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10 Questions with ... John DeSantis
August 25, 2009
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NAME:John DeSantisTITLE:PD/AfternoonsSTATION:KCXXMARKET:Riverside-San BernardinoCOMPANY:All Pro BroadcastingBORN:1/13RAISED:North Hollywood, CA
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Interned at several stations out of college - KLOS, KQLZ (Pirate Radio), and 91X. First on-air job was at KROR (Hot Country!) in Yucca Valley, CA. Stopped at KCAL, XHRM (The Flash), then here at KCXX for the last 13 years where I've done weekends, nights, mornings, and now PD/afternoons.
LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:
Waiting tables at Gladstone's 4 Fish in Malibu, CA
FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:
Oingo Boingo's EP in 1980
FIRST CONCERT:
DEVO at the L.A. Forum on December 10th, 1981
FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:
TOOL
1. What do you like best about living in the Inland Empire?
The people are great, and we're close to everything. We're located near L.A., San Diego, Palm Springs, Big Bear, and only three hours from Vegas. Plus we get to compete with the L.A. stations without actually having to live there!
2. What are you most passionate about?
Spending time with my family is number one. I've been married for almost 16 years, and we have four great (usually :)) kids. Life moves very quickly, so we try to create as much time together as possible. A close second would be music, especially live.
3. Why was X103.9 successful in the latest Monthly PPM?
I would like to first thank our good friend LUCK, without which none of this would be possible. After that, we've been tweaking the station since we went to PPM, and we seem to have found something that works. We tightened the playlist and the jocks.
4. What are you most proud of from the latest ratings?
I'm excited that we've seen some great growth in the upper demos and in mornings. They've been our primary focus and it's nice to see the work pay off.
5. How has X103.9 changed in the past year?
One of the changes we made was going commercial-free at 9am for 103 minutes. Everyone else was talking, so we tried something different. The result has been increases in both mornings and middays.
6. What has been the key to your longevity at the station?
Once again I'd like to first thank Luck! Seriously though, I work for a really great company and a super owner, NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis. He really preaches "team" and it permeates the entire building. We've had a great run that I hope continues for a long time.
7. What may surprise people the most about the station?
Probably how we continue to beat much stronger competition like KCAL and KROQ with our 180 watts. To achieve our goals we've had to work a lot harder than these stations that have heritage, huge budgets, and control over promoters and labels.
8. What has been your biggest accomplishment at the station?
At X1039 we've created a great working environment. The jocks all have creative freedom to make each shift their own, and we all look out for each other. In a way I've really tried to inject the spirit of legendary stations KMET and KQLZ into KCXX. When I took over as PD everyone was living on their own island, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. I moved us all onto the same island, and now we're all groovin' to the same tribal beat.
9. What stands out the most about your first few days in radio?
When I started interning I was in Los Angeles, so the highlight was meeting legends like Steve Downes, Geno Michelini, Bob Coburn, Scott Shannon, Paraquat Kelly and many more.
10. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Success is when preparation meets opportunity. You better be ready!
Bonus Questions
What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
I was a huge fan of KMET and KROQ. Jocks like Jim Ladd, Dr. Demento, Jim "Poorman" Trenton, Frazer Smith, Freddy Snakeskin and others inspired me to make radio my career.
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