10 Questions with ... J Reed

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• 1998 overnights at KHTN/Modesto-Merced, CA
• 2000 nights KISV/Bakersfield, CA
• 2005 MD KISV/ Bakersfield, CA
• 2007 PD KISV/ Bakersfield, CA
• 2009 PD KISV and KKXX/ Bakersfield, CA

1. What's the toughest thing about programming two Top 40 stations...one Rhythmic and one Mainstream?

When we first signed on KKXX as a Top 40 we wanted it to be a real sister station to KISV so we had the same voice guy doing both stations and the name was Hot Hits 93.1 to let people know it was the same people that have brought you a quality product like Hot 94.1. But over the passed year and half we have seen that KKXX has taken on a life of it's own so we dropped the Hot and kept it Hits 931 and the voice guy. So since then the listeners know where you can go to hear a new Gaga or Katy and at the same time they know where they are going to hear the new Jay/Kanye or Wayne.

2. Has programming been everything you thought it would be?

I think pretty much every person that gets in to radio at first wants to be in it to get the fame and attention from depending if you are starting in your hometown with your peers and the people you grew up with. But over time, if you are like me, you realize how much more there is to this thing of ours and to be a part of it for a long time you need to learn as much as you can about the workings of a radio station.

I learned that early on when moving from Merced to Bakersfield and spending countless hours sitting in Bob Lewis and Picazzo Stevens' offices learning from those guys. So I knew it would be a challenge but the rewards are so much bigger than the work you put in it when you see something pay off for the listeners and in turn the ratings.

3. When do you know when to move a song from the Mainstream station to the Rhythmic, and vice versa?

When we first put KKXX on as the Top 40 in town we almost instantly starting receiving requests from people about songs that never seen the light of day on KISV. So as time has passed we still that into consideration but also look at research and wait till it's the right time. Maroon 5 and Gym Class Heroes are two that I can think of recently that we had to start playing on KISV. The same goes for the huge rhythm hits we play on KISV we really take a look to moving on KKXX. But the more that I look at records that do make an attempt to cross over to either side I see that once a certain record hits the wall on the rhythm side it does the same on the top 40 side and vice versa. So you really need to choose wisely when it comes to the one that you pick.

4. With PD duties at Top 40/Rhythmic KISV and Top 40/Mainstream KKXX. How do you balance your time?

It's like having two kids. They both need equal time. In this case which is almost like my life at home, I have an older teenage kid and one that's just starting to grow and learn things. I give them both the same amount of attention. In the case of KISV, that the kid who is about to graduate high school with a 4.0 and move on to bigger and better things. My staff on Hot have been with me pretty much in the beginning of the station so they don't need me to help them with there homework and those things that they already know to be successful. With KKXX it's really a testament to the great music that we have in the format right now and the people gravitating to it. I have only one live jock on right now who is Drewski who busted his ass for me doing weekends on KISV who I know when the time came to put someone on Hits I didn't have to look any further than him. He is a great asset to me and to the company. And at the same time I have a lot of great guys on KISV that are more than willing to help out with certain things when needed for KISV. So it's like the brother helping out the little brother. With this help we have kept both stations in the top 5 12 plus top 3 18-34 and top 3 cume from the start!

5. You've had the benefit of a very steady staff at KISV. Who's on the air staff there now?

Romeo in the morning is still here and I don't think and I HOPE he will never leave the station and city. He is such an icon in this town for all the right and some of the wrong reasons! We would not be where we are at if it wasn't for him!

Randy Richards is my APD and afternoons and is really my right hand man when it comes to anything needed and another on that really is what makes this station what it is.

We do have a new Night Jock that some may know. It's Tino Cochino who used to do radio in San Antonio before moving out to California to pursue this music career. His music still killing every night club across the country and the world but he got that itch to get back into the radio biz and I jumped at the chance to have him on the team!

James Stuart who is my Imaging Director has been here from the jump at KISV and helps so much with promos for both the stations and does schedules music for me also when I have a chance to get away. All my other partimers and Mixers including DJ Wreck make KISV what it is, has been and will continue to be....Dominate!

6. Have you had a chance to start work on getting your pilot's license?

I have not had a chance to get back up in the sky. But make one thing sure I will not be going sky diving around here anytime soon. If you seen the stories about the naked/porn/skydivers....yeah that's here in my backyard!

7. What's your favorite song on KISV right now?

I'm very proud and happy for J.Cole and his album going number 1 last week so every time I play "Workout" it puts a smile on my face. I also love "Dance" from Big Sean. I think this will be his biggest! Others...T-Pain "5'O Clock", Flo Rida "Good Feeling", Kat Deluna "Drop it Low" and The Game f/Lloyd "Hello", who along with T-Pain, Flo, Kat, Far East Movement, and Kreayshawn will all be appearing at Hot Fest 2011 Friday Night November 18th at the Rabobank Arena! Just thought I would throw that in there!

8. If you could be on any TV reality show which would you want to be on?

So many! I think I would like to be on Wipeout! My son JoJo and I always watch that together and he is laughing, so if he could see me on there making a fool out of myself he would love it!

9. You're now a veteran programmer. Any advice for guys starting out in the business with an eye towards programming?

Learn each and everything that you can about your station and if you have the chance learn from anyone else you can in another market. Also don't pigeon hole yourself in just one format. I never thought when I started that I would be running two stations. I know that both of them are some what similar but it still made me think that what if they flipped KKXX to a Country station would they have let me run it? Learn as much as you can about everything. You never know when you get a chance to do something that my not be in your comfort zone.

10. Did you ever imagine being called a "veteran programmer"?

I still think I have along way to go to be called a "veteran programmer". I know there are so many programmers that I lookup who have been doing it a lot longer than me. So when I get to there level and status then you can call me a vet!

If you were to leave Radio and music today and you could choose any other occupation, what would it be?

I really truly hope that never happens because music has been a part of my life for so long. If I had to then I would go back to working with kids, especially finding good homes for kids in need. Since my wife and I adopted my son almost 3 years ago and such a gift it truly was I would love to help out other families experience what we did and still do till this day! (Tissues please)