Chachi Loves Everybody

Ep. 48 Dennis Green

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Episode notes

EPISODE SUMMARY: Dennis Green is a legendary radio exec who serves as the co-chairman of the Radio Hall of Fame and the COO for Key Networks and Sun and Fun Media. Dennis shares his journey and what he’s learned in the radio industry.

On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to Dennis Green about:

  1. Doing sportscasts at Indiana University for WIUS give play-by-play and color commentary for local sports in Florida
  2. Getting his first gig at WGN in Chicago
  3. Landing his first big sale with Enterprise while working for the Mid-Continent Conference Basketball network
  4. Traveling four days every working for Bloomberg Media
  5. Joining Westwood One and becoming head of affiliate sales two separate times
  6. Signing a big deal with Benztown for Cumulus after they acquired Citadel
  7. How he became COO of Sun and Fun Media
  8. His thoughts on the future of radio.

And more!

ABOUT THIS EPISODE'S GUEST: Dennis Green serves as Sun & Fun Media's first Chief Revenue Officer. Before SFM, he had a long stint running affiliate sales and operations at Westwood One and Cumulus Media Networks. Dennis’s lifelong ambition was to be on the air but syndication found its way to Dennis. After a stint with the Illinois and Wisconsin Radio Networks featuring lots of beer, sausage and cheese, Green graduated to the network level. His first big clearance was Last Night on Larry King Live on WWJ-AM in Detroit. When the boss asked how in the world did you get on in a top 10 market in morning drive with that feature, Green replied “I picked up the phone, called the station, and they said great send over a contract.” That was the last easy clearance.

When Green is not figuring out how to put great products and services on radio stations from coast to coast, he can be found screaming at a television as his beloved Miami Dolphins continue to break his heart followed closely by his Indiana Hoosiers trying to be relevant in athletics. IU is the Harvard of the Midwest, so we can live without winning NCAA Championships like other schools.

Green and his wife Jill reside in West Orange, NJ along with their two sons Max and Jeremy and Lulu the Wonder Dog.

ABOUT THE PODCAST: Chachi Loves Everybody is brought to you by Benztown and hosted by the President of Benztown, Dave “Chachi” Denes. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the myths and legends of the radio industry.

ABOUT BENZTOWN: Benztown is a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company with over 3,000 affiliations on six different continents. Benztown provides audio brands and radio stations of all formats with end-to-end imaging and production, making high-quality sound and world-class audio branding a reality for radio stations of all market sizes and budgets. Benztown was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 by Inc. magazine for five consecutive years as one of America’s Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies. With studios in Los Angeles, New York, London and Stuttgart, Benztown offers the highest quality audio imaging work parts for 23 libraries across 14 music and spoken word formats including AC, Hot AC, CHR, Country, Hip Hop and R&B, Rhythmic, Classic Hits, Rock, News/Talk, Sports, and JACK. Benztown provides custom VO and imaging across all formats, including commercial VO and copywriting in partnership with Yamanair Creative. Benztown Radio Networks produces, markets, and distributes high-quality programming and services to radio stations around the world, including: The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown, The Daily Dees Show, The Todd-N-Tyler Radio Empire, Hot Mix, Sunday Night Slow Jams with R Dub!, Flashback, Top 10 Now, AudioLogger, Audio Architecture, Radio Merch Shop, The Rooster Show Prep, AmeriCountry, and Benztown Swag Bank. Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks produces and markets premium podcasts including: The Making of: A National Geographic Podcast, Run It Again, Hot Chicken and Cage-Free Conversation with Byron Kennedy, and Edelman Financial Engines’ Everyday Wealth.

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