dan is a hell of a guy... but he is all over the map. he is willing to take chances and try new things, he keeps things exciting. krqe was a dog station, and it wasn't because of the people who worked there it was the leadership. dan was able to make that station a "powerhouse" in what, in my opinion, is one of the most competitive markets (albuquerque) in the nation. going to work everyday for dan was an adventure because you have no clue what is going to happen. case in point:
-gets a news "theme" made for the station, gets a stereo and blast said theme and competing station across the street...for hours!
-gets new magnets for side of news cars that have the "spirit of summer", a branding idea for the station, delivered. takes said magnets and puts them on the competing stations live truck as it is waiting to go into it's parking lot. (the stations are across the street) news director for competing station is in a car 2 behind the live truck, words exchanged.
-i am driving his car back to albuquerque from the forest fire with him in it. he tells me that we have a special treat in store and to pull of at this shopping area with resturants and a movie theater. opens up the trunk and hands me a bucket from said movie theater and says to go in there, act like i am at the movie, and they will fill it up with popcorn for free. then run back out of the theater with our booty.
-played a song of the day, everyday, for the newsroom. could be anything from CCR to mystical (gangsta rap).
-walk into his office after getting in trouble for letting a reporter get drunk for a new years day story, i was on the desk, my responsibility. so i go in the office, a 20 year old dirty scraggally ****ty looking desk guy/editor to get in trouble... i leave his office after he tells me i am suspended for 2 days and when i return he wants me to be on air as a reporter when i get back. which i became.
its a fun little circus with dan but he is good at what he does, improve stations across the board and the numbers in albuquerque back it up. have fun. remember this is the guy who brought us andrea thompson nypd blue actress/local news reporter and was also able to get the most well known anchor in the market to change stations and help drive them to a bid for number one.
