10 Questions with ... Josh Tielor

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I fell in love with radio at 12 and spent too much time recording myself on cassette tapes pretending to be a radio DJ. After high school I attended the Academy of Radio & TV Broadcasting in Phoenix, AZ. Graduated from the program and landed my first radio gig at a Rock station in my hometown radio market. Spent the first few years trying to find my place in the industry and eventually landed at a radio group where I spent 17 years working every format possible – Oldies, Classic Rock, Hot AC, Top 40, Country, Alternative, and the occasional fill-in on the News/Talk station. I worked my way up to Operations Manager with that group and about one year ago, to the day, I moved across the street to Riverbend Communications to accept the challenging opportunity to lead two heritage market stations, KLCE-FM (AC) and KFTZ-FM (CHR Top 40) and host the morning show on KLCE-FM.

1. How would you describe your first radio gig?

My first two years were spent on KCVI-FM (KBear 101), the Rock station that is still going strong in the cluster that I now work with again. I started in the 7p-midnight slot playing Metallica records and sponging up every bit of information on 'how radio works' that I possibly could. After a year, I swapped dayparts with the PD and hosted the morning show for a year before leaving to take a PD gig at a newly launched Alternative station. It was a lot of fun as a 19-year-old kid and it's a lot of fun as a 40+ year old kid.

2. What led you to a career in radio?

I found an obsession with radio very early on. My grandfather was a big HAM radio guy, so broadcasting and being a tech-head is in my blood. I was able to intern at some local stations in middle and high school which allowed me to meet some of the people that I would later get to work with side-by-side. There is something to the 'foot in the door' concept paired up with a strong work ethic and a desire to learn and grow.

3. You get to be on the air in your hometown, doing mornings no less. What is that like for you?

It sure helps to know the area literally like the back of my hand and I get to throw in the trusty old 'I remember when that was a field' line and I actually know what I'm talking about. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated and it is a bit surreal to be programming the stations that I grew up listening to. They have very long-standing heritage in the market and it's exciting to be in a position where I get to share my vision for them.

4. How does your morning show with Chelsea Ray set the table for the rest of the station's broadcast day?

Chelsea just crossed the 1-year mark of her radio career and that's very special. It's such an incredibly unexpected pairing that has worked very well. We were recently recognized as the 2nd best morning show in the state at the 2022 Idaho State Broadcasters Association awards show. KLCE has had only a small number of long running morning shows with an even smaller number of hosts involved since the station's inception in the 1980s. It's an honor to get my turn at hosting a show in this slot and I hope that what we have created and continue to adjust and evolve will be a long-standing pillar in the community.

5. Who would be a "dream guest" to have sit in with you guys on your show?

As we're preparing for the big Christmas switch… can I go without saying Mariah? It would be amazing to have her in studio to share the excitement of kicking off the holiday season.

6. How current do you get on Classy and what's the philosophy behind the music mix?

Being in the PD role of both the CHR/Top 40 and the AC there's even more balance that has to happen to protect each brand's identity and uniqueness in the market. I do have a currents category on KLCE, but I'm not driving those currents into any kind of heavy rotation until weeks after they've become familiar hits that everyone can sing along to. This market is considerably more conservative than most and KLCE has a long history of being the safe station that the whole family can listen to together, so the musical choices have to be even more methodical to protect that position. Philosophy wise, it's all about familiarity and 'variety' in the playlist with the biggest and best spanning from the 80s hits, sprinkled in ballads and love songs, and the current chart toppers.

7. How much are you (and the station) able to be out in the community meeting the people on the other side of the microphone?

Riverbend Communications is a very unique company in the aspect that we are truly live on-air every day and are strongly encouraged to spend a good portion of time outside of the office engaging in the community. It's a special opportunity we've been afforded and one that I am personally grateful for. It's the correct focus to have when discussing radio's role in the communities it serves moving forward.

8. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

One… nah, here's the three biggest truths for me. It's only radio - no one's going to die/don't sweat the small stuff, choose your battles, and the sales manager is probably just a normal human with regular human feelings… probably.

9. What was your favorite station(s) to listen to when you were a kid? Jock(s)?

KFTZ, Z103 was top of the list when I was young and falling in love with radio. Geographically, we have a giant landmark scarred across a large portion of the state and especially across the South Eastern part that we cover. Some genius tapped into that by calling himself Snake Rivers on the air. I spent a lot of years listening to Brad Collins (Barlow) on the air, interned with him in the 9th grade, and finally got to work with him when I was hired on in 2001.

10. Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?

I mentioned Brad in the previous question. He's a market legend and paved the way for a lot of us to get started in the industry and a fine example of a kind human. I met some amazing people while I was at the Academy and have remained connected to several of them and watched their careers take them all over the place. I have a real respect for my friend Erin that took a giant leap and moved from little ol' Idaho to the Cayman Islands and has been killing it there for years. Her bravery and confidence are insanely commendable. I learned a lot from the time I spent working with the Johnjay & Rich show at my previous station cluster. Every single member of that show including the producers are very real people with real lives and they share themselves so well with the audience.

You live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Where would you take a first-time visitor to make sure that they saw the essential sights?

East Idaho is incredibly beautiful. I'm minutes away from the Grand Teton Mountains, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park, and some of the most rugged vast wilderness the Pacific North West has to offer. I'm an outdoorsman, so camping, fly fishing, backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, skiing & snowboarding, snowmachines, and kayaking are all at my fingertips. If you visit and don't breathe in all that fresh air and serenity… you're doing life all wrong. The essentials here are the mountains, the star filled night skies, the wildlife, and the breathtaking views. Come soak it in!