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Time well spent with ...
Sam Weaver, PD of KRNB-FM (105.7) in Dallas.
Sam Weaver is a veteran PD with experience in a variety of formats and with a variety of owners. The last decade has found
him working for two of the most successful small radio companies in the country - the Carter family in Kansas City and Service
Broadcasting in Dallas. Weaver is a fascinating programmer. His views are clear cut and he uninhibited. One thing is for sure
- his record speaks for itself - he is one hell of a programmer.
Star - What made you want to get into radio?
SW - I got into radio in college - I couldn't go home every weekend, so I got involved at the college's station. I started
to like it. Originally, I was studying journalism. One thing led to another and then there I was also working at a commercial
station. So I put together an air check and with four years of experience, I got two offers. Ended up in Amarillo, Texas...
a Top 40 station. Stayed there for six months, but worked my ass off and practiced a lot. That's all I did. Went to St. Louis
next, which was my hometown. I didn't care about what format - it was all radio to me. Bartell Radio was the chain at the
time. Legendary people came through the place. I sent in my air check, didn't hear anything for awhile. I called one day and
Chuck Roberts answered the phone - he told me what he wanted me to do with my tape. So I did what he suggested and I got him
on the phone again one day by chance. He figured out I had figured when to call to get him and he said, "I like you."
And I
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You're only on when the mic is on. Thirty seconds prior - focus. You don't have to be hype the whole four hours, or you'll
get a headache, fast.
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packed my bags and headed home and started working for him.
Star - That was where you were from originally?
SW - St. Louis was my home town. I did over nights in the beginning. It was 2-6 a.m. We still had news people at that
time. Bartell was very creative. We did stuff. It was a great first market experience. Then I went to Detroit for Bartell.
Was doing 6-10 p.m. at a Top 40. Martell provided a hell of a learning program. I went in there and told them I wanted to
try programming. So I headed to WDIA-AM in Memphis to program. I wasn't even up for it and I got it. Stayed there for less
than a year. Then I was off to KDIA in San Francisco. I was working for Jerry Boulding. I was unemployed for a minute, but
then I sold advertising at the Daily Californian, a historical paper at Berkley. I sold cars for a bit. I sold five cars in
one day. It gave me some necessary lessons for radio. I saw a lot of life at the car lot. I learned a lot about people. The
No. 1 thing I learned is that people... if they like what they hear, they turn it up and if they don't like it, they turn
it down.
Star - Who have been some of your teachers, mentors and inspirations in radio?
SW - The sales manager at the car lot - I learned how to deal with promoters and
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clubs and sales managers because of him. Others include Joel Denver, Jerry Boulding, Charlie Lake, Buzz Bennett, Ken Kensey.
JoJo - he did perfect shows, perfect air checks... everything was perfect. He said something to me once - you're only on when
the mic is on. Thirty seconds prior, focus. You don't have to be hype the whole four hours, or you'll have a headache fast.
Back then, we had to talk more than nowadays, though.
Star - You came to Dallas from Kansas City. How do you like Dallas? What kind of radio market is it?
SW - It's fun here. The hispanic market is growing by leaps and bounds. They got some good radio here. I loved Kansas
City a lot. I was there for 10 years.
Star - Let's talk about Service Broadcasting, one of the few, if not the only, independent owners left in the country
in a major market. It's a known fact several of the big dogs have some in there and tried to knock Service off its thrown.
What's it like working for cats like Ken Dowd and Hyman Childs?
SW - It's easy. We walk down the hall and talk. We get it done. We come to an agreement. We change it, now. We don't have
to run it up the flag pole - we get it done. We talk. Long meetings? No. They last about 20 minutes. We make a decision and
it gets done.
Star - After working for Service and before that Carter Broadcasting, another independent, do you think you could ever
work for a big corporate monster such as Clear Channel or Radio One?
SW - Yes, it's all the same shit. It's radio. They pay. I work. You make adjustments. You
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can talk about the good old days all you want, who cares? Fix it if you don't like it. Find something else to do.
Star - What are some of the challenges you've had at KRNB and how have you dealt with them?
SW - Super Bowl teams... if you check their roster from one year to the next, they're different. Radio is about change,
too. Success is different in radio. You don't have to be No. 1 in ratings to make money in radio anymore.
Star - What's your target demo?
SW - 25-54 and anyone else that wants to listen. This market is only 13.1 percent Black and that's it. And we have this
monster down the hall called K104 that takes a big chunk of that. All we ever work on is this - "Let's just do better."
Star - What's a typical day part sound like?
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It's just music. I don't even try to judge it. If the audience perceives it's a hit, it's a hit.
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SW - Hit records. A sample hour might include Sade, Barry White, Donell Jones, Mariah Carey, Mint Condition, D'Angelo, Teddy
Pendergras, Soul II Soul, Charlie Wilson, Maze.
Star - What's your take on research? How do you go about deciding what records to play?
SW - We research the shit out of it. A hit song is one that appeals to 10 out of 10, not five out of 10. You have to play
what the masses perceive is hit music. Most urban ACs do a combination of currents and oldies. The sound has to fit, not just
be an oldie.
Star - How would you define your management style?
SW - Unique. All I care about is getting it done. I have a lot of individual jock meetings. I love that. You get more
done that way. Every time I talk to
someone it's a potential meeting, because we are always trying to strive forward. I love working with these guys - they're
a lot of fun.
Star - What do you think is a key to longevity in this crazy industry?
SW - Being able to make the right choices. Understanding how to make adjustments and understanding the sales department...
getting a feel for the complete product. I'm an observer. Sometimes things present themselves to you without you looking for
them, and you have to be open to that. I walk around this station and I watch and pay attention to everything.
Star - Comment on the state of the music industry today. Has the music gotten better or worse?
SW - It's just music. I don't even try to judge it. If the audience perceives it's a hit, it's a hit. It's what they perceive
- I have no clue.
Star - So what's in your CD player right now?
SW - Nothing. Music is cool. I've always loved it. I'm a radio guy, though. I have no attachment to any type of music.
Go to www.krnb.com for more on Sam Weaver's station.
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Coming soon -- the Starpoynt interview with the only woman with a syndicated radio show, Wendy Williams!
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