10 Questions with ... Pete Schiecke

1) Please outline your radio career so far:

I started at WPGU/Champaign-Urbana, IL in1996, where I was a PD while simultaneously working a weekend on-air shift at KPNT/St. Louis. After college, I spent three years as the MD and evening DJ at KQXR/Boise starting in 1999. I then spent another three years at WXTM/Cleveland, 2001-2004, which was then an "Xtreme" station. I was the MD and afternoon host. In 2005, I landed at AOL in NYC, where I have been for the past six years. I oversee all of AOL Radio's programming across 250+ stations and manage a staff of 10 MDs. I also directly program the Rock and Metal stations. In addition to programming AOL Radio, I am in charge of (SEO) search engine optimization for content on the AOL Music Network, which includes Spinner.com, NoiseCreep.com, TheBoot.com, TheBoombox.com, TourTracker.com, SHOUTcast.com, Winamp.com and Music.AOL.com.

2) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

WPGU. I worked there while I was in college at the University of Illinois. Jacent Jackson (now the PD at WLUM/Milwaukee) hired and trained me and continues to be a huge influence.

3) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?

I was a Computer Science and Mathematics major in college when a classmate invited me to stop by and check out the college radio station, WPGU. That was a defining moment, which made me change majors and focus all my attention on getting a job at the radio station and spending all my free hours working there.

4) How does your job at AOL differ from your previous, more traditional radio gigs?

At AOL Radio, we fully base airplay on how AOL listeners rate the songs they hear, which is very accurate research based on a large sample size. At my previous terrestrial radio jobs, we didn't have this kind of instant and accurate research --- which made it much harder to know what to play.

5) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?

I wouldn't change a thing. Some of my most valuable learning has come from the mistakes I made throughout my career.

6) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?

I'd be a video game developer. Following the video game industry and playing games are my hobby on the side.

7) Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?

Online radio will become a standard feature available in every new car. I see myself continuing to work in the online music industry. The web is continuously evolving, which helps keep my job interesting and there's always an exciting new challenge to tackle.

8) What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?

It's a tie between Mumford and Sons and AM Taxi. I went to see each of these shows without knowing anything about the bands ... and I was blown away both times.

9) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year?

I have so many favorite artists right now, but if I had to narrow it down to just rock, the three artists I've been listening to the most this year are: Five Finger Death Punch, Early Man, and 10 Years.

10) How do you stay in touch with the latest music trends?

To keep up with rock trends, I read NoiseCreep.com for rock and metal news. I'm also an avid reader of Revolver, Billboard and Rolling Stone.

What is your favorite TV show?

It's a tie between the Office, Eastbound and Down, and Dexter.

Do you have any musical guilty pleasures?

Huey Lewis and the News

What was the first song or full-length release you purchased?

I can't remember my first album ever, but I remember the first two albums in CD format I bought were AC/DC 'The Razor's Edge' and Cinderella 'Heartbreak Station' at Rolling Stones Music in Northwest Chicago ... my favorite record store!