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10 Questions with ... Joe Breezy
March 22, 2016
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Started interning at Wild 94.9 in 1998, landed weekends/morning show stunt guy at KDON, then KHTS in San Diego. Spent three years at KKFR doing mornings, KHTN, back to KDON then back home to San Francisco where I hosted nights for three years at KYLD. Hit up KDND, then mornings at KZON, afternoons APD/MD at WWVA in Atlanta before landing in Boston here at AMP over three years ago.
1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
As the kids would say, it was "goals af." "Jazzy Jim" Archer gave me a shot to intern with him right out of high school and I completely fell in love with the vibe and the business of radio. Long hours, working for free, sleeping at the radio station, but there was nothing else like it. I was hooked.
2) What led you to a career in radio?
I was the kid calling and requesting songs on the radio. I knew all the names of the jocks and they knew me. I still have the recordings of me at eight years old practicing to be on the air one day ... and my skills pretty much went downhill from there.
3) What makes your station unique? How would you compare it to other stations you've worked at?
We have an interesting dynamic in our market. Our two main competitors have been around for a long time and have established brands, so we thread the needle between them. We super-serve our core audience and focus on the younger end while protecting our sister station (WBMX) and help maximize their success with the 25-54 audience. So far we have been very successful as we are currently #1, 18-34 Persons and Women overall, and #3, 18-49 Persons and Women overall. It's been a lot of fun grinding with our team in the trenches and watching our station grow.
4) Are you wearing more "hats" than you have in the past?
Absolutely. Whether it's helping with promotions, coordinating with sales efforts, social media and digital, there is nothing that is off limits for our team. We all step up and do whatever it takes to get the job done.
5) What is your favorite part of the job?
Discovering and grooming young talent is by far one my favorite things about my duties. There's nothing more rewarding than receiving someone's first aircheck, spending the time and energy with them, finding opportunities for improvement and watching them grow under your guidance. We have a full staff of live weekenders at AMP and have had several of them move on to get full-time positions at great stations in major markets. It keeps our industry moving forward and opens up the door for the next future superstar.
6) What's the coolest promotion you've been involved with recently?
An easy local home run for us was when we gave away VIP seats on the "Gronk Party Cruise" to the Bahamas. Needless to say, Rob Gronkowski is a huge local icon in our market and for our audience. There's nothing cooler then partying with Gronk and Flo Rida on a private island in the Bahamas. Our morning show (The TJ Show) had our winners on the air when they returned and couldn't even air half of the stories they told. We were the only station in the market doing this promotion and it captured the essence of our audience and the city at the perfect time.
7) If you could add one full-time position to your budget right now, what would it be?
A social media manager, hands down. We all know the value of social media (especially in our format), so to have someone who is purely dedicated to engaging our audience and growing our brand online ... I believe the payoff would be tenfold.
8) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Your reputation precedes you. That's a fact. There are times when we feel larger than life because we all buy into the hype at some point, but this industry is small. So think before you speak and leave people with a positive feeling. That can carry you a long way.
9) What advice would you give people new to the business?
It's pretty simple: Work hard and be nice to everyone. If you consistently do those two things, you will be successful.
10) What is the current state of the radio 'talent pool?'
It's shrinking, but it's there. Most stations don't have a full staff of live weekenders, waiting in the bullpen and ready to be called up to the majors. So it's up to us to groom and empower the next generation. The street teamers, the local club kids, the social media stars, those "tastemakers" in any capacity who live in your market can be ambassadors for your station ... and an asset.
Bonus Questions
What's the biggest gaffe you've made on air?
Well, before radio got all corporat-ey ... this one time I ... actually just Google, "Joe Breezy fired" and you can see for yourself.
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