Posted by chicagomedia.org on July 03, 2008 at 08:03:16:
Christmas comes early for Clear Channel's rising star
To some, he'll always be the guy with the sunny disposition and the Ferris Bueller grin who started Christmas too early.
The radio whiz kid who decreed that all-Christmas music should begin airing right after Halloween just got rewarded with a move up the corporate ladder.
After three years as vice president of programming and operations for Clear Channel Radio in Chicago, Darren Davis this week was promoted to senior vice president of programming for the company.
"My hat is off to him," said Earl Jones, president and market manager of Clear Channel Radio in Chicago. "When you look at all that Darren has done in just a few years, it's remarkable. For that to be recognized not only by us here but by the company speaks volumes."
Davis, 35, a native of Bakersfield, Calif., and graduate of the George Washington University, began in radio at WASH-FM in Washington, D.C., fetching breakfast for the morning show. By the time he was 24, he'd worked up to program director of the station. After stints in Houston and Detroit, he came here in 2005.
Although he'll be based in Chicago, Davis no longer will oversee Clear Channel's six stations here -- WGCI-FM (107.5), WVAZ-FM (102.7), WLIT-FM (93.9), WKSC-FM (103.5), WNUA-FM (95.5) and WGRB-AM (1390).
As he prepares for his new challenge, Davis reflected on his tenure in Chicago:
Q. What does your new position entail?
A. I'll work with 24 markets from Nashville to Honolulu. It's 148 stations total, so I'll be doing a fair amount of traveling. The job, in a nutshell, is to help where I can to grow the audiences. I'll be that objective observer who can offer perspective to the local markets so they can make the best decisions.
Q. What was your proudest accomplishment here?
A. Having so many of our stations clogging up the Top 10 ratings ranker is a hard job, so it makes me very proud. But ultimately, the best thing I've done is put Melissa Forman back onto the Lite after my little Whoopi Goldberg boo-boo.
Q. What's unique about Chicago radio?
A. Chicago cares more about its radio stations and personalities than most markets do. It's like a small Midwestern town that just happens to have big buildings. The people are friendly. The scenery is beautiful. But, oh by the way, we're the third-largest media market in America. That all comes together for a really neat dynamic that is reflected in the media outlets too.
Q. You've had the Lite playing Christmas music Nov. 2. Now admit it: Isn't that just too early?
A. Dear Mr. Scrooge . . . It's never too early! Ho, Ho, Ho! But with [the launch of Arbitron's] Portable People Meter measurement, we probably won't start on Nov. 2 anymore. We'll wait until Nov. 3 instead! [Laughs.]
Q. Is it true you saved the smooth jazz format from extinction at WNUA?
A. I don't know about having "saved" it. But WNUA was not headed in the right direction a few years ago. There were some real struggles. And we've turned the corner and boosted both the ratings and the revenue.
I have a real soft spot in my heart for 'NUA. Actually, last night as I drove up Lake Shore Drive listening to the station, I got a little sad that my new duties won't have me involved in 'NUA.
Q. You've got syndicated shows airing in drive time on WGCI, WVAZ and WNUA. Shouldn't radio -- especially in a market this size -- be local?
A. Ultimately, localism is indeed a very important part for terrestrial radio. It's our biggest overt benefit that satellite and iPods cannot offer. But a good programmer can find a balance between great syndicated products and live local talent. Steve Harvey fits beautifully on 'GCI because (a) he's got a great show and (b) we have that show surrounded round-the-clock with top-notch local superstar talent to keep the local 'GCI vibe.
Q. How do you manage to stay so damn cheerful all the time?
A. It's job No. 1 to stay positive. There's no reason to treat people badly. No need to be mean just because you're the boss. No matter how busy I get, I tell myself all the time that compared to what most people do to earn a living, we radio people are so lucky and should cherish every day. A lot of people get bogged down in day-to-day minutiae and let themselves get into a funk. I always try to stay upbeat and happy.
If a radio building is filled with a bunch of grumpy, mean, bitter people, the product is going to sound pretty bad when it comes out of the speakers. The job of a leader, in radio or any business, is to inspire people and show them the way they need to go. You can't inspire people if you're a grump.
(Feder)