Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Interview with Josh Venable of KDGE 102.1 The Edge
Josh Venable kindly offers up some insight and advice on radio airplay.
Alan posted a blog post a few days ago about trying to launch "Radio Request Day."
I offered up some of my thoughts and opinions, but as much as I hate to admit it, I ain't no expert. So I went to one local expert, Josh Venable who hosts Overnights with Josh (10 PM - 5 AM - M-F), as well as the extremely popular, award-winning show, The Adventure Club (Sundays 6-9 PM), and asked him a few questions.
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TG: Can you give us a brief overview as to how KDGE 102.1 The Edge decides on the regular weekly playlist/rotation?
Josh: "My boss, me and Chris [Ryan] sit in a room every Tuesday for a few hours listening to stuff we think may be good for the station. We look at what sells here, what is getting played around the country, what videos are big, what is being downloaded a lot, what tests well with listeners, requests, etc. We take all of this into account after we decide what we actually like and think the majority of listeners will as well."
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TG: What is the best way for local and/or regional artists to be considered for airplay on The Edge?
Josh: "Send it to me and Chris for consideration on the Local Show and AC [Adventure Club]"
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TG: What is the criteria for submitting music for possible airplay on The Adventure Club and The Local Show and what are the proper procedures for submitting music?
Josh: "No real criteria and procedures, put it in an envelope and send it on vinyl or cd. I can't speak for Chris but I hate mp3 and tape."
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TG: How do you (both personally and professionally) find new music (Internet, radio, music blogs, record stores)?
Josh: "I try to listen to everything people send and friends mostly. My friends and I try to tell each other about stuff as much as possible."
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TG: There is a blog post on TexasGigs.com that states:
"I'm tired of local music being relogated to Sunday radio shows during throwaway hours. I argue that people would be more interested in hearing local music if DJs would find some songs that they liked by local artists and put them into their regular rotation. If you think thats way to logical to actually happen, then you are right. The radio stations will argue that they play what the people want to hear. So my proposal is that we pick a day next month and have listener request day. You may be asking "But Alan - what is listener request day?". To which I would respond "No problem (insert your name here), I'll tell you...Listener request day is when all the people who are interested enough in local music to read TexasGigs get together and all call a single radio station throughout the day and request the music of a single local artist."
Lets see if we can get a radio station to put one local artist in rotation. Once that has happened, lets try for another. The Sunday shows just aren't good enough. With the talent we have in DFW, we need the local artists played side by side with the mainstream artists."
I personally look forward to Sunday radio because I know I'll hear things from local/regional bands throughout the night starting with The Adventure Club and ending with the KTCU Good Show. I also learn a lot about national and international indie bands. I don't consider Sunday nights "throwaway hours" but I've heard this argument a few times before. What are your thoughts?
Josh: "Growing up I listened to the AC from 7-10 every Sunday then watched 120 Minutes after that. It was the night I most looked forward to. Local music gets played during the week, just not the local bands some people want. Cant make everyone happy."
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TG: Do local bands played on The Adventure Club and the Local Show have a better chance of going into regular rotation than just sending in CDs to the weekday on-air-personalities or the program director?
Josh: "I guess so. Chris and I know what requests well on our shows."
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TG: Knowing what you know after your many years in professional radio what advice would you offer bands - or - let's say you are no longer a successful radio personality, rather you are an up-and-coming local musician, how would you market and promote your band to get the most exposure?
Josh: "Don’t give up. Darlington brought about 50 cds up here the other day and left them for everyone in the office. 99% of those people had never heard of him. 80% may have hated it. It got his name to them though."
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TG: Can you name off just a few local bands that are played on a regular basis on KDGE 102.1 The Edge?
Josh: "I hear Black Tie Dynasty a bit. You’re going to start hearing them more I think. Flyleaf are from Temple. Blue October from Houston. In the past there has been Space Cadet, Edgewater, Jibe, The Vanished, The Feds, Chomsky, Eisley, Tripping Daisy, Toadies, Flickerstick. Anyhoo, just because it’s local doesn’t make it good. Never understood the “we need more local music on the radio” argument."
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In addition to the Overnights with Josh and The Adventure Club, Josh also spins at Thomas & Leggett starting at 10:30 PM every Sunday.
Josh also will be hosting a series of showcases at The Cavern:
Saturday, June 3rd - The Tah-Dahs / I Love Math / Red Lights (Glen from Chomsky)
Saturday, July 1st - Pleasant Grove / Peter Schmidt & His Gentlemen Scholars / Jack with One Eye
Saturday, August 8th - Black Tie Dynasty (more to be announced later)
So as you can see, Josh is an avid supporter of the local scene (and well beyond) and I, for one, am proud to have him around.
Alan had a great point about requesting your favorite local bands if you want to hear them on The Edge. Make your calls and send your emails - below is contact information:
Clear Channel Radio
14001 North Dallas Parkway
Suite 300
Dallas, TX 75240
Business Hours:
Monday through Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm
*Business hours may vary due to holidays
Request Line - (214) 787-1102
chris@kdge.com
jessie@kdge.com
ayo@kdge.com
josh@kdge.com
bret@kdge.com
bobby@kdge.com
lou@kdge.com
Mike Orren, says:
First, great interview. Nice thinking on Cindy's part to do this now, and glad Josh was so candid.
A few disconnected reactions:
*"We look at what sells here, what is getting played around the country, what videos are big, what is being downloaded a lot, what tests well with listeners, requests, etc."*
We have a couple of tools we could/should offer to radio stations who are interested in playing local music and want some outside validation beyond their own tastes. One, there is our weekly top downloads chart: http://www.texasgigs.com/downloads/top/.
It's admittedly a little skewed right now because of the Mavs theme songs playing well. But once you cut through that and "Barbie Doll" (Don't you ALL have that one by now?), it provides a rough indicator of local music that is popular with our readers.
Another tool that we would potentially be willing to share is our traffic stats. We know exactly how many times every band page on our site gets hit. We will share that info with any advertiser, and I'd share it for free with a radio station that was serious about playing local music. (Hint: Beyond our Mavs song stars -- like PPT, Lazer, The Feds, Honchie -- Big Tuck, Levi Smith and Midlake all deserve some love.)...
Staff
3 years, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Blair Lovern, says:
This has nothing to do with anything, but if a Tim Burton animation came to life it would be Robert Smith.
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3 years, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Mike Orren, says:
...
I'll certainly agree with the first statement. However, here's my take on the "need more local music on the radio argument."
From the audience perspective, that argument makes more sense if you believe (as I do) that live performance is what ultimately most connects people to music. And that the more passionate people are about music, the better customers they are for radio stations. The fact is that you only get one chance a year to see Coldplay (if you must). But, local music is something you can connect to and then see live much more immediately. I think that's important.
But here's why I think that local music on the radio is critical for the survival of that medium. The Edge is a fine station. There are other fine stations in town. But except for Sunday nights, there is absolutely nothing on local radio that I can't get and in greater quantity and variety on satellite. Or streaming from a free service like Last.fm. Or my Ipod. The national acts you play are, in this media age a commodity.
The only way radio (and this is obviously painfully similar to my arguments about newspapers) can regain audience and advertisers is deliver something unique. What can The Edge or any other station deliver that is unique?
If there's a better answer than local, I don't know what it is.
Sure, you say-- but if we're not playing the latest Red Hot Chili Peppers or Coldplay or Hoobastank, or Green Day then people will turn the dial. Fair enough -- you need to give people some familiar stuff.
BUT: I've never bought that conventional wisdom. Lemme hear from somebody who's actually tried it in the last ten years -- beyond a distinct Sunday night show, and I'll pipe down. I'd like to see hard numbers on what happens to listenership if you make the last song of every hour a local act. AND let the acts know up front that it's coming so they can pimp it out on MySpace.
My guess-- Your listenership goes up and people start actually having a passionate relationship with their local radio station again. Hey, if I'm wrong I'm wrong. But like all traditional media, I wonder that radio isn't conventional wisdoming itself to death.
In the end, radio stations have no obligation to play anything they don't want to. And if the focus groups are treating you well, God bless.
But I wonder if the radio I grew up with, and that made me passionate about music, isn't already too far down the road to irrelevance. Only those who experiment will ever know.
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3 years, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Mike Orren, says:
And if anyone cares, Darlington's page on this site was viewed 143 times last month, roughly double the average for our 1,000+ bands. That puts him in a similar league traffic-wise with Red Monroe, Chatterton, Jordan Mycoskie, Upside and The Valentines.
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ScottChaffin, says:
Woof. Mr. Smith needs to exercise some. He's as big as me.
Anonymous
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tdkenne, says:
Want to listen to a great local band try ADDNERIM you will like what you hear.
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