IVANA CONDUCTS AN IM LIAISON BEHIND LENNY’S BACK

Ivana: So Dave, Lenny must be out buying every copy of the LA Times for his scrapbook project, would you mind filling in until he returns?
DaveBeasing: Obviously you got my check. Glad to.
Ivana: You’re off to Cleveland tomorrow--did you lose a bet? What's going on there?
DaveBeasing: Believe it or not, it's probably the last remaining city of any size that I haven't visited on this crazy 8-year North American Tour for Jacobs Media. Besides that, we're doing our 10th Annual Jacobs Summit at the R&R Convention. You've heard of that magazine, right?
Ivana: Yeah, Max used to work there. I can't believe I'm missing the 10th Summit! Happy Anniversary! Will you be offering any pearls of wisdom like Tom Calderone's pronouncement that "the Internet is the CB Radio of the '90s?"
DaveBeasing: Yes, I'm planning to totally dis text messaging now. Actually, personally, I'm excited to be moderating a panel called "What Men Want." Guess I'm somewhat of an expert. That's at 2:30, right after Little Steven Van Zandt (Can I mention him? Did he pay his bill yet?) delivers our keynote speech at 1:30.
Ivana: Little Steven hosts my favorite radio show, “Little Steven’s Underground Garage.” And what DO men want?
DaveBeasing: and my favorite TV show. Or to be correct, it's not TV, it's HBO. We're taking our chances on Little Steven, because he's on the record as saying that consultants are part of what's wrong with radio. But we want him to speak his mind.
Ivana: If he doesn't say what you want, will he be sleeping with the fishes in Lake Erie?
DaveBeasing: with Hoffa...
Ivana: How’s the state of NeoRadio?
DaveBeasing: NeoRadio just helped KNRK in Portland to their best ratings book ever. KXRK in Salt Lake is #1 18-34 by a mile. KCXX in Riverside/San Bernardino is alive again, up a half share 12+ and starting to post impressive 25-54 numbers. KNDD used Neo to keep a well-marketed competitor (who had hired away their morning show) from ever getting off the ground. FM 94/9 in SD just posted their best month in over a year -- extrapolating #4 25-54. KEDJ in Phoenix is doing great. Need I say more, or is Lenny back from the newsstand yet?
Ivana: Not yet. It’s interesting that the 10th year of the Summit is also the 10-year anniversary of the Foo Fighters, as they post the biggest sales debut in their career. Especially when you consider the format exploded after Nirvana. How are things going at Q101 in Chicago?
DaveBeasing: Mike Stern is finding out what Steve Jobs also knows: "Shuffle" is a powerful concept. Wish it weren't too late to service mark it. Yeah, how about those Foos, eh? And what a great interview Dave Grohl is, the funniest guy in Rock n' Roll. If they weren't selling so many CDs, I'd offer him mornings in St. Louis.
Ivana: Six months ago, we discussed the state of the format. You said it was in a period of transition but that you were optimistic. How say you now?
DaveBeasing: Now I'm very excited. We're selling CDs again and we're posting some healthy ratings. Everything is cyclical, of course. Too bad that some stations (none of mine, by the way) bailed on the format when it was at the bottom, about to go back up. Just like the stock market, I think you're supposed to sell high and buy low. In radio, we often give up when we're at the bottom of a cycle.
Ivana: Are you bullish on the format?
DaveBeasing: Extremely. We have great music again. It's testing through the roof. And it's also exciting to see adult variations on the format. Some of our Neo stations are getting great 25-54 numbers, and still playing the hits.
Ivana: Will Fred Jacobs be in Cleveland doing his best Kevin Kline-in-A Fish Called Wanda impersonation?
DaveBeasing: Paul probably looks more like Kevin than Fred. Fred looks like...um... Fred. They and brother Bill are "the Rabbis of radio," you know.
Ivana: I thought that was Mike Stern?
DaveBeasing: Mike is now known as "Jewbacca" to listeners of Q101's afternoon show.
Ivana: Gee, that’s not offensive. Speaking of movie icons, I’ve been told Johnny Depp looks like me in the poster for Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It’s very strange.
DaveBeasing: Nice to be compared to Johnny Depp, even if you're a woman! Hey, Lynn Barstow is on the phone, and he's counting on me to say smart things about his new KROX morning show. Wish you were coming to Cleveland! It rocks, you know.
Ivana: I got my start at A&M Records in Cleveland! Check this out: The Official Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Film Site
DaveBeasing: OMG -- that is you! Except you hate kids.
Ivana: I don't hate kids. I hate immature radio programmers
DaveBeasing: same thing
Ivana: Who is Lynn's new morning show?
DaveBeasing: Mike Moxey, who did mornings in Albuquerque (where he says Tom Calderone taught him the value of benchmarks years ago) and Jason, who has been at the station for a while. They're really meshing well together. And Lynn really has the whole station sounding great. He's excited because he snagged tickets to -- not 1, but -- TWO Indians games during the convention. And you know they even named the baseball stadium Jacobs Field in our honor. Should be fun this week!
Ivana: I want photos! Will you be singing the National Anthem?
DaveBeasing: Actually I'm doing a Francis Scott Key vs. Men Without Hats mash-up. It'll be great. Gotta run. I don't know what everybody is bitching about. You've been really nice.
Ivana: Have fun in Cleveland
DaveBeasing: Will do. Thanks!