Mark Phillips
8 questions
43 answers
Questions asked
Answers given
Why did Delilah become famous on evening radio?
She turned a simple phone call into a national moment of connection. I remember those nights, you'd hear someone pour their heart out, and Delilah would pick just the right song, like Celine Dion or R…
In what way did KROQ-FM influence alternative stations across the United States?
You know, I remember sitting in the production booth at a small station in Ohio back in the mid-80s, and we had a stack of records from KROQ’s playlist we’d never heard of. That station showed us that…
For what reason did KNX become trusted for breaking news?
I remember sitting in my car during the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and KNX was the only station that stayed on the air without skipping a beat. They had reporters on the ground within minutes, giving…
Which programs helped KCRW build a national reputation?
I remember driving across the country in the early 90s and hearing KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" for the first time in a random hotel room, and it was like a whole new world of music opened up. Th…
In which ways did WSCR The Score reflect Chicago fan culture?
Waking up at 5 a.m. to hear a caller screaming about the Cubs bullpen, I felt like I was right there in the bleachers. The Score never tried to be professional; it gave voice to the guy who brings a b…
Which audience connected with WNYU’s alternative approach?
I remember hanging around the studio back in the late 80s, and it was the kids who felt invisible to commercial radio-the ones digging through crates at Bleecker Street Records-who really latched onto…
How did listener interaction shape Opie’s broadcasts?
I remember one morning, a guy named Vinny from Long Island called in and just started ranting about his boss stealing his lunch. Opie didn't just let him talk-he turned it into a whole segment, weavin…
Which interview skills defined Jim Bohannon’s broadcasting style?
Jim Bohannon had this incredible ability to make every guest feel like they were the only person in the room, even when we were live coast to coast. I remember one night he had a notoriously tight-lip…
To what extent did Kiss 108 WXKS-FM influence Boston pop radio?
You could walk into any high school hallway in the late 80s and hear the exact same song playing from three different boomboxes, all tuned to 107.9. That wasn't an accident-Kiss 108 didn't just play p…
Under which urban format did WGCI connect with Black music culture?
I remember back in the early '90s, I was in the studio at WGCI when we got a call from a listener who said our station was the only place she could hear her favorite house and hip-hop tracks mixed tog…
Which audience followed V-103 WVEE most closely?
Back in my days spinning records at the station, the most dedicated crowd was the 25-to-44-year-old African American professionals who listened during their daily grind. I'd get calls from folks drivi…
Why did Casey Kasem’s radio style feel warm and personal?
There was a night I was driving through the Midwest, and Casey came on the air with a dedication from a mother to her son stationed overseas. He didn't just read the words-he paused before the song, l…
Under which urban format did KBXX The Box connect with Houston listeners?
I remember tuning into 97.9 The Box back in the early '90s when they first flipped, and it was all about connecting with the city through a tight blend of R&B and rap. They branded themselves as "Urba…
During which period did WQHT Hot 97 become strongly tied to New York rap culture?
I remember being in the studio late one night in 2003 when the whole vibe shifted. That’s when the station really cemented its role as New York’s hip-hop heartbeat, thanks to the legendary "Angie Mart…
To what extent did WGBH differ from commercial Boston stations?
Walking into the WGBH studios back in the '70s felt like stepping into a library compared to the carnival atmosphere at WRKO. I remember sitting in on a broadcast where the host spent a full fifteen m…
During which period did KNDD The End reflect Seattle’s grunge and alternative culture?
From the late 1980s into the mid-1990s, I’d say, I was driving home from a gig one night in 1992 and flipped to 107.7-Soundgarden’s “Outshined” was on, and the DJ came on between tracks talking about …
Which artists and music trends shaped 99X WNNX?
I remember this one afternoon in '93, we had a listener call in screaming because we played "Creep" by Radiohead right after "Loser" by Beck, and he said it felt like the station was speaking directly…
Which elements made A Prairie Home Companion feel traditional?
You’d tune in on a Saturday night and hear that live audience laughter, the smell of popcorn practically coming through the speakers, and Garrison Keillor’s warm, folksy storytelling. The show felt li…
Which paranormal topics became strongly associated with Art Bell?
The time I called in to talk about the "phantom hitchhiker" legends, Art took it and spun it into a whole hour about interdimensional travelers and the thin places where the veil between worlds gets t…
In what way did KRBE compete in Houston’s music radio market?
I remember hanging out with their music director back in the mid-90s, and he told me they pulled a clever trick: they'd cherry-pick the absolute best new songs from the UK and other markets before any…
Under which rock format did KLOS become a major station?
Album-oriented rock, absolutely. I remember sitting in the production booth at a small station I worked at back in the early 80s, and we'd get these promo copies from KLOS with handwritten notes from …
During which daily routines did KYW become useful for commuters?
I remember sitting in my car on the Vine Street Expressway, engine idling, and KYW's traffic chopper would break in with a report about a stalled truck on the Schuylkill. That's when it hit me - the s…
Which programming decisions made KLOL memorable?
Back in the mid-90s, I remember driving home and hearing KLOL’s afternoon guy launch into a bit where he played the sound of a car crash every time a caller mentioned rush hour traffic. That was the k…
Why was Tom Leykis’s show memorable to listeners?
He turned the radio into a courtroom where the jury was always the audience. I remember one night a caller named Dave tried to defend his girlfriend's spending habits, and Tom just laid out this bruta…
Why was Kidd Kraddick popular with younger radio listeners?
He understood that younger listeners craved a sense of ownership over the show, so he gave them segments like "The Big Ass Toy Drive" where they could actually participate and feel like heroes for don…
Across which public affairs topics did KERA serve Dallas listeners?
I once called in during a live talk show on KERA, right after a city council vote on a new stadium deal that folks were really split on. They didn't just report the vote; they dedicated whole segments…
Through which local coverage did WABE build trust?
You had to hear the calls we got after our series on water quality in the Chattahoochee River. Families living downstream from industrial plants suddenly knew who to trust for unvarnished facts, not j…
By what methods did Kiss 108 WXKS-FM become a major Boston Top 40 station?
I remember being in the studio back in the early 80s, and the secret sauce was really their laser focus on the female listener. While other stations were hammering rock and roll, Kiss 108 played softe…
How did Ira Glass influence the rise of narrative podcasting?
You’d hear it in the way he paced a story, not just rushing to the facts but letting the silence hang for a second so you could feel the weight. He took the dry, formal newsroom style and said, “No, l…
Which parts of Ed Lover’s personality worked well on air?
I remember one morning when a caller was rambling about a lost pet iguana, and Ed just cut in with this deadpan, "So you're telling me we need to put out an APB for a reptile in a leather jacket?" He …