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10 Questions with ... Paul Boris
July 19, 2016
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
KKCK-KARZ/Marshall MN (Marshallradio) Sept 2000- Feb 2003: - Started as Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Board Op/weekend overnights - Ended as Imaging Director for entire Marshallradio cluster, mornings on Top 40 KKCK, PD/middays on Classic Hits KARZ
KFAT-KDBZ-KRPM-KQEZ/Anchorage AK (New Northwest Broadcasters) Mar 2003-Jan 2006: Various positions - - including two stints as PD for Top 40/R KFAT - PM drive on Classic Rock KRPM, - Imaging Director for entire cluster
KGBX-KTOZ-KSWF-KXUS-KGMY-A/Springfield MO (Clear Channel) Feb 2006-Apr 2009: - Creative Imaging Director for cluster, - Middays on Adult Hits/Hot AC KTOZ, - Weekends on Country KSWF - Fillin on Classic Rock KXUS. - Music scheduling for KTOZ - Cluster afternoon traffic reports
KGBY-KHLX-KHYL-KFBK-KQJK/Sacramento CA (iHeartMedia) Jun 2009-Apr 2016: - PD for Hot AC KGBY / Classic Hits KHLX until Dec. 11th & Jan. 14th, respectively, - Imaging Director for Urban AC/Rhythmic AC KHYL (2012/13), - Cluster Digital Metrics analysis (2014), - Imaging producer & PM digital editor for News KFBK (Jan-Jul 2014), - APD of Adult Hits KQJK (Jul 2014-Feb 2015) - PD of KQJK & Classic Rock KQJK HD/2 (March 2015-April 2016).
KOSF/San Francisco (iHeartMedia) Feb 2015-Apr 2016: - Weekends on-air - Friday Night '80s New Wave Show Host
1) What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and stay motivated?
I'm lucky to have a strong support system, both from a family standpoint and friends (inside the biz and out) who are invested in my success (as I am in theirs). This is invaluable during the times when you thought you nailed that interview, yet two weeks pass by and you don't get a follow-up call.
2) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?
I find myself listening to a lot more podcasts than I used to. I'm a huge stand-up comedy fan, and pretty much every comedian out there, local to national, is a part of some podcast. I've branched out over the past few months and discovered a lot of great ones I had no idea existed.
3) What's the longest stretch you've had on the beach?
This is currently my longest stretch since getting in the biz in 2000 ... three months as of 7/8/2016 and counting.
4) What's the best way to get your foot in the door?
As a young person? It really depends on what you want to do, but nearly everyone I know who got started within the past five years or so (and is full-time now doing what they want, or on a direct path to what they want) started in promotions. What sets those people apart from the ones that only spend a summer or two putting up tents are initiative/passion and willingness to do/learn any part of the industry.
If you mean someone with significant time already invested into the industry, who you know and how they feel about you/your abilities are everything. People trust the judgment of their peers more than anything else. (There's a great corollary there to how/why good radio stations thrive in this crowded media landscape, but I'll leave that for another time...)
5) What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?
Every job I've ever gotten I've heard about either on the allaccess.com job board or via friends in the industry.
6) What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get a job?
I don't know if it qualifies as "crazy," but I was interested in a PD job a long time ago, but I didn't have much experience. So I ended up creating a full CD, with station-branded album art in the jewel case. It was titled "(station name) under Paul Boris' leadership." The CD included an introduction, mocked-up station aircheck (including custom created imaging) based on a log I grabbed from Mediabase, a station composite, and more that I can't remember now. I'm not naming the station here. however, because even though the OM called me back almost immediately, and gushed over my effort/made an unofficial offer ... they left the station's company in the middle of the process. I guess that was the "crazy" part!
7) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?
My heart is in programming, so I'd like to continue growing as a PD/Brand Manager, although I'm definitely up to APD if the situation is right.
8) With consolidation there are definitely fewer jobs. How do you separate yourself from the pack?
I'm a jack-of-all trades, while a master of several pertinent ones that I enjoy. There are a lot of people out there who are either unable or unwilling (or both) to do more than one or two specific things in their position, which unless you're already renowned (locally or nationally) for those specific skills is going to be a negative.
9) What do you miss most about music/radio? The least?
The personal experience and bond with co-workers, listeners, and industry-folk. A thank-you e-mail from a listener I tweeted about popped up in my Timehop about three weeks ago. It reminded me exactly why I love this business. The least? The helpless feeling of when technology breaks down/fails. Treat your engineers and IT folks right.
10) How will this experience change you when you get back to work?
Renew my appreciation for just how lucky I am in life. After a seven-year stretch in one city, I'm now experiencing my support system in action firsthand. You go through just about every emotion a person can, which will in turn reinforce the gratitude to still be able to do what you fell in love with almost 20 years ago once back in the saddle.
Bonus Questions
Any books you can recommend to people who need something inspirational to read?
I'll forever be grateful to my former OM in Springfield, Paul Kelley, for introducing me to the infamous "Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life" by Spencer Johnson. Some people say, "When life gives you lemons," but I'm from the Upper Midwest. We like cheese. ;)
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