....

So there! That settles it.....