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10 Questions with ... Peter Thiele
November 8, 2022
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
KSTP-AM Minneapolis/St. Paul
WVNN Huntsville
WORD Greenville/Spartanburg
KFAX San Francisco
WNYM/WMNC New York, New York
KLUP San Antonio
KARN Little Rock
KZRG Joplin1. You're now at KZRG in Joplin, where you're programming and co-hosting the morning news block. What's your programming philosophy for the station, and how does it differ, if at all, from when you were programming in other markets, whether New York or Little Rock? Are there things you do differently in a market like Joplin from San Antonio or Huntsville?
Every market is different. I have always tried to deliver Listener Focused Experiences. It is about Reflecting the audience, not molding the audience into your personal vision. I have a 4 person news room. Larger than the stations that I programmed in NYC, Greenville, San Francisco. Radio news has changed. Website, social media postings plus lots of radio news. KZRG’s Facebook Page has 60,000 followers…. 60K It is a part of our secret sauce for success.
Like Huntsville: Tornados are a big deal here. Joplin got hit by an E.F. 5 in 2011 where 161 people died. We are focused on weather every day, but Spring Tornado season gets a large focus. (April-June is Joplin’s likeliest time to get severe weather.)
My on-air work has really never changed all that much. It’s all about entertainment and not taking myself too seriously. If a listener shows up at the front desk, I will drop everything to go and greet them.
2. You qualify as a talk radio veteran (sorry, it's true) -- what's changed most about talk radio from when you started?
I think that the technology is the biggest difference. The quality of the sound of a radio station has improved dramatically. There are problems with that. So many stations sound sterile. I have always fought against that. Every station is a living breathing entity. They all have their own feel. I have always tried to keep that in mind.
3. Like most other tlak radio stations, KZRG is largely conservative talk. (Okay, it's ALL conservative talk). The age old question arises: Is there any room for non-Trumpian, moderate or even liberal talk in 2022, or has that ship sailed? Why or why not?
In Joplin…. 70% of the community is very pro-Trump. KZRG reflects that. In today’s landscape, large companies need to hit their numbers every month. Launching something creative is almost an impossibility. I would argue that NPR is basically Liberal Talk and it does quite well.
4. What's your position on talk stations doing original podcasts? Can it be accretive or are stations doing podcasts that aren't episodes of broadcast shows competing with themselves for listeners' time?
I am all into original podcasts. I have a 23 year old news guy, Ted Bojorquez doing a weekly ‘Plot Summary’ podcast to discuss things that have happened on the KZRG Morning News Watch and stories that didn’t get to on the air.
5. How important have you found it to simulcast on FM translators? Do you see that having an effect on the audience size or composition?
CUME is on the FM…. The translators are essential. Listeners tell us where they are getting the station and the FMs are so important.
6. Let's update some questions since the last time we did this: What's the most memorable moment of your career? You get one, so what was the peak?
I have had many moments. I try not to focus on the past, but on the future. BUT….
I was 20 years old and I got an invite to Flyte Tyme Studios for a party. (Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are newly enshrined into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.) I spent the night with Morris Day and the Time. Jerome Benton of the Time was a good friend at that moment. I was this dorky suburban punk rock kid hanging out with the kings of funk. Great guys.
7. Your station bio claims that you have "odd eating habits." You do? I've had meals with you and didn't notice anything untoward. So, what do they consider "odd eating habits"?
I found a way to tick off everyone…. I am a Modified Vegan… Most of my meals are Vegan, but I do like eggs, fish and occasionally have meat. The Vegans hate me. The Carnivores are confused. I did it for health reasons. I had high cholesterol. So, I changed my diet and it worked. By the way, if you can make fun of yourself… It is always great.
8. Other than the shows on your station, what are you listening to these days?
Faction Punk on Sirius. My current faves for music are: The Interrupters, Yungblood, Mumford and sons, Peter Himmelman, Maggie Rogers, Orville Peck, Johnny Cash, The Sex Pistols etc. I like the Dan Patrick Show as well.
9. KZRG, like most talkers in 2022, is largely syndicated, but it also happens to have an enormous local news image. What do you do to reinforce that image in dayparts outside the morning news block? How do you build and maintain that local image even with syndication?
5 minutes of local news each hour. Huge website that usually averages about 200k views a month… Great branding and messaging. We are always selling forward.
10. What's the most important lesson you've learned in your career?
Do your job. Be patient. Don’t worry about the competition, just destroy them. Have fun. Your Audience is there to be entertained… Do that part of radio.
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