10 Questions with ... Brad King

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started my career working part time at US99 in Chicago. From there I bounced around the Midwest in Rockford, IL and South Bend, IN, and Kansas City then back to South Bend where I’ve remained since 2006.

1. Is the staff back in the building at this point, or is there still some sort of combination of protocols in place?

We have a small staff overall and just about everyone is vaccinated so we’re mostly back in the building.

2. What did you learn about yourself as a programmer navigating through the pandemic?

I spent the bulk of last year on the sidelines from radio and at home doing e-learning with my son so I probably learned more about first grade than I did programming! (Although some of those skills could probably apply to radio too!)

3. How important is it to you as a programmer to still crack the mic every day during your midday show?

Extremely important. It’s important to be IN the studio and connecting with listeners over the phone or via text. It’s also important to actually work with the equipment that everybody else is. It helps give you a better grasp of what is actually happening day to day. (This is true for remotes too.)

4. You do a daily Throwback Lunch feature during your show. It’s a cool way to connect with your listeners, and certainly a fascinating form of ‘research.’ How far back are you throwing it and what era is most represented?

It’s primarily mid to late 90’s through late 00’s. I will occasionally slip in a late 80’s every once in a while. The range of eras that get requested is very interesting though. I’ve gotten everything from The Gap Band to “kinda old Lady Gaga from 2012.” (The caller’s words)

5. Do you think that we’ve heard the Song Of Summer ’21 yet, and if so what is it?

I was just having this discussion with the morning show the other day. One of my early picks was AJR “Way Less Sad.” “Astronaut in the Ocean” has a really good shot too. However with more new music on the horizon from Billie, Bieber, and Bruno I’d say it’s still too early to make a final call. (How’s that for hedging my bet?)

6. What social media platforms are working best for you and the staff these days??

Instagram does really well for us, but of course, Facebook is still king.

7. “Local local local” has always been radio’s mantra. How were you able keep your station visible and involved in the community? How’s it looking these days for live events and station appearances?

Social media has been a huge help in that department. We’ve also been able to form some good relationships with a few local businesses that have allowed our morning show to broadcast live from their locations once a month. In addition to that our afternoon host has a great weekly promotion where he delivers flowers to someone in the community that could use some cheering up. So we’ve been out in the community safely whenever we can.

8. What are Saturdays like during Notre Dame’s home games during football season and are there ways for the station to be a part of the excitement?

Game days are great around here! (Especially when the team is winning!) Tailgating is always fun and is almost like a giant family reunion. You can wander around and bump into all kinds of people you know and usually make a few new friends along the way! We have something very exciting planned for this upcoming season that is not public knowledge just yet. (“Stay tuned” as we like to say!)

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

I grew up in Chicago and the station that I fell in love with at that time was B96. I remember guys like George McFly at night and Eddie and JoBo in the morning. Eddie and JoBo were the guys that made me want to get into radio. They always seemed to have so much fun on the air. I thought “How do I get THAT job!?”

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

I’ve been blessed to have had some really great mentors both on-air and off throughout my career. Too many to name!

You’ve got an unlimited budget, which 3-5 acts would you pull together for a Post-COVID Welcome Back station show?

Unlimited budget?? Ooh boy, really hard to narrow it down but I’d try to put on a FUN show that hopefully had a little something for everybody so I’d go with Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Maroon 5 and Snoop!