Chris Ebbott has several impressive titles under his belt. Including Senior Vice President of Programming across all Audacy Los Angeles stations, Program Director for K-EARTH 101, 94.7 The Wave and KNX News 97.1 FM, and Classic Hits Format Captain.
He started out in the business in radio syndication in affiliate sales and worked for a small company, then quickly moved into programming, where he wrote and produced the show “Hit Line USA” with Elvis Duran and did long-form and short-form shows for Entertainment Tonight radio.
Ebbott later moved into the Country format, including the Country Music Radio Award-winning, “CountryLine USA,” among other national shows. He also programmed four shows in Phoenix. Then moved to Los Angeles and became Assistant Program Director and Music Director for Hot AC Star 98.7. Other cities Ebbott worked in before going back to LA 11 years ago include Tampa, Phoenix and Toronto.
When it comes to ratings, mass appeal and market dominance, K-Earth is one of the biggest stations in Southern California and the country. It serves both LA and Orange County, two communities that must be carefully considered when strategically planning a winning strategy for the community.
“I wouldn’t say they are vastly different,” says Ebbott. “Southern California is more homogeneous than different. For example, we have a Classic Hits station down in San Diego, Sunny 98.1 (KXSN-FM), that is similar to K-EARTH. When we test the music, it’s aligned. There’s a different vibe and more local feel, but general stationality is very similar.”
“And while a lot of stations in the market share much of the same gold libraries, including some of our sister stations, we can’t worry about what other brands are doing and that includes people in our own building.”
“The way people use radio now is very different from what it was ten years ago, when people had two banks of presets. Now we’re lucky if they have three presets. Our competition comes from beyond radio. It’s about having an intense focus on your brand and how it interacts with the audience. We stay relevant by pushing boundaries in our format.”
“Musically, the tendency in this format is to believe you stand for a style and an era of music. When, really, you stand for representing a certain demographic. New people come in that demographic, and people age out of that demographic every year.”
“One of the things I’m most proud of is when listeners tell us on social media, over the phone, or write letters that say, ‘I can’t believe K-EARTH is playing blank.’ I think that’s a necessary thing. It’s like in the old days, Top 40 stations used to wear repetition as a badge of honor, and it was important to be known as a station that played the same songs over and over again. I think it’s important for us to have that sense or image of ‘I can’t believe they’re playing this,’ or ‘I didn’t know that was a K-EARTH song.’”
I asked Ebbott if the new three-minute PPM rule was having any impact on the station or ratings. “It hasn’t changed our programming strategy,” he says. “The average quarter-hour rating is up, so that’s a positive. I think the same principles apply in five minutes or three minutes. You either view it as extra credit for what we did get or a more accurate representation of what we’ve always had.”
Southern California has experienced its fair share of natural or social disasters over the last few years. I wanted to know what Ebbott’s stations bring to the community when they occur.
“Music stations, especially as the industry has embraced voice tracking and new technologies, have the danger of becoming less connected to the community,” he warns. “One of the core values of K-EARTH is that we are unabashedly involved and reflective of our community. Back a couple of years ago, when Kobe Bryant died on Sunday, January 26, 2020, I was at the farmer’s market when I got the news, so I called K-EARTH 101’s morning show.”
“The crew drove in and went on the air for five hours. We stopped all music and took phone calls. This city was hurting; they did not need to hear music at that point; they needed to have a conversation with trusted friends. We have leaned into the reality of the world we live in.”
“We do not shy away from COVID, protests, and natural disasters. Or other news when it involves our community, we do that with a specific brand and viewpoint. We always want to be the most positive place on the dial. So, we approach those difficult topics and natural disasters by being the positive voice, not in a disingenuous way, but in a way of acknowledging that this is happening in our community.”
“Another recent example is when the morning show had a great idea for ‘Buy a Firefighter Breakfast,’ this past Valentine’s Day in Alta Dena. We thought, let’s show some love for firefighters on Valentine’s Day in one of the hardest-hit areas of the fires. It’s about meeting the city where it is and meeting the audience where they are.”
As for what Ebbott looks for in A+ Talent, it’s short and simple: “I look for great communicators, people who are well-rounded, good human beings, have honesty, integrity. A good work ethic and those who approach the job with a sense of curiosity.”
And as for what’s missing in the industry right now. “I would like to see more stations and programmers taking chances,” says Ebbott. “We know the trajectory of the status quo. We shouldn’t operate out of fear. To get back in the pop culture conversation, let’s try some shit. If it doesn’t work, fail fast and try something else.”
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Charese Fruge’ is an award-winning Content, Broadcast, and Marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, San Diego, and Las Vegas. As the owner of MC Media, she works with radio brands and individual talent, especially young women, helping them grow their brands and negotiate on their own behalf. She is also a Voice Actor and Voice Over Talent as well as a Freelance Writer for International Broadcast Outlets. Find her at @MCMediaOnline or www.mcmediaonline.com.
