“I think we have a responsibility to help artists quit their day jobs.”

---

Warren stands in an XPN studio. BRUCE WARREN Position: Program Director, WXPN Length of service: 4 years in current position; 11 years total at WXPN Other stuff: The 44-year-old family man has two sons, a 3- and a 5-year-old. Photo by Daniel R. Burke

Bruce Warren looks almost too hip for public radio. With an earring in one ear and a wiry frame, the programming guru behind WXPN is a surprising contrast to other public radio personalities, for instance National Public Radio Morning Edition host Bob Edwards.

But Warren is very much about and for public radio. The proof is in the almost 11 years he has dedicated to making XPN (88.5 FM), Penns public radio station, the innovative musical powerhouse that it is today.

Even Billboard Monitor has taken notice, crowning Warren 2002 Triple A (Adult Album Alternative) Program/Operations Director of the Year.

We recently stopped by the red-brick house the station calls home, for a chat.

Q. What positions have you filled here?
A. I started on air as a volunteer. My first full-time job here was as the business administrator. I knew though when I first went on the air here, the first day I was on the air I said, this is my future, this is my real future. Radio. Public radio WXPN. Probably about 6 months or so after I started that job, there were rumors around about this national show, the World Café. Ultimately, I applied for a job to work on the World Café and got the jobI was one of the assistant producers on the show.

Q. What makes the World Café different from other shows you hear on the radio?
A. First, its a music-intensive show. The centerpiece of the World Café are the performances and the interviews with the artists. And clearly Davids [David Dye, who hosts the show] stamp on the show is pretty significant. On some level, while the content may be slightly different, the value of the programming is similar to other public radio shows. Its intelligent. Its conversational. It appeals to a certain kind of person who likes public radio.

Q. Whats the charm in working at a public radio station?
A. Its a whole different level of experience and meaningfulness for people. On a certain level, its about the songs that you hear, but its much, much more. Its the stuff in between the songs. Its the way the information is presented. Theres a level of intellectual pursuit that were able to have on a public radio level because were member supported. Were not driven by the bottom line like a commercial station is. Commercial stations, if theyre not successful, they change their formats. Its the first thing that happens. Public radio is successful because we can afford to have a certain amount of innovation and risk.

Q. What kind of programming direction is WXPN moving into?
A. I cant say anything new that were moving into. I think the core of what we do is always focused on our local service. Id like to see us reflect some more of the cultural and artistic kinds of things that are happening in Philadelphia and our listening area.

Q. Is there a Philadelphia music scene?
A. Theres a pretty intense music scene. Absolutely. Philadelphia has always been rich in creativity. Personally, I think its gotten better in the last year and a half. I think there was a while there where it was kind of mediocre at best. I think the level of singer-songwriters that are out there right now are more compelling. But theres an incredible DJ culture right now... Theres bands like the Roots who are doing just unbelievable things. Jill Scott. The rapper Eve. I think theres lot of excitement in music that is just coming out of Philadelphia thats not black. Its not white. Its music for an innovative world, I call it. You go to these shows and you see something really neat happening, and it would be great to kind of capture that on XPN on a certain level.

Q. Do you feel XPN has a responsibility in helping up-and-coming musicians flourish within the community?
A. I think we have a responsibility to help artists quit their day jobs, whatever that means. Locally or nationally. Im from Philadelphia and great music needs to be heard. If its from Philadelphia, fantastic. Do we go out of way to seek it out whether its local or national? Absolutely.

Q. Would you ever go into commercial radio?
A. Once for an interview, I said I would never work at a commercial radio station. And I feel pretty much the same way now. That interview was about five or six years ago. Commercial radio is not about listener service. Its about real estate. And its the values of public radio that are so attractive to me personally and also are part of people who I know.

Q. What has been the highlight of working here?
A. Meeting some of my musical heroes but more important than that getting to work with the people I work with. I work with some amazing people. Some very creative, very smart people.

Q. Speaking about musical heroes, who are some of yours?
A. Bruce Springsteen. Neil Young. Elvis Presley. Elvis Costello. I grew up in the 70s. Those were my formative years, so I was very inspired by the classic-rock era. But I also was very influenced by rhythm-and-blues here in Philadelphia. I still listen to R&B. I love hip-hop. I love rap. I think its some of the most creative music thats come out in a really long time. I like to listen to jazz and soul music. Its hard to choose between Bruce Springsteen and the Delphonics sometimes; thats all I can say.