Minnesota`s

Behind the Scenes with the CBS Radio—Twin Cities Family
spring 2008
The WCCO Morning News
with Dave Lee:
Minnesota’s
Team
104.1
JACK FM:
Radio with
an attitude
INSIDE:
102.9 Lite FM’s
Teri Knight,
master gardener
Sponsored by:
“We learn how to
be healthier, just
by listening”
Live every Sunday
morning at 7:30,
Dr. Gretchen Phillips
and other experts answer
your health questions.
For an upcoming show schedule, or to
submit an “ask the doctor” question, visit
us online at fairview.org/radio.
Listen to us on:
on air • w e l c o m e
inside
A
ll of us at WCCO Radio,
102.9 Lite FM and 104.1 JACK
FM say thank you for inviting us into
your home, your car and your office
everyday. It’s a tremendous honor to
be a part of your busy life and it’s a
friendship we don’t take lightly.
When news is breaking or severe
weather is happening, we know that
Minnesota counts on WCCO Radio to
be there. It’s what WCCO is and has
been for nearly 84 years. For informative
talk and the topics that matter most to
you, WCCO doesn’t turn to syndication. We’ve found the best talk
hosts are right here in our own back yard—and broadcast neighbor
to neighbor! You’re local, so are we and WCCO belongs to all of
us. If you come for the news and talk we invite you to stay for
Wild Hockey and University of Minnesota sports programming.
Either way, you’re right at home with WCCO Radio!
102.9 Lite FM is what we call the great escape. We carefully
select the best of the best, easy to listen to hits with the goal of
making you feel good. There’s a time to unwind and Lite FM helps
you do that wherever you are. We also know your children are in
the car. Our commitment to family-friendly programming makes it
comfortable for you to have us on.
And finally, what we call the “anti” radio station JACK FM.
With no talk, and over 1,000 songs in rotation, its only nearest
competitor would be your personal iPod. There’s no station that
provides this kind of variety.
In a world with so many choices for information and
entertainment, no single radio station can be everything to everyone,
but combine the best of WCCO Radio, 102.9 Lite FM and JACK
FM and we sure come close. Thank you for making us your choice.
Behind the Scenes with the CBS Radio—Twin Cities Family
spring 2008
The WCCO Morning News
with Dave Lee:
Mary Niemeyer
Senior Vice President
CBS Radio Minneapolis
cover photo by tate carlson
Minnesota’s
Team
104.1
JACK FM:
Radio with
an attitude
INSIDE:
102.9 Lite FM’s
Teri Knight,
master gardener
Sponsored by:
On the Cover: For the second year in a
row, WCCO Radio hosted Dave Lee’s Gutter
Bowl at Brunswick Zone in Brooklyn Park.
The morning crew competed against many
other community teams to raise money for
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Dave Lee (front), Mike Lynch, Steve Enck, Josie Smith, Dan Terhaar, Tim Russell, Sid Hartman (sitting)
A4 Go Green: It’s more than just a
saying. Find out where to listen and what
to do to learn how to be kinder to the
environment this spring.
A6 Kelly Ryan: The calming voice
of 102.9 Lite FM’s Kelly Ryan echoes
through offices and shops every
weekday. Meet this busy mom who
balances her radio job with her family
life—and a love of crafts.
A8 JACK FM: You won’t find another
station like this in the area—104.1 JACK
FM has attitude, and “They Play What
They Want.”
A10 Cover story: “The WCCO Morning
News with Dave Lee”: Public service,
news and entertainment—see how the
crew of the morning show keeps it fresh
and fun after all these years and what
news story brought the team to tears.
A14 Road to Election 2008: The
political landscape seems to change
daily, so how do you keep track? See
how WCCO Radio keeps you informed of
the local and national races all year long.
A15 A Diamond-a-Day Giveaway: The
slumping economy got you down? Check
out our calendar with specific days and
times to win big on 102.9 Lite FM.
Produced and published for CBS Radio by Metropolitan
Media Group, 5001 American Blvd. W., Suite 400,
Bloomington, MN 55437. Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.
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SPRING 2008
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on air • g o g r e e n
Susie
Jones and
Eleanor
Mondale
Mondale & Jones
Go Green Minnesota
Challenge Tips
Bag It: Get a
reusable cloth bag for
the grocery store and
the dry cleaner.
A mug of your
own: Buy a reusable
Garden Bites
She co-hosts and talks traffic on “The 102.9 Lite FM
Morning Show with Cindy Barton.” But Teri Knight also
is known for playing in the dirt. Here are this master
gardener’s suggestions for “diggin’ goin’ green.”
A
s a gardener, I feel a responsibility to care for the
resources that give me such pleasure. I’m not saying
forgo electricity or indoor plumbing. Do small things
Check out Teri’s
to help ease the burden.
Garden Bite blog
There’s buzz over the diminishing bee population. You
and podcasts on
can do something about it! Plant a flower buffet of annuals
www.1029litefm.com.
and perennials that will continue blooming through three
Now, go play
seasons. Plant in mass because bees tend to stay in areas where
in the dirt!
flowers are at least three or four feet in diameter. Provide a
spot of bare earth for them to build a “home,” and have a trickle of water
available through a birdbath or soaker hose. Next time you go shopping for home cleaning supplies, consider a
houseplant. Fight indoor air pollution with a Ficus. Big-leafed plants reduce
unhealthy pollutants, airborne bacteria and fungi. And they add humidity to
the air. Place several plants in each room with space around each plant for
air circulation and you have your own air purifying machine. Don Shelby E-Day
••
••
•
Contact the direct
marketing association
at dmachoice.org/mps
to remove your name
from mailing lists.
Shut Down: Turn
off your computer any
time you’re not on it.
Go to 830wcco.com and click “Mondale &
Jones” for weekly green tips. Mondale & Jones
airs 9 a.m.–noon weekdays on 830 WCCO.
JACK’s Go Green Tips
The people at 104.1 JACK FM know a lot about
“Playing What They Want,” and they like to
focus on the music and these fun, quick tips:
Use a handcrank radio
>>
You’ll save energy,
and get great
exercise, and you can
listen to JACK!
Kill the phantom
load Unplug all of
your small appliances
(except your radio, of
course). 75 percent of
the electricity used by
many of your gadgets
is when they’re
turned off, called
phantom load. The Etón FR350
www.etoncorp.com
Change your
bulbs Use compact
fluorescent bulbs.
You’ll use 75 percent
less energy than with
traditional light bulbs.
••
••
••
••
••
••
by Teri Knight
to-go mug and a
refillable water bottle.
25 billion Styrofoam
cups are tossed in
landfills each year.
Stop Junk Mail:
Get more
going green tips at
www.1041jackfm.com.
SOURCE: U.S. DEPT OF ENERGY
One of Don Shelby’s passions is his devotion to energy and the environment. The Wednesday E-Day
segment starts at 4:10 p.m. Experts join Don to discuss wind and solar energy, tree conservation,
bio-fuels and much more. The Don Shelby Show airs 3–6 p.m. weekdays on 830 WCCO.
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ON AIR MAGAZINE
Stop treating us like garbage.
Recycling is good for the environment and our local economy. Learn what you can do at home.
recyclemoreminnesota.org
102.9 Lite FM’s
Kelly Ryan
Personality with
a personal style
By Bridgette Bornstein
L
Photo by Tate Carlson
ite FM’s Kelly Ryan hasn’t
take the personal approach. She
been in a card store in a long
makes all her greeting cards by
time. It’s not that she doesn’t
hand. In fact, she was crafting and
want to send birthday wishes to
scrapbooking well before it became
family and friends. Much like her
popular to do so.
on-air
radio
style,
she
prefers
to
Project1:Layout 1 2/18/08 8:41 AM Page 1 Kelly finds so much enjoyment in
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SPRING 2008
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ON AIR MAGAZINE
working with crafts, she goes
on scrapbooking retreats with
close friends twice a year.
“We go to a cabin and there
are 12 of us, and we laugh
and do crafts and stuff,”
Kelly says.” It’s huge and
there are so many people
that have bought houses and
converted them into places to
do scrapbooking, and they’re
booked solid.”
So, as you can imagine,
Kelly’s 16-year-old son has a
whole collection of carefully
constructed scrapbooks. Even
the older photos show his
love for music, which might
have been inspired by trips
to the radio station with mom. “I
would bring him in, and he would
sit in a production room and do his
own little show. I showed him how
to record, and he would sit with
the headphones and do his own
on air • k e l l y r y a n
“I love communicating with the listeners, talking and now e-mailing.
When we go out to the fair, [I enjoy] meeting people because it’s one
thing to know they’re there, but to actually see them and talk to them
one-on-one, it’s a lot of fun, a lot of different characters.” —Kelly Ryan
music. He’s a great kid who is also very
creative,” she says. “He’s thinking about
going to some sort of film school. He
wants to make movies.”
Kelly’s a mom, a wife and a football
fan (she cheers for the Packers). And all
of those experiences help her relate to
listeners who also juggle work and family.
“I love communicating with the listeners,
talking and now e-mailing,” she says.
“When we go out to the fair, [I enjoy]
meeting people because it’s one thing to
know they’re there, but to actually see
them and talk to them one-on-one, it’s a
lot of fun, a lot of different characters.”
In college, Kelly wasn’t thinking
she’d go into radio. She was an art
major, but as much as she loved it, she
didn’t think she could make a living as
an artist. So she gave radio a try, and
wasn’t exactly encouraged at first. “I got
a C in my announcing class in college. I
should go back to that guy and say ‘you
goofed!’” Kelly says with a laugh. She
got her first job at a station in Oshkosh,
Wis., and later worked in Rockford, Ill.
She started at 102.9 Lite FM in 1985.
“There are several other people who
have been here that long as well so we
have a very stable air staff,” she says.
The station format has stayed the same,
but the music changes through the years.
“We do play new music, but we still go
back and play some of those favorites
that people love, like Elton John and Billy
Joel,” Kelly says. “Listeners still want to
hear their favorite songs, so we try to do
a good mix.”
Kelly just had an anniversary:
23 years at 102.9 Lite FM. She hopes
she’ll stay on many more years, and
create even more memories to add
to her scrapbooks.
Kelly Ryan is on 102.9 Lite FM from
9 a.m. to 2 p.m weekdays and hosts
the “Lite Lunch” at noon.
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on air • ja c k f m
How to
Succeed Without
Really Talking
F
rom its inception, 104.1 JACK FM has
made its mark in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul market by taking
an unconventional approach to radio, bringing listeners what
they want, when they are choosing a music station: music.
JACK FM says they are “Playing What We Want,” which
has proven to be popular with listeners and means there
isn’t the chatter of talk show hosts and producers.
Instead, JACK plays thousands of songs by thousands
of different artists from a number of genres.
The station’s music library is twice that of other
stations. A group known as “Friends of JACK” has
been known to say, “It’s great! It’s like you stole all
of my music. I never know what you’re going to play
next ... or what you’ll throw at me. You always keep
me guessing.” JACK responds, ”We like to throw a lot
at you, especially the kitchen sink. We needed to get rid
of that thing. It was getting rusty, and we like clichés.”
Learn more about 104.1 JACK FM and “Playing What
We Want” by listening to the radio and online at www.1041jackfm.com.
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NAMEME MAGAZINE
(back row): Mike Lynch (meteorologist),
Dave Lee (host), Dan Terhaar (sports),
Steve Enck (producer), Tim Russell (entertainment), (front row): Josie Smith (traffic)
Dave Lee and Eric Eskola
Having a Ball
An inside look at “The WCCO
Radio Morning News with Dave Lee”
By Bridgette Bornstein
W
Don Shelby and Dave Lee interviewing
Goldie Hawn at the Starkey ‘So the
World May Hear’ Awards Gala
Photos by Tate carlson
CCO morning show host Dave
Lee never planned to come
to Minneapolis. He and his
family were perfectly happy with their lives
in Fargo. But after a couple of years being
courted by WCCO Radio, Lee finally said
yes. “My wife said, ‘why don’t you do it,
because then you can’t look back and say,
what if I tried it?’” Lee says. “So I did it, and
it’s turned out to be a good decision.” That
was 1989. Now, nearly 20 years later, Lee
is the ‘ringleader’ of “The WCCO Morning
News with Dave Lee.” And that means
getting up well before the crack of dawn,
scouring every newspaper, program and
sports score to ensure he delivers the freshest
information to listeners right when they wake
up. “I look at it from the perspective of,
‘what would I want to hear if I were turning
on the radio that morning,’” Lee says. “You
can have our radio station on for 10 minutes,
and you can know something you didn’t
know before you turned it on. And if I’m
driving to work, I want to know the news
but I also want a smile on my face.”
For the listener, the show may seem
effortless. But in the studio, it’s a rush of
people coming and going as Lee weaves
each into the conversation. He can tell
when someone should contribute, and
he’ll get their attention with just a look,
as if he’s leading a complicated dance. But
no one practices beforehand. Except for
the news, nothing is scripted.
It’s up to Lee and the rest of the team
to decide what will be the big story on the
“20 at 7”—that’s the name of the segment
of 20 minutes of uninterrupted news and
information at 7 a.m. One morning in
December, a particular story struck them
all, and they were determined to deliver it
to the listeners in a substantial way. But
it took a lot of legwork and a little luck.
They’d all read about the Fridley High
School student who used a defibrillator to
resuscitate a collapsed basketball referee.
Lee wanted to congratulate the girl,
Lindsey Paradise. News managing editor
Steve Murphy took a chance, called the
hospital and actually reached referee Dale
Wakasugi in the Intensive Care Unit. It all
came together on the air. “Dave Lee introduced Lindsey and the man whose life she
saved,” Steve Murphy says. “Wakasugi
couldn’t get the words out. We all had
lumps in our throats. Moments later the
two had a chance to talk, and it was
magical.” “You’re hearing their voices,
and you’re picturing it for yourself,”
morning show producer Steve Enck says.
“It’s an emotional, wonderful story.”
This is a humble staff with decades of
experience. Each person brings a different
expertise to the table. When news spread
of the sale of The Minnesota Wild, sports
director Dan Terhaar was traveling with
the team and was able to get some of the
first statements. News anchor Eric Eskola
Tim Russell and Dave Lee broadcasting
live in Rushford, MN for the CBS Radio
River of Relief fundraiser
Dave Lee and U of M football coach
Tim Brewster
Dave Lee with Minnesota Wild owner
Bob Naegele Jr. at the MN State Fair
ON AIR MAGAZINE
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SPRING 2008
A11
on air • c o v e r st o r y
has been covering politics for decades.
Lee knows he can ask anything related
to the Capitol or the national races, and
Eskola will have an informed, unique
perspective. WCCO’s entertainment
editor, Tim Russell, does commercials
across the country and is a regular on
Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home
Companion”—and he played Al, the
stage manager, in the movie version.
Russell is full of “characters.” “Tim
Russell likes to practice his impersonations in the hallway outside the
studio,” Murphy says, “which means,
at any given time, the rest of us hear
President Bush, Al Gore and Arnold
Schwarzenegger while we’re writing
news.” Russell says the job doesn’t
seem like work. “The great thing about
doing a morning show is you’re the first
one out of the gate with information,”
Tim Russell says. “In the overnight
hours things start to come together. We
have the first shot at it all.”
And then there are the “behind-
You can have our radio station on for 10 minutes, and
you can know something you didn’t know before you
turned it on. And if I’m driving to work, I want to know
the news but I also want a smile on my face.
—WCCO’s Dave Lee
the-scenes” antics. Eskola would
sometimes do push-ups in studio in
between segments. “There are some
people in the studio who do running
commentary during the newscast,”
news anchor Telly Memayak says,
“and I’ve learned to tune it out, it’s
pretty crazy. I call it closed captioning.”
Sometimes objects are tossed across the
studio. At the end of each show, Lee
throws all of his newspapers to studio
coordinator Dave Schultz—that’s
become something of a tradition.
And, when he’s not forecasting severe
weather, meteorologist Mike Lynch
usually ends up the butt of the joking—
like the little brother you love but tease.
“We give each other constant grief
all the time,” Mike Lynch says. “But
underlying it, there is utmost respect.
We just don’t want to get sappy about
it.” “When you grow up listening to a
station every morning,” sports director
Dan Terhaar says, “then wake up one
day and you are part of the show,
it’s pretty cool. Broadcasting legends
paved this road and I’m thrilled to
spend some time on it.”
“The WCCO Radio Morning News with
Dave Lee” airs weekdays from 5 to 9 a.m.
on 830 WCCO.
Natural Appeal
St. Croix Valley Hardwoods proudly presents
Luckwood flooring, paneling and mouldings
as a series of wood products designed to work
in coordination and harmony. Offered in both
select and rustic grades, the Luckwood family
of products can make either an elegant statement or add rustic charm. Luckwood flooring,
paneling and mouldings are offered in seven
different species: Ash, Hickory, Birch, Red Oak,
Maple, Cherry and Walnut.
As advertised by Denny Long on WCCO
For more information call 651-407-2808
or visit www.scvh.com
A12
SPRING 2008
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ON AIR MAGAZINE
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WCMAG
on air • ELEC T ION
Road to Election 2008
WCCO Radio on the campaign trail
T
his is an election year unlike any
other for WCCO Radio News. It’s
been more than a century since the
Twin Cities hosted a national
party convention, and
WCCO’s news staff
is committed to
Use WCCO Radio
as a resource for
Road to Election
2008. Listen for
extensive coverage all year.
dates to remember:
State Conventions in May and June
DNC: Aug. 25–28
RNC: Sept. 1–4
Election Night: Nov. 4
continued, extensive coverage. The
Republican National Convention
(RNC) will be at the Xcel Energy
Center in Saint Paul this September.
Through a partnership with
CBS Radio News, WCCO
will cover RNC events both
inside and outside the arena.
Veteran WCCO political
reporter Eric Eskola will
anchor the coverage in
Saint Paul as well as at
the Democratic National
Convention in Denver during the
month of August. Follow the candidates around the country as WCCO
provides front-row access to listeners
through Election Day and beyond.
Adding to the uniqueness of this
election year is WCCO’s commitment
to expanded coverage not only on the
air but also on the station Web site.
From the caucuses to the
Democratic and Republican
conventions, to election night
and beyond. 830wcco.com
is your source for in-depth
information on up-to-theminute political news.
Get candidate profiles, the
latest news, and streaming
video, blogs and much more
from WCCO 2008 election
coverage.
PLANNING
A GREAT
SUMMER
MUSIC
SERIES!
OLD LOG THEATER
Excelsior, MN • 952-474-5951
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SPRING 2008
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ON AIR MAGAZINE
Diamond-a-Day
SPONSORED BY
GIVEAWAY
Here’s How to Win: Listen to 102.9 Lite FM for the Diamond-a-Day
song of the day. When the song of the day plays in its entirety, be the
10th caller to 651.989.1029 and win a diamond from Wixon Jewelers!
Log on to www.1029litefm.com for complete details.
MONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAY
April 28, 2 p.m.April 29, 3 p.m.April 30, 4 p.m.
9955 Lyndale Ave. S.
Bloomington, MN 55420
952.881.8862
www.wixonjewelers.com
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
“You’ll Think of Me”
“She Will Be Loved”
“If You’re Gone”
Keith UrbanMaroon 5Matchbox Twenty
May 1, 3 p.m.
“The First Cut Is the Deepest”
Sheryl Crow
May 2, 4 p.m.
“Give a Little Bit”
Goo Goo Dolls
May 5, 4 p.m.May 6, 3 p.m.
“Beautiful” “Don’t Know Why”
Christina AguileraNora Jones
May 7, 2 p.m.
“Live Like You Were Dying”
Tim McGraw
May 8, 3 p.m.
“Complicated”
Avril Lavigne
May 9, 2 p.m.
“Far Away”
Nickleback
May 12, 2 p.m.
“Home”
Daughtry
May 14, 4 p.m.
“You Want To Make a Memory” Bon Jovi
May 15, 2 p.m.
May 16, 3 p.m.
“Waiting For the World to Change” “The Sweet Escape”
John Mayer
Gwen Stefani
May 13, 3 p.m.
“Before He Cheats”
Carrie Underwood
Terms: No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Limited to entrants ages 18 and older. Actual prizes may differ from those shown. For full rules, see www.1029litefm.com or send a pre-stamped/addressed envelope to: 625 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402.
ON AIR MAGAZINE
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SPRING 2008
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