10 Questions with ... Gregg Lynn

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I have been lucky enough to have worked for only ONE radio station, KKJO for the last 14 years.

1) What Got You Interested In Radio?

Like most radio geeks, I used to pretend to "DJ" into my cassette recorder. I idolized the local on-air personalities and I wanted to be them. I took a long route to get here, including over 10 years as a club jock, but started my radio career in my early 30's. I've been lovin' life and playing the hits ever since!

2) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?

We are in a unique situation at K-JO because we're in a fairly small city doing home-town radio with large market stations blasting into our clock radios. Our competition comes from Kansas City, but our focus is hometown St. Joseph. We have to constantly remind ourselves to NOT serve two masters. Local, hometown radio is what we do.

3) What is it about your station that you feel really makes it cut through?

I think we cut through among our KC competitors by being local. I know you hear it said over and over but we really try and do it. Weather? Yes. We'll interrupt programming for CONTINUOUS coverage if there is a weather situation in our city. Power outages? Yes, we'll get on them too. Traffic isn't much of an issue in our smaller city. Until it is, something happens and we are on it... often. It scared me recently, driving through Kansas City with tornado warnings and scary weather and no Kansas City station was reporting it because it was a Saturday Night. We were reporting it non-stop. We cheer local athletics, and even air local birthdays.

4) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio, Pandora and Internet these days?

Satellite radio, Pandora, internet radio...they're all toasters. Real, local, terrestrial radio makes a personal connection with the listener. Our mantra is: "Don't be a toaster!"

5) How much leeway do you give your jocks to talk between records?

When a new-hire asked "how much do you want me to talk?" I answered, "as much as you want". Honest. TALK to the listeners. Don't just read a liner. Don't just read some show prep crap. TALK to them about what's going on. No time limits here.

6) What type of features do you run on the station?

We do "80's at 8" on weeknights, our "All Request Ride Home" every weekday at 5:00.

And still popular after YEARS, is our "Super 70's Saturday Nights" where we play all 70's music all night.

7) Please describe the worst promotion you've ever been part of?

We rode scooters until they ran out of gas. The contestant who guessed the mileage we went won. It took us about 13 hours!!!

8) How are you using social media to market your radio station?

Unfortunately, we're struggling to find our way with Facebook and Twitter. Anybody got any great ideas?

9) What is the most rewarding promotion or activity your station has ever been involved with to benefit the community or a charity?

We believe in community involvement. We don't just talk the talk. In six years we've raised over 100,000 for Camp Quality, a summer camp for kids with cancer.

For the same six years we've raised thousands of toys and many thousands of dollars for the Noyes Home for Children in St. Joseph and the Lions Club "Christmas Toys for Girls and Boys."

We also do the "Canned Film Festival," a fund raiser for our local food bank. One can of food to get into a kids movie during the summer. We do it weekly for seven weeks.

And finally our biggest accomplishment is our "Pound Plunge," a city-wide weight loss competition. Our first year we were praying for 100 participants and we had over 1000 show up! In six years, 10,500 participants have lost just under 70,000 pounds!

10) What is the one truth that has held constant in your career?

Tell people you're going to do something. Do it. Then tell them you did it. Do that and you will win. Also... "Make a friend and you have a listener for life."

1) What do you do in your spare time?

I'm a runner. I've run 22 marathons and ultra-marathons in the last 7 years. I also am an Assistant Coach for the Cross Country and Track and Field teams at my son's high school. Besides running. A lot. I love to fly fish. My wife and I plan a week camping/fly fishing trip every fall.

2) Who is your best friend in the business?

Not to be too gushy, but my best friend in the business is my on-air partner BJ Scott. We've been doing mornings as a team for over nine years now. I don't think you can do that without getting along.

3) Tell us what music we would find on your MP3 player right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?

Here's where you get to make fun. Barry Manilow LIVE! Love it! I wore out a copy as a youngster. Harry Chapin's Greatest Stories LIVE. He was the greatest storyteller who ever lived. Rainmakers. A popular regional rock band from the 80's. Meat Loaf, Bon Jovi. Alannis. One quirk... I only put entire albums on my iPod. Not one single.