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10 Questions with ... Kevin Quinn
June 9, 2009
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NAME:Kevin QuinnPOSITION:OM/PD/ Morning ShowSTATION:WYKSMARKET:Gainesville, FLOWNER:Gillen Broadcasting
Please outline your radio career so far:
I got bitten by the radio bug when a family friend from our church got a job as the midday host at WJIS/ Sarasota. She would sometimes have me come up to the station to help her out. I was free eager labor. As a 14-year-old kid, there was nothing cooler to me than hanging out at the radio station. That ended up turning into a part-time job as a board op and production guy. I kept the gig at WJIS until I moved away to school in 1997. I was hired at WYKS as a part-time guy running the Hotmix on Saturday night. I was on top of the world! After college, the station promoted me to a midday time slot and Production Director. I was promoted to OM in 2004, and now handle the PD duties as well.
1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
Let me put it this way ... I had the duty of opening the station up and taking it off the overnight satellite feed every Saturday morning at 8a. I wasn't even on the air, but just had to dub the Hour of Power and other programs off reel to reel. You can imagine just how much I must have loved that job in order to drag my teenage butt out of bed and drive almost an hour to the station week in and week out.
2) What led you to a career in radio?
I have always wanted to be an entertainer, with my first love being acting. When I came to college, I knew I had to get a degree in something other than theatre or my parents would have flipped. I decided that the study of Radio broadcasting would be the perfect fit. When I was 19 I thought it would be the perfect thing to open the door to the world of Television and film stardom! I guess I just didn't realize there is no easy path to becoming a movie star ... Ya gotta wait tables in LA just like everyone else. Regardless, once I cracked the mic for the first time, I was hooked. I knew this was the career for me.
3) What makes your station unique? How would you compare it to other stations you've worked at?
While I don't have much to go by in terms of comparison, I do have some instinct about what we do that is unique. Our station is locally owned, and not part of any cluster or group. We have our station GM and owner actively managing the company. This results in a very streamlined decision making process, and allows us to change course without any red tape or bureaucracy to hold us up. We have healthy promotional budgets and a wider footprint when it comes to our programming. KISS has a very "safe" reputation among families. We are the kind of station you can let the kids listen to without worrying about hearing something off-color, yet we still have enough edge to keep the adults entertained.
4) Are you wearing more "hats" than you have in the past?
I am; however that is a function of increasing responsibilities as I have moved up the corporate ladder. I work an insane amount of hours because I do the morning show, then manage the operations and programming. Our station is fortunate enough to be locally owned, and our owner had the leadership skills we needed to weather the economic downturn successfully. During a time of massive layoffs and downsizing our little radio station in Gainesville, FL has flourished and is even hiring. We have quite a few full-time positions that simply don't exist at many other stations. Our full and part-time staff numbers almost 25.
5) What is your favorite part of the job?
I love how our station connects personally with our listeners. To be a part of that is the greatest feeling of pride. We are always on the streets, actively involved in the community. Our station has a 27-year heritage in this market, and that comes with some seriously loyal listeners. Plus, we get paid to have fun and entertain. I would never suggest that what we do isn't actually creatively and mentally taxing, but it sure beats digging ditches or flipping burgers (which are the only other things I'm actually qualified to do).
6) What is the most challenging part of the job?
Doing the morning show is a constant challenge. The early hours, not having a life during the week, and constantly trying to refine and focus on the quality of the show. I really enjoy every moment that I am on the air with my partner, but I am always trying to strategize how we can do what we do better. Another huge challenge to this job is maintaining the balance of boss and friend with the staff. These people are talented, and this is a business of fragile and sometimes massive egos. Guiding people along the path our station needs to go down can be a tricky thing. At the end of the day, we are all happy with the mutual respect we give each other.
7) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?
I only pee in the shower, with one exception: Sometimes I pee in the pool.
8) Could you give us a little insight into your on-air staff?
I have an amazing staff of extremely talented people. My morning show partner is Casey Layne, former morning show gal at WSOY/Decatur, IL. She has a great personality and really brings it to our show. I can't say enough about her ability, and how lucky we were to find her. Our midday guy is Ryan Dupree. He also serves as our Production Director. Ryan has worked swing at WFLZ and full-time at WXCV. This guy is a master at prep and content. I can always count on him to have a well put-together show with the right balance of pop culture, relatable stories and info. Our afternoons are being handled by longtime swing guy Dave Foxx. He is a radio and music vet who has been with us for almost two decades. Nights are handled by Brett Douglas. This guy brings a great sense of fun to his night show, with careful consideration of his audience and our station's goals. I never have to worry about Brett saying something on the air that will cause concern.
9) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff and why do you like them?
I am a huge fan of Todd Schnitt (MJ) from WFLZ. I grew up in Sarasota, FL and listened to this guy as a kid in high school when he had the MJ & BJ show. The job seemed like so much fun when I heard him, and I love his sarcastic humor. He used to do a prank call phone bit using a character voice called the Crotchety Old Man. Hysterical ... classic stuff. I think he's a huge talent.
10) What is it about our industry that keeps you wanting to do it for a living?
I got over the free pizza and T-shirts ages ago, but I stay in this business because it is the only career I can think of that touches so many people in a personal way. I really enjoy the way radio connects with listeners in a way that is very impactful, meaningful and useful. Plus, we are in such an accessible business as well. Our audience is not only entertained by us, but they share the spotlight and help us entertain others. The interactivity and listener contribution aspects of this medium simply don't exist in television or film.
Bonus Questions
For someone vacationing in your market, what one thing would you say they "must see"?
Aside from The Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida, you shouldn't leave town without a trip to Ginny Springs. Deep, crystal clear water that stays 72 degrees year round. The springs flow from caves that are world famous among divers. My favorite summertime activity is spending my Saturdays floating in a tube with a cooler full of adult beverages, and a grill loaded with meat.
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