As we've been telling you about, in recent days, October 24th is the release date for the very popular Radio Ink 2011 issue highlighting Radio's Best Program Director's. The experience we've had interviewing and interacting with PD's all over the country has been very rewarding. They are all so passionate about the business and doing something they've always loved to do. Radioink.com gives us an opportunity to give readers more detail about these successful individuals and what drives them to be winners. In today's PD spotlight, it will come as no surprise that Chuck Knight is on our list. Knight is the Program Director of WBEB in Philadelphia.
WBEB is owned by the legendary Jerry Lee. Lee could easily retire, kick back in a nice comfy recliner, open a bottle of snapple or two and enjoy the artisitc scenery of historic Philadelphia. Instead Lee is still punching his way through another "big idea" and passionately telling that story to everyone he runs into. That passion for the radio industry leaks onto all of his employees and Chuck Knight is one of them. Knight says "I?m lucky to be doing something very few of us in the world are doing, I?m living my life-long dream. Radio is all I?ve wanted to do since I was seven years old."
Knight started his radio career in Sioux Falls, SD, where you do everything. "My first opportunity to program was in La Crosse, WI. I then loved programming in Des Moines, IA, a radio station I listened to as I was growing up. Programming in Indianapolis at Emmis' home office was a wonderful experience. Programming Pyramid?s Philly station in the mid-90s got me to a top 10 market. Returning to the Saga family in Columbus, OH was like going home. I worked for and with a lot of GREAT people and every single one of them taught me something."
Knight says his biggest career accomplishment is programming B101 in Philly, calling it the greatest radio station in America. "I?m honored that owner Jerry Lee and VP/GM Blaise Howard trust me to program this legendary radio station. I?m very thankful to our current team and everyone from the past. Collectively, they are the people who have made this radio station the greatest. The most fulfilling things I?ve been involved with in my career are the community events where we?ve been able to make a difference in people?s lives. Children?s Hospital fund raising marathons, helping the needy and nice though various causes and funds, blood drives, those kinds of things. They are what I remember more vividly than any ratings success or awards."
On success. Knight says a successful PD is the passionate rudder for his/her radio station. "It?s someone who can hear in their mind what the station should and can sound like and then be able to communicate that sound to the talent. A successful PD is one who is meticulous in assembling a great team and then spends time with them individually to give them complete confidence in what they?re doing. A successful PD works for his/her employees, taking care of the details and getting rid of the distractions so the talent has only to focus on execution. In my opinion, a successful PD is one who is conservatively aggressive on music and marketing issues."
Congratulate Chuck for being on our list by sending him a note HERE
To read more about Radio's passionate PD's subscribe to Radio Ink Today or pick up a digital subscription for a year for only $49.00 starting with our Randy Michaels cover story issue. Your $49.00 subscription also includes back issues at no charge and live links to all website featured in our stories.
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