10 Questions with ... Jon Smith

NAME:Jon Smith TITLE:PD/Morning Show Host STATIONS:KSNN Sunny 106.1 MARKET:St. George, UT COMPANY:Cherry Creek Radio BORN:Salt Lake City, UT RAISED:Salt Lake City, UT

Please outline your radio career so far:

KENZ (107.5 The End)/Salt Lake City - 1999-2004
KJQN (Classic Alternative KJQ)/Salt Lake City, UT - 2004-2005
KPLD (94.3 The Planet)/St. George, UT - 2005-2006
KSNN (Sunny 106.1)/St. George, UT - 2006-Present

My older brother is a morning show host in Salt Lake. He taught me a whole lot. Also my first PD Bruce Jones, Todd Nuke 'em from X96, and my pal Beej from KLCA in Reno.

2) How did you get your present job?

My last GM surprised me with a format flip, and he told me he didn't think I would be a good fit for a Hot AC. The next day my current employer allowed me to prove him wrong.

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

We work really heavily on being local, and approachable. Other stations can copy anything and everything you do. But they can't copy your talent.

4) Why would someone listen to your station instead of listening to music on their iPod?

Of course local content plays a huge part. But you can't always with that battle. The big thing with an iPod is you get tired of whats on there. Even with a shuffle every song rotates evenly. So if you have 3000 songs on there, you don't get your most recent adds as often as you like. That's when they turn off the iPod and suddenly hear a hit being played.

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

This seems to be the big question lately. There are many who refuse to accept the fact that the two can co-exist. But you can't put the genie back in the bottle man! The sooner we can all adapt to the fact that the competing mediums are not going away, the sooner we can figure out how not only to tolerate them, but figure out how to use them to our advantage.

6) What do you do when a song that is a national hit, but the initial reaction from your audience is negative?

This is something I had to deal with recently with the Katy Perry track (I Kissed A Girl). St. George is a VERY conservative market and relies heavily on local revenue. Even though the song was a hit, I chose to pass on it. Community standards play a big part.

7) If you could add any one full-time position to your budget with no questions asked, what would it be?

I would REALLY like to have a web guy. We have a website, but I'd like it to be much more interactive. I only recently was able to convince the boss that we even NEEDED a website. So that might be a while.

8) Do you have any music scheduling tricks you've learned that you wish to share?

Don't be too proud to ask questions , or ask for tips. Both Music Master and Selector have a number of functions that some people love and others hate. I like to ask around and see what works for friends of mine in other markets, and see if there is something I can implement to make my station sound better.

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

I convinced the Mayor of St. George to proclaim a "Jon Smith Day" for the City. Which has now become one of the biggest events of the year for Sunny. It gets bigger and more expensive every year, but it started out being free. I even got a key to the city! (September 27th is Jon Smith Day. Please send gifts.)

10) What advice would you give people new to the business?

Commit yourself to the job, never turn down the chance to be on the air, and do whatever you need to do to keep working. If that means taking a job as a production assistant or moving to a smaller market, do it. If you dedicate yourself to being in radio, you'll survive.

1) What are your hobbies?

I like to play paintball. I get totally geeked out over it with camouflage and everything. It's awesome.

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

I did a stunt once where I spent a week in a homeless shelter to raise money and clothing. It was really eye opening. They had a limited number of beds, and people were waiting all day in the December cold just to get inside for the night. So I ended up sleeping in the station vehicle, and waiting with them outside during the day. Let me assure you, it was terrifying.

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

There have been two on air incidents for me, the first one I actually was arrested for trespassing. Well, technically I was only detained, but I convinced the cop to make a big deal out of it on the air. He was a good sport.

The other time, I was out doing a morning show stunt for Halloween and it totally tanked. So I called the cops on myself. They didn't think it was as funny as I did.

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

In 2002 (the day before the Winter Olympics were scheduled to begin) there was literally NO snow in Salt Lake City. So our morning show decided that we were going to sacrifice a pair of skis to the "Snow Gods." Unfortunately, it ended with me setting the producer on fire. The footage was even on CNN. The cool thing was that it snowed for the next six days straight. Yeah, you're welcome.