10 Questions with ... Bo Jaxon

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• KUDA (Oldies 108)/Las Vegas 1988-1990
• KLUC (98.5)/Las Vegas - 1990-2004
• KBBY (B95.1)/Oxnard-Ventura - March 2005-Present
• KVEN-A (1450 ESPN)/Oxnard-Ventura - February 2011-Present

1) What Got You Interested In Radio?

My mom suggested, "if you're going to party in college and have fun, why don't you get paid to do it and go into radio!" She had seen a special on 60 Minutes that the next generation was going to be more into TV and cable and less going into radio... moms know best!!!

Plus being on Clearwater Beach, FL, and seeing Scott Shannon hosting a Hawaiian Tropic Bikini contest!!!! I said to my friend, "That guy has the greatest job in the world! I want to do that!!!" Six Years later, I was hosting a "Sexy Booty Shaking Contest" at Club Rio in Vegas! Dreams come true!!!!!!!!

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

We are in the shadow of Los Angeles, with tons of L.A. signals coming into our market along with all the local stations....it's a non-stop battle!!!! The "A" game is always on!!!

We win by being local and making sure our Ventura and Santa Barbara County listeners are our top priority. KBBY also takes pride in hitting the streets to host and promote charity events!!! We build the cume by shaking hands and kissing babies then rock the best content for the TSL!

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

To the listeners we are their "Virtual Neighbors". From the morning show to the afternoon drive, we talk with them, not at them... and we keep it family fun!

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

First of all everything out of the speakers still has to be your best. Then we reinforce it by adding to the content with Facebook, Twitter and videos. It all works together and helps the listeners get more involved with the station.

5) What do you like best about working in this format?

At KBBY Hot AC is great to program and do mornings, because I am growing up with the demo, most of the party ladies I was targeting when I was doing Top 40 are now married with kids. But they still want to have fun and that's how I am as well... Yeah, we have more responsibility now, but most will still let the hair down when given a chance!!

Plus, I am now having a blast programming and hosting a two hour local sports show called Bo's Man Cave on KVEN 1450AM ESPN because I get to do guy stuff and target a whole different audience...but I do get the females that are big sports fans who love to talk smack with the boys!

6) How do you stay in tune with your audience?

Besides doing a ton of community events, I also love to meet the listeners when they come in for a prize they won. Its that personal connection that goes a long way!

7) How do you interact with your sales staff?

Great!!!! Show me the money!!! I help them as much as possible because radio is all about revenue now. And by working with the sales department to create more NTR, cool events, sweet commercial copy, it helps keep their clients happy. It just makes the radio wheel run smooth and with most of us multi tasking at our stations..."smooth" is very good!

My current Market Manager is Bob Visotcky and he's incredible! He's always smiling and full of positive energy. He makes the hallways fun while helping sales, programming and promotions make great radio! Plus, his BIG market experience really inspires us to think BIG!

8) Who was your most memorable celebrity you ever met?

When I worked in Vegas, every Thursday night I hosted an event at Club Rio inside the Rio Hotel and Casino. They also did shows there like The Chippendales and we would sometimes cross promote during my events and have the Chippendale guys hang out.

One night, I was up on stage and asked if anyone was celebrating a birthday. These three girls came up on stage to play a game to win a prize. We brought three Chippendale male dancers on the stage all dressed in their bow ties, cuff-links and NO SHIRTS. We blindfolded the girls and told them the first one to lick all the whipped cream off the guy's chest wins. We counted to one... and then on the count of two... me and one of the Chippendale guys switched places. On three, the girls started licking and I immediately took off her blindfold so she could see that it was my chest and not the Chippendale guy. She started screaming and freaking out and the crowd was roaring!!!! We thanked her and gave her a bottle of champagne to continue celebrating and all the Chippendale guys went over and partied at her table. After I got off the stage, one of the security guards came up to me and asked if I knew who Jennifer Lopez was... Of course! He said that she wanted to see me up in the VIP section. I had no idea that she was even there.

When I walked in, Jennifer Lopez was sitting there with Ben Affleck! J-Lo walks up to me and starts yelling at me saying, "How could you do that to that girl? That was so wrong... And it was the funniest thing I have ever seen!!!" She then asked me to sit with them and have a drink. Soon after that Jennifer got up to go to the restroom. Ben then pulled me over and asked me if I knew anybody from a Mercedes-Benz dealership in the Vegas area. I said of course and gave him my friend's number. The very next day I got a voicemail saying, "Thank you so much! He was awesome and bought two. I'll give you details later."

A few days later, the gossip magazines come out saying, "J-Lo and Ben Affleck party in Vegas and he buys a Mercedes for her and her mother!!!" And no, I did not get any commission from the sale.

9) What was the most successful low budget promotion idea your station ever did?

A bridal store booked KBBY for a remote and we turned it into an event. My wife and I renewed our vows for our ten year anniversary and the whole community got involved. When we first said "I Do" we did not have much money. With no official wedding cake, or wedding gown, or even an official minister, etc. So this time we had area businesses jump in and help us do it first class!

Hundreds of listeners attended! Plus, for weeks leading up to event we did some super radio with listeners calling in about vows and giving other suggestions through Facebook. Plus we gave away wedding gowns!!!!

What made it great was, this had started out us just another two hour remote, but we turned it into an EVENT!!!! RADIO WORKS!!!

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

Be as creative as possible with what you have to make the radio "magic" and stop being down about what you don't have. No excuses! JUST DO IT! If you make your station the best... and make your show the best...they will come!

Listeners will find the better product, so get your hands dirty, bust your butt and let the games begin!!!! Radio should be fun...keep it that way!

1) Who is your best friend in the business?

Cat Thomas at KLUC/Las Vegas. We have worked hard together and played hard together!

2) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?

The FOOD NETWORK! I love to cook! And I love to eat!!!!

3) What was the biggest gaffe you've made on air? (dead air ... forget a mic was still on ... etc.)

While doing a club remote in Vegas the engineer/ tech left the station van running outside and a drunk lady stole our van!!! It happened right in the middle of a break from the club. All of a sudden, I just hear a "pop" in my headphones and then nothing? We ran outside and the station van was gone!!! I had to call the police, my PD and GM...they didn't believe me!!

The classic part was getting a call from a highway trooper asking me if the station van had a big antenna? YES! Because he found it on the side of the highway! The crazy lady who stole van, hit an overpass and kept going. The HUGE antenna ripped right off the top of the van!!! The police caught up with her about two hours later still driving down the road.

So... please inform your street team... "Never leave station vehicle unattended with keys in it!!"

4) What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?

Just like any business, work hard (but smart) and never give up on your dream. Radio is fun, and should be fun, and you can help keep it fun!! Always keep a positive "Get EEER Done" team around you and don't settle for mediocrity!

5) As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?

I can't change the past...I'm looking forward! What's my next challenge? How can I make the show better? Had a good book... Let's make the next one great!!!!