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10 Questions with ... Brian Holmes
May 26, 2009
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NAME:Brian HolmesPOSITION:APD/night host "Holmes & The Freakshow" - WSNX (104.5/Grand Rapids. Also nights on WVKS (92-5 KISS-FM)/Toledo and WNSL (SL100)/Laurel-Hattiesburg, MS, and afternoons on KISS XM 21 2p-4pEST.OWNER:Clear Channel
Please outline your radio career so far:
1990: Intern-WFLZ/Tampa (The Power Pig)
1992: APD/afternoons WIDO/Tuscaloosa (Jamz 104)
1992: Overnights WZBQ/Tuscaloosa (Z102)
1993-1994: Mornings WRXB/Tampa-St Pete (Star 16)
1995-1999: Nights WSRZ (Oldies 106) & Ops Manager WSPB/Sarasota
1997: PD/afternoons WTBB (now WYYX)/Panama City (97X)
2001-2004: Weekends WFLZ (93.3 FLZ) & talk producer 970 WFLA/Tampa
2005: APD/afternoons WFFY/Ft Walton Beach (Fly 92.1)
2005 to present: APD/nights 104-5 WSNX/Grand Rapids
2005-2009: Weekends WVKS/Toledo (92.5 KISS FM)
2008 to present - Afternoons KISS XM 21 (2p-4p EST)
2009 to present - Nights WVKS/Toledo (92.5 KISS FM)
2009 to present - Nights WNSL/Laurel-Hattiesburg (SL100)1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
Best career start I could have asked for. My internship at the Power Pig was SO MUCH fun and had SUCH an impression on me that I haven't even considered another career since then ... and it's been 20 years (I was an intern at 15 years old). Starting my career at the Power Pig would be like starting your education with all the college frat parties.
2) How would you describe the radio landscape in your market?
Boring. I quit listening to the rest of the market two years ago. Even the stations in the more "upbeat" formats in this market sound bored of themselves. Nothing compelling or interesting, with nyuk-nyuk jokes in the morning. It's like they've given up.
3) What makes your station unique? How would you compare it to other stations you've worked at?
Two things: 1) Our entire on-air lineup knows exactly how to relate to our audience, keep them interested and make them afraid of what they might miss. And when I say relate, I don't mean they go to a club gig and hang out. We do whatever we can to be a part of their lives via on-air, online, in a club, on their Facebook, Twitter and introducing them to iHeartRadio. If they don't want to submit to our attempts to entertain them, we will reach through the radio and ... (well, anyways). 2) We have not painted ourselves into a corner musically with a silly "Best Music, Hit Music, All the Hits"-type moniker. Not only does no one believe those slogans, but who's to say you are playing "all the hits" for each listener? Our audience knows we play current hit music. We are simply"104-5 WSNX." That's our name and our brand.
4) Are you wearing more "hats" than you have in the past?
Yes, but GOOD radio people have always been flexible at a moment's notice to do most jobs around the station. One of the extra "hats" I wear that takes up the most time would be keeping the websites up. Finding new ways to bring unique visitors to the station site and always updating Facebook, MySpace and Twitter can take up considerable time. I have to give credit to our PD Eric O'Brien, too. Instead of just assigning "hats" to people, he does his best to give them a "hat" they'll like. (He says I don't have to mow the grass at his farm house this year, thank God).
5) What is your favorite part of the job?
With a down economy and such a high unemployment rate in our state of Michigan, a lot of people go day to day without much to look forward to these days. I hear all the time about people who were having bad days and that one funny bit or phone call they heard on air turned their day around. Or the listener who won movie passes from your show and goes out of her way to thank you AFTER the movie, on the phone and in e-mail because she couldn't have afforded it right now. LITTLE things like that mean the world to listeners and create a bond with them. Radio today forgets that A LOT.
6) What is the most challenging part of the job?
If you are from the "old school" (pre-2000) of radio and are still working today, the biggest challenge is learning to adapt to new ways and fast. It is also very challenging to find ways to keep yourself inspired when everything you read around you spells out "the death of radio."
7) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?
I'm about to celebrate my 20th year in radio in 2010.
8) Could you give us a little insight into your on air staff?
First of all, all other programmers stay AWAY from my staff. We have an entire staff of jocks who do SHOWS, not SHIFTS. We live our lives out on the air on this station and not only do our listeners love it, but other stations can't compete with it.
Our morning show, Puddin's Playhouse, is anchored by Puddin, who did mornings at 98 Rock/Tampa and nights at Kiss/Cincy and WEBN/Cincy. He brought that edge that we needed in mornings. He is teamed with 15-plus-year station vet "B-Side," who serves as producer as well as a co-host. Internio is the co-host/stunt guy and Tina is an actual intern (one of 62 interns Puddin has).
Middays are held down by Michelle Taylor, VT'd from Channel 9-5-5/Detroit. She has done an incredible job for us and has taken us all the way to #1 18-34. She is up against Seacrest on our competitor and has held her #1 rating. The at-work audience loves her.
Afternoons is our Program Director Eric O'Brien (EOB). He is what makes this station work every single day. He is teamed with our mixer DJ Goofy Whitekid (aka Drew Hall from WFLZ/Tampa) in the 5p hour with a mix show called the Beatdown, which is consistently the highest-rated drivetime hour in the market. I don't know how to describe EOB other than he is a radio ninja combined with the energizer bunny ... times 10.
Nights is myself, Holmes & The Freak Show. We have several crazy-ass co-hosts with Big Mac, Ashley Mariah and Elevate. The stars of the show are the callers, though. Very phone-intensive show with 8-10 calls an HOUR. The show has held in the #1 18-34 slot for 14 straight books now and is currently #1 25-44 and #3 25-54 as well. The show is heard weekdays on XM 21 and also weeknights on WVKS/Toledo and WNSL/Laurel-Hattiesburg,MS, as well.
Friday nights and weekends we use mixshows from DJ Grooves (from WIHT/DC), who has even been flexible enough to make appearances in our market to spin in our clubs. In fact, he'll be here Memorial Day weekend for the second time.
9) If you could add one full-time position to your budget right now, what would it be?
I would hire 2-3 part-timers with the full-time position money and place them as assistants to programming, engineering and web design training, while hopefully cross-training them to be part-time air talent on one or more stations in the cluster.
10) What music do you listen to when you're not working?
Dance/house. My love for dance started with the Power Pig with Stevie B and Sweet Sensation records; it carries on today to artists like Kid Cudi, David Guetta, etc. I stream Pulse 87.7/New York and Energy 92-7/San Fran a lot. VERY well-programmed Dance stations.
Bonus Questions
For someone vacationing in your market, what one thing would you say they "must see"?
Ok, I'll brag on my station. Come to Grand Rapids and watch how (during a down economy and unemployment rates sky high) 104-5 WSNX literally runs the very large club scene in the market. With club appearances six out of seven days a week, approx 3,000 people party with us every week. And then come right back and do again the next. 104-5 WSNX is the fun escape everyone chooses during these not so great times. Can you say that about your station?
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