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Tuesday January 30, 2001

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Running the show

Headline Photo

By Vanessa Francis

Arizona Daily Wildcat

Media arts student takes the reigns of local radio show

UA media arts senior Matt Crawford doesn't seem to think what he does at his job is important.

"It's not like I breathe fire or anything. I stand around a lot, but I'm really good at it," he said.

Crawford produces a radio show, called "The Home Stretch," that airs weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. on 91.3 KXCI, an FM community radio station in Tucson. Despite his self-deprecation, Crawford has more responsibility than other radio interns.

"This is not like other stations - where the interns set up the tent, take down the tent," said Tony Ford, general manager of KXCI.

He added that interns at his station are not limited by their titles.

"I never want to hear, 'That is not in my job description,'" he said.

As a producer, Crawford is responsible for booking guests, making sure the show runs smoothly and carrying out menial tasks more typical of interns.

"I get the coffee and sometimes read the weather," he said.

Crawford may speak nonchalantly about his job, but watching him in action shows a different story. As his program was set to air Friday, Crawford bolted from the recording station over to the Xerox machine and then to the snack room to grab coffee for one of the show's DJs, Mike Landwehr - taking care of all the minutiae that goes into putting on a radio show.

"I honestly have no idea how I lived without a producer for so many years," Landwehr said. "Matt does a lot."

Crawford joined KXCI in August. Ford, also a UA media arts adjunct instructor, said he met Crawford when he was a student in his broadcast and cable management class in the spring of 2000. The two spoke often during the semester, and Ford, seeing potential in Crawford, offered him the position

"Crawford's got this unique personality as he quickly identifies problems and knows the situation in which to solve them," he said. "He speeds up the guests, and he wrangles talent. He does a lot."

Crawford again dismisses how difficult his job really is. He said he was surprised by how easy it is to book guests for the show.

While he is working on getting former president Jimmy Carter to appear on the show, Crawford said his favorite guest was Angela Bowie, the infamous ex-wife of singer David Bowie.

"All she wanted to do was just talk dirty about sex with Bowie and Mick Jagger," Crawford said. "We couldn't air all of what she said."

It is dealing with these unexpected occurrences that makes Crawford's position more than just standing around.

One such event happened last year, when during a visit of more than a dozen kids from a local choir, Crawford had to try to keep the youngsters, who were unfamiliar with how radio worked, quiet during the show.

"They kept talking on air and hitting the mikes. It was chaos," Crawford said.

These occurrences were not limited to in-house antics. Crawford recalled, in his deadpan manner, the time in December when a man carrying a shotgun was roaming up and down Fourth Avenue where the station is located.

"The SWAT team had to come and surround the building. It really sucked because it was Wednesday, the day we get lunch delivered, and the sub sandwich guy couldn't get in," Crawford said.

For all his efforts at the station, Crawford admits he isn't much of a music fan.

"I never listen to the radio. I'm a TV junkie," he said. "I guess that's weird."

Crawford added that he would work at KXCI regardless of whether he earns credit through his department, but he has no immediate career plans following his graduation in May.

"I figure, hey, I'm not stupid," he said. "I can get a job somewhere."