Sean C. Morgan
Rep. Jeff Kropf will begin airing a new radio talk show on Sept. 5.
?This really is an outgrowth of my work subbing in for Lars Larson on his show,? Rep. Kropf said. ?All of this happened by accident actually.?
Rep. Kropf had never done radio before or ever even thought about doing it when he was asked to fill in for Larson in December. By the end of the show, he felt much more comfortable and had fun co-hosting with Rob Kremer.
Larson has built a great audience, Rep. Kropf said. He is on 17 stations in the Northwest with coverage into northern California and eastern and southern Washington. In any given 15-minute period, 100,000 listeners are tuned into Larson?s show.
Rep. Kropf has subbed again with Kremer several times for Larson.
Rep. Kropf met Larson in 1999 or 2000, sometime early in his career as a legislator.
?I think I got some prominence on his show when I introduced the Elvis bill,? Rep. Kropf said. With the earful he got on that one, Rep. Kropf learned that voters really don?t want their elected officials joking around too much.
Larson excerpted speeches from Rep. Kropf on his show then started calling him for comments on a variety of issues. Eventually, program director James Derby called, and Rep. Kropf was filling in on Larson?s show.
?They thought I could handle my own political talk show,? Rep. Kropf said.
Rep. Kropf will air every Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and he will keep doing it on into the next legislative session.
Rep. Kropf, a Republican, represents District 17, including Sweet Home, Lebanon, Stayton and Sublimity on up into the North Santiam Canyon to Idahna.
The program will give him ?an opportunity to have a different show that?s definitely politically oriented,? Rep. Kropf said. He wants questions and debate. He wants to draw out opinions.
Talk radio has become successful, especially for conservative hosts, because there?s a general belief that politicians and the general media simply will not listen, Rep. Kropf said. ?There?s a group of people that feel totally disenfranchised,? and they want their say.
He expects that his time slot will draw the most-interested, hard-core, politically informed listeners.
They must be, ?to want to get up on a Sunday morning at 7 a.m. and listen to a political talk show,? Rep. Kropf said.
?I like the ability to enter into a discussion with people,? Rep. Kropf said. ?That?s what my show will be centered around, talking to people, not just my opinion.?
He will of course offer his opinions and challenge people to persuade him, explaining where he is wrong. Rep. Kropf also wants to incorporate parody and satire.
?Political humor has its place,? Rep. Kropf said. As a former longhaired rocker, he wants to include music in that formula too, making a show that is informative and entertaining.
Where Larson?s show is driven by the news of the day, Rep. Kropf?s show will be driven by the hottest news of the week. He will talk politics, especially during the legislative session. It will serve as a forum for legislation and ideas where legislators can defend or explain their favorite bills.
?If there?s an exciting story out of Sweet home, we?re going to talk about that,? Rep. Kropf said.
Ultimately, Rep. Kropf hopes to gain the skills and confidence to expand the show into more days.
?They want me to hone my radio skills at a time it doesn?t affect ratings one way or the other,? Rep. Kropf said. It will also give him time to develop his own style.
?Everyone at KXL, it?s just an outstanding station to work for,? Rep. Kropf said. ?These people work very hard at getting it right.?
Rep. Kropf?s show will be followed by Kremer and Abrams, a 50-50 liberal-conservative format.
Locally, Rep. Kropf?s show at least will be carried by KGAL, 1580 am. Initially, five or six stations in the network will carry his show. KXL is 750 am. Larson can also be heard locally on 1120 am, KPNW, out of Eugene.
More information may be found at http://www.rosecityradio.com.