Alpha Media has announced that P1 Media Group co-founders Ken Benson and Max Dugan will serve as co-Content Directors of AAA 101.9 KINK Portland.
The duo succeed former Operations Manager Gene Sandbloom who departed at the end of 2022 following the expiration of his contract. Benson programmed in Portland at CHR “Z100” KKRZ from 1992 to 1997 before moving into corporate roles including VP/Music Programming for MTV, SVP/Programming for AMFM, EVP/Programming for Citadel, and Executive VP/International for Sparknet Communications before launching P1 Media Group in 2010. Dugan has previously held programming positions at KLOL Houston, KEGL/KZPS Dallas, WARW/WJFK Washington DC, and was Regional Brand Manager for Rock Programming for Citadel. He later served as Director of International Research and Programming for Pinnacle Media Worldwide and VP/Research for Sparknet Research and Consulting until becoming a partner in P1 in 2015. Benson and Dugan will continue to run their consultancy in addition to overseeing KINK.
Effective immediately, Ken Benson and Max Dugan, co-founders of P1 Media Group, who have been providing research, strategies, and consulting to radio stations worldwide for over 20 years, have been named Co-Content Directors for Alpha Media’s Adult Alternative KINK-FM in Portland, Oregon, replacing Gene Sandbloom.
Benson shares,“Radio has changed so much since we left day-to-day programming, and Max and I always felt it would be fun to be back in the programming trenches. The opportunity to program the legendary KINK-FM, Portland, Oregon, while continuing to serve our clients worldwide was too good to pass up. I’ve lived in Portland most of my adult life and set market rating records while programming there. KINK is a special station, and I believe Max and I are uniquely qualified to lead KINK now in its 56th year. Thanks to Market Manager Lisa Decker and Alpha Media EVP Content Phil Becker for entrusting us with this iconic station,” said Benson.
Dugan added, “As a West Coast native, I’ve been a KINK fan for as long as I can remember. The opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Dennis Constantine, Sean Demery, Chris Mays and others is a thrill. Co-heading day-to-day will be fun and challenging, while being “on the field” will only help us better serve our existing clients.”
Alpha Media Market Manager Lisa Decker shares, “KINK is a very special brand with a rich history and a bright future. We believe we have found the right leadership team in Ken and Max. They are strategic, creative and have innovative mindsets that will lead KINK to its fullest potential. We are thrilled Ken and Max are joining us and are looking forward to a successful partnership.”
