10 Questions with ... Jonny Reinhardt

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• WCXT/Benton Harbor-St. Joseph, MI - Morning Show Host - 2014-present
• WKTT (97.5 Cat Country) -- Salisbury, MD Afternoon Host/Production Dir. - 2013-2014
• WIRX-WYTZ/Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, MI - Morning Stunt Boy/Man on the Streets/Weekends - 2006-2013

1. What Got You Interested In Radio?

When I graduated high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career. I didn't even have a clue as to what to do for a summer job. I was listening to the local rock station WIRX and heard a promo for the new morning show and the updated website. So I checked it out and saw a job posting for a "Stunt boy/Man on the Street". I figure why not give it a shot? I got an interview with the morning guy and we talked about life, and all kind of other stupid stuff for about an hour and then he said "oh by the way, you got the job, I just wanted to make sure you weren't crazy." I started working as the stunt boy two days after high school and I have been working in radio ever since. I just celebrated 11 years.

2. Who do you consider your radio mentors?

My first mentor was Jason Lee (mornings on WRBR). He's the guy that took a chance on me and gave me some great advice when I was first starting out on his morning show and doing weekends. Also, Joe Edwards (afternoons on WBOC-FM), he gave me my first full-time job on WKTT in Salisbury, MD. I learned a lot from him.

Also, Joe's son Joe Alan (mornings on WSTW) is someone I always bounce ideas off of and send demos. He is like a brother to me. My former co-host Denise Bohn was a great mentor by not only giving me a new perspective of our audience, but she was always constantly pushing me to be better and get out of the studio and in the face of the listener as much as we could. Even if it was to just buy them a cup of coffee, or interview them for a news story or topic on the show. She was AWESOME! Also, shout to Chunky/Bigg/Big Boy at 105.1 The Bounce, he is someone that is one of the best. His work ethic and on-air style is something that every person in radio should try to learn something from.

3. What makes the market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?

The greatest part about Southwest Michigan is the fact that it is a small market. There isn't anything really small about it though. I feel like our market specifically is trying to serve the community on a broad level. We have six stations in our company and all with live/local morning shows. We have even created an app that competes with not only the newspaper company in the area, but also other news and media outlets in the area. Some people may not like radio in a small market, but I LOVE it. Plus, the great part is that we are just a short drive away from the big cities. This community loves listening to the radio. They consider us a major part of their live and are loyal and consider us to be their best friends. We are constantly out in the streets for live broadcasts and events. Also on top of it, it's also great to be able to do radio in the area that I was born and raised!

4. What is it about your show that you feel really makes it cut through?

When I started doing the morning show on WCXT (98.3 The Coast), I set out to create a show that I would want to listen to. Like that conversation that you can't help but listen to when you are at a restaurant or a coffee shop and you think to yourself, "those people seem like their pretty cool, I wanna be friends with them." That's how I do my show every single day. Fun. Real. Never fake.

5. How do you prep yourself for your radio shift?

Well, first and foremost, life is the best prep. If there is anything that I observe at a grocery store or when I'm driving around town or having a conversation with my friends, I try to figure out if our listeners could relate to those same things. Plus, I look at social media to see what everyone is talking about and we also use Sheet Happens Prep and Premiere Prep as well.

6. What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?

Evolution. Radio is constantly evolving. It isn't just what is going over the air in our listening area. It is worldwide! When I first started 10+ years ago, I don't even think we were streaming our station online yet and the only social media I had was MySpace.

Now we have blogs, online streaming, apps, social media on multiple different platforms we are doing video every single day. We aren't just radio anymore. We are a multimedia platform and the personalities and companies that can embrace the Swiss Army knife of tools that we have now will be the ones that take this business to new heights. The ones that continue to learn and utilize what we have and the ones that keep one foot in the present and one in the future are the ones that will make this business better and better.

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

October was coming up and our station is a big supporter of the local Susan G. Komen [organization], and we were doing a remote at a local plumbing company. This company had a giant storefront window display that was on a busy main street in downtown St. Joseph. I thought it would be funny to sit on a toilet in the window and raise money and my former co-host who was a breast cancer survivor said "why don't we raise money for breast cancer research?" So we painted two toilets pink and had local "celebrities" sit on the toilets and raise money. The promotion was called "Flush Out Cancer" and this will be our 3rd year. I think we have raised a few thousand dollars so far. It's an easy, simple and extremely fun promotion.

8. What advice would you give people new to the business?

I would tell them that in my opinion, this is one of the most interesting times to be in radio. Yes, it may be scary at times with personalities being let go left and right and some big companies taking over the industry. But that is what makes it interesting. What I love is that this business is constantly changing and I continue to learn new things and new fun ways to reach the audience. When I started even 10 years ago, the thing you had to worry about the most is your show on the air. Now, not only do you do that but you are looking at blog post, social media, videos, etc. You have to be a jack of all trades kind of person. Everyone in radio these days wears multiple hats. Never stop learning.

9. Tell us what music we would find on your playlist right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?

It's a hodge-podge of all different kinds of music, everything from classical music to classic rock. I also love to listen to Broadway musicals, indie music and pop music as well.

10. What's the closest you ever came to getting arrested for an on-air stunt? Or did you actually get arrested?

The first stunt I ever did for the rock station. We were promoting a golf outing so the morning show host thought it would be a good idea to putt a golf ball all the way from the studio to the golf course where the tournament was happening. So I putted a golf ball two miles down the road in the middle of morning traffic on one the busiest streets in the county. Luckily no cops stopped me but I almost caused a few accidents. That was fun but very scary!

What do you do in your spare time?

I love performing. When I do have spare time I spend time singing in a local professional choral group. I even go to a bar to do karaoke every once in a while. Also, I do community theatre as well. It's tons of fun! I have been doing it since high school and I tell people that I work with that everyone in radio should take an improv theatre class. I think it keeps me on my toes and helps me with my radio show.