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10 Questions with ... A Martinez
January 1, 2013
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
XETRA-KXTA/Los Angeles, 1998-2004; KFWB/Los Angeles, 2004-07; KSPN, 2007-present; KPCC, 2012-present. Hosted "Dodger Talk" on KXTA and KFWB, hosts "Laker Line" on KSPN.
1. You've made a highly publicized move from sports radio (although you're still doing that) to doing a daily general interest talk show (with the occasional sports topic) on public radio for KPCC. First, how did that come about?
I was looking around at some of the TV sports opportunities out there and trying to figure out ways to make them fit with what I was doing at ESPN LA 710. My agent told me that KPCC was interested in talking to me to gauge my interest in co-hosting a morning news magazine show with plans on taking it national. ESPN allowed me to talk to them, and it was such an unexpected, unique and exciting direction in which to take my career that I decided I wanted to make it happen. Thankfully, it did, and ESPN and KPCC were gracious enough to share me, so I get the best of both worlds.
2. The public radio audience is known to be loyal but also not easy to win over for a newcomer, and, of course, your joining KPCC was met with some resistance by those loyal to the previous version of the show, but the ratings seem to indicate a strong acceptance at the same time. What was it like to come into the public radio club, so to speak, and, now that you have several months under your belt, how do you perceive the reception to be now that the resistors have gotten a chance to get to know you better?
I expected there to be some of that resistance and uneasiness. I'm a radio listener, too, and I'm set in my ways with some my favorite radio shows. Any changes annoy me, and I'm in the biz and supposed to understand that it's all part of how it works sometimes. So, while most of the listener comments were not surprising, the media coverage has been. I'm glad for all the buzz, as it has put KPCC and Take Two out there, reaching people who have told me they wanted to give it a listen to hear what all the controversy was about. Thankfully, they have stayed, and now, as the show is getting into a flow, many of the listeners that were put off at first are sticking around, too.
3. There are obvious differences between sports radio and general interest talk, and maybe more so between commercial and noncommercial talk. What has been the greatest adjustment you've had to make so far between doing sports on 710 and doing talk at 89.3?
I've been in sports radio for 15 years and have spent all of that time talking, reading and watching sports 24/7 to be as prepared as I possibly could be. That left little room for anything else the world has to offer. Now, my daily reading has expanded to include world, national, and local news, politics, and current events. It's going to take time to have the same command of who the players are and how it all fits together, but just like I did it with sports, I'll be able to do this, too.
4. You've changed partners on KPCC since joining, and you're now working alongside Alex Cohen. How do you perceive your respective roles on the show -- what strengths do each of you bring to the table?
Alex has been a blessing for me in this transition. She has been open, helpful, communicative, encouraging, and understanding with everything. She's also driven and committed to make this work and showcase her considerable talent. Our strengths are rooted in how we play off of each other and how quickly we were able to display the chemistry we had with each other. It was like it was meant to turn out this way, and I still see so much more room for growth that just the thought of where we're headed makes me excited to be there already.
5. Since we last talked, social media has become, um, a "thing." How, if at all, do you use Facebook and Twitter in conjunction with your work -- is it something you do for prep work, to connect with the audience, for your own amusement, or all or none of the above?
For Take Two, I tweet out the show topics before 9 am and as the show moves along, I preview upcoming segments. After the show, I'll tweet out links to the segments for people to listen to. For Lakers Line, tweeting is intense and interactive. There is a back and forth before, during and after the game and in the days between games. I also cross promote Take Two during Lakers games and Lakers Line during Take Two. Also, free, winning fantasy football, baseball and basketball advice can always be found @amartinezla. Trust me, I'm a lot better at giving advice than applying to my own teams. It's the curse of the classic fantasy sports over-thinker.
6. In light of the Lakers' difficult start this season, and putting aside any feelings you have as a Laker fan, is it more interesting to talk about the Lakers on the radio when they're having troubles or controversies than when they're riding high? Purely as a talk host, is adversity good for the content or does it matter?
For a team with the overwhelming tradition and winning history of the Lakers, adversity is always more interesting. But for a Lakers fan, a bad half of basketball is adversity. Winning and looking good doing it are just what Laker fans expect. Anything else is unacceptable. I imagine Yankee fans in New York have the same level of expectation. As long as the adversity eventually has a happy (NBA title) ending, then all of the drama is always worth it.
7. On the KPCC side, now that the election's over, what among the topics you've been discussing strikes you as the most critical issue facing your listeners? Fiscal cliff, schools, crime, national security, something else? What topic draws your attention the most?
The fiscal cliff is the daily D.C. drama right now. Climate change is always a good go-to topic. The most intriguing one for me is the combination of immigration reform and how the Latino vote will evolve and grow over the next four years. Latinos on both sides are just starting to flex their political muscles and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out for the next presidential election.
8. We might have discussed this before, but it's been a while, so... Who do you consider your mentors and inspirations in radio and in life?
I am so grateful to have spent nearly a decade traveling with Dodgers broadcasters Jaime Jarrin and Pepe Yniguez. Growing up in an Ecuadorean house, I listened to Jaime before I even knew who Vin Scully was. I speak Spanish fluently, EXCEPT when I'm around Mr. Jarrin. His command and tone reduce me to a babbling fool that can't put two Spanish words together. He and Pepe are the picture of class and professionalism, wrapped around immense play-by-play skills. They took me under their wing when they didn't have to, and I will always cherish the time we spent together.
When it comes to who I am as a broadcaster, I have been heavily influenced by Steve Mason and John Ireland. I joke that they are my radio fathers, but they really are. They adopted me into their radio family 15 years ago, and with them, I learned who I wanted to be. They taught me how to have a fun, thoughtful and curious nature on the air, to never take myself too seriously but know when to be serious, too. The things I've learned working with them, I'll always be able to apply, regardless of the kind of show I'm doing.
9. We also might have hit on this before, but with several years more having passed, at this stage in your life, of what are you most proud?
So far, I've always been able to make career choices on my terms. Also, I've only worked in my hometown of Los Angeles and have never had to "pay my dues" somewhere else. I know there has been a lot of luck involved in both of those things, but I'm still proud of both.
10. What's the most important lesson you've learned thus far in your career?
Your first reaction always requires an edit or it could be your last reaction.
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