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10 Questions with ... Johnny Paul
January 21, 2008
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NAME:Johnny PaulTITLE:PDSTATION:KUPLCOMPANY:CBS RadioBORN:11/18/73RAISED:Longview, WA (about 40 minutes north of Portland, OR)
Please outline your radio career so far:
APD/On air KLOG/KUKN Longview, WA 1987-1995
Weekends KUPL Portland, OR 1992-1994
Weekends Q105 Portland, OR 1994-1995
PD WKKG Columbus, IN 1995-1998
PD WYRK/WBUF Buffalo, NY 1998-2005
PD KUPL Portland, OR 2005-Now1) Why did you get into radio in the first place and then how did you end up in Portland?
Since I was 4 years old, I've been a big radio fan. I grew up listening to KUPL and wanted to be the PD at KUPL since I was in the 5th grade. My first job was at KLOG-AM in Longview, WA when I was 14 year old. By my senior year in high school (1992) I was doing afternoons at KLOG. Right after I graduated, I was doing afternoons at KLOG and weekends at KUPL. I left and then got to come home after 10 years.
2) Portland is like the trendiest city in America right now. What makes it unique, and how do you make KUPL fit into that hip and trendy scene while still being Country?
It's amazing how well country radio does in Portland. The market easily supports two country stations (both in ratings and revenue). Both stations are at the top, or near the top, of nearly every key demo/daypart in Portland. If Portland had only one country station, KUPL would have a 15 share! We try to be everywhere. Last year we were out around 350 times. We are by far the most visible station on the streets in Portland. While we are a country station, we try to sound as mainstream and as hip as we can. We are also involved in a wide array of events in the area - not just your "typical country events."
3) What kind of all-stars do you have on your staff?
I have a great staff. I'm proud that we are live and local 24 hours a day. KUPL is one of the few stations in Portland that has a live overnight jock (Rob Haas and Jay Hawk split up the week). My morning show has evolved a ton in the last 2 1/2 years - both on air and in the ratings. Lee Rogers has been doing mornings on KUPL since the mid 90's. He's teamed up with some great talent. I hired Alana Lynn a few years ago from Albuquerque. Carol Batchelor is our news anchor, and I brought her on from Santa Rosa, CA a couple of years ago. Earthquake Jake was in our promotions department and always made me laugh in the halls. I put him on as the traffic guy. Jim E. Chonga has been the producer for over a decade and keeps everyone in line. Together they have the best chemistry I've ever worked with. Rick "Bubba" Taylor is closing in on 25 years on the radio at KUPL and does middays. Rick has been on the radio in Portland since he was 16. I hired Leela K. from WSOC/Charlotte and she is an incredible talent. She teams up with Danny Dwyer in afternoons. KUPL veteran Smokey Woods handles nights. I'm really blessed to have the air staff I have. You can hear them live at kupl.com.
4) Have you ever thought about jumping over to the records side of the business- come on down, it's like party town - you know, CRS, 365 days a year down here. No, seriously. I know you've had some offers, unless those guys were just stroking you to get a record added?
I have had a few offers and a lot of calls from VP's that were interested in me jumping to records. I haven't ruled it out yet, but I love radio and KUPL so much that I'm just not ready to leave. I don't "have" to come to work, I "get" to come to work. I'm not done with radio.
5) What would be your fantasy job if you weren't in radio? Wasn't there some ice cream truck you wanted to drive around Portland?
I joke a lot that if I lost my job tomorrow, I would drive a Schwan's truck. Think about it, you get to drive around all day and listen to the radio, and who doesn't get excited when the Schwan's truck comes to deliver food to your home. But really, I would love to be a TV weatherman or The President of the United States. I also would love to be a high school history teacher.
6) How did you get your lovely wife to move all the way across the country, although (and I can say this because I am a native upstate New Yorker), after living in Buffalo, she probably thinks she's on vacation full-time?
It wasn't hard. My wife did grow up in Buffalo, but loves Portland. With most of my family here, she had been here quite a few times before we moved. She has told me that "I'll never get sick of seeing Mt. Hood and the Portland skyline." Believe it for not, we both miss things about Buffalo. I often tell people, "Buffalo isn't a nice place to visit, but a great place to live."
7) You're on the CRS-39 Agenda Committee this year, correct? How was that experience and what are you bringing to the table for everyone?
So far it's been great. I've got a lot of really good friends on the agenda committee and the CRB Board. I love being involved in our format and the radio industry. I'm working on two really cool panels that I think will be great. I'm also on a panel with my competitor (KWJJ PD) Mike Moore. That should be fun.
8) Why would someone listen to KUPL instead of listening to Country music on their iPod? What makes you cut through?
We play the hits, and have fun doing it. We are very involved with the listeners and interactive. We try to have fun both on and off the air. I believe it's what's between the records that matters. Our jocks are very one on one. I really want listeners to think of the jocks as their "friend" and not "that person on the radio."
9) What new artists, music are you high on and how do you feel about the music in general?
I think the music is really good and has been for some time. Actually last Spring I opened up our playlist a bit and added some new music. I was having a really hard time finding room for all the great stuff. I'm huge on Chuck Wicks, Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan. There's this guy named Brad Paisley I think will be pretty big. I like him.
10) CD sales were down over 16% last year for Country. What we gained in download purchases has not been enough to overcome the CD losses. What would you do if you were Joe Galante or Luke Lewis?
Stop sending me 3 different overnight packages of the same single. Record companies talk about losing money every year and cutting costs, and it seems to me that there's a lot of wasted money at labels. It's amazing how much money they spend on things they don't really need.
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite junk food?
Ice Cream. It's an addiction.
2. What's in your CD player or iPod right now that you're loving?
While my wife and neighbors make fun of me, I have a huge passion for really cheesy 70's and 80's A/C songs (Air Supply, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Lionel Richie, etc). I love that stuff. Like everyone, I love all types of music.
3. Did Chris Loss really teach you everything you know?
Who's Chris Loss?
4. How many times does John Conlon call a week?
I can't function throughout the day unless John Conlon calls me. We talk a lot. I love talking radio with him. After being out of radio for a while, he still totally gets it. Although, I still haven't heard an aircheck from him. I think he's lying about working at WCKG in Chicago. HA!
5. How come Lon Helton was invited out there but I wasn't, what kind of crap is that?
Quit being a baby. Once you get your own syndicated countdown show, then we can talk.
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