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10 Questions with ... Top40 Rhythmic
December 10, 2019
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10 Questions with ... Top40 Rhythmic
This week, we look back at 2019 with the best answers to some of our best questions.
Phat Joe
PD
KQMQ/Honolulu (1/2/19)
Who are/were some of your radio mentors?
Big Teeze was the man who taught me everything about being on air and how to control large crowds. Because of what learned from him, I've been able to have a long career in hosting night clubs and concerts. My biggest influence was my long time PD Fred Rico. He made radio fun and made sure we had fun doing it!Andre Covington
morning co-host
KSEQ/Fresno, CA (1/15/19)
What got you into radio?
Doing stand-up comedy, I would go on radio to promote shows. After one of my comedy promotions, I was asked if I could fill in for a couple of weeks. They needed to find a new co-host for the morning show. A couple of weeks turned into 18 years!Bethany Kent
Dir. Marketing-Events
Emmis/New York (WQHT-WBLS-WLIB-A) (1/29/19)
Street team to promotions director to marketing director and now a cluster marketing and events director in New York. Looking back, is there a defining moment when you knew this is where you really wanted to be?I recently found the link to my LiveJournal (holy throwback) from 2005 when I spent the Summer in NYC interning at Def Jam and Fuse TV. I actually wrote in an entry that I wanted to "be a Marketing Director for a major media company". I don't really remember being that specific at 21 years old but I guess I knew!
Lee L'Heureux (THROWBACK)
VP/Promotion
Asylum Records (2/16/09 and 2/12/19)
Having been in the record promotion business for awhile now, would you have liked working Lee L'Heureux, the APD/MD?Haha! Totally. I really enjoy music of all genres. I still hunt on the internet for new music and buy albums and mixtapes. I know there are so many time hurdles in people's schedules these days but it's always great to talk about and get excited about new records.
Scrap Jackson
PD
WFFY/Ft. Myers, FL (3/5/19)
You jumped back into the Rhythm fray in 2017 with Fly 98.5. What were you doing after you left The Beat?I never left rhythm radio or Fort Myers. From my home, I morphed into a full service consultant for radio stations in Jamaica, Bahamas, Antigua and Trinidad. Given these experiences, my approach to radio is unconventional. I created Fly 98.5 almost two years ago and thanks to ownership here, love every minute of it!
Joey Tack
PD
WKHT/Knoxville, TN (3/12/19)
What could and should radio do better?- Stop hesitating. React immediately when things happen!
- Acknowledge new listener habits, (streaming, social media) and adapt accordingly.
- Bring back the sizzle and surprise that drew you to radio in the first place.
- Think of your station more as a brand, less as an FM frequency.
- Seek out interesting and unique talent for your brands. Focus less on polished, traditional jocks.Nick Garcia
Ghetto House Radio
Co-Founder/PD (3/19/19)
What was the genesis of Ghetto House Radio?How long can this paragraph be? Three Latin Kids (Eric Rosado, Josser Meza and Nick G) that loved dance music had an idea to create a dance music show on the radio that catered to the people. A dance show that came from the streets and was about it's listeners. After about six months of asking for a chance, we got our big break at 3 am on a Saturday/Sunday night. In February of 2002, GHR was born on KYLD (Wild 94.9)/San Francisco. We had a brief one year stint and got removed because of programming changes. After a few years and the rise of dance music again, Rene Roberts at KHTN in Merced/Modesto, CA gave us a chance to resurrect our little dance show. That little dance show is now on 49 FM stations in the United States, and we are not stopping anytime soon.
Michael Buhrman (THROWBACK)
AMD/Prog. Assistant
KQKS/Denver (3/24/09 and 3/26/19)
A freak gravitational shift has added three hours to every day. What would you do with those extra three hours?I'd probably take some time to take classes to learn more Web based tools such as Flash, Dreamweaver, Adobe, and video editing software. I really think there are avenues to make the Web a tool to not only entertain, but make the on air staff even bigger stars, and give the audience a reason to go right back to listening to the radio more, and Id love to learn the tools to implement that.
Johnny O.
PD/mornings
KBFM/McAllen, TX (4/9/19)
If you could be on any TV reality show or game show, which would you want to be on?Naked and Afraid
Jennifer Liss
RED MUSIC
Sr. Dir./Radio Promotion (4/16/19)
You also worked on the music publishing side for a while. What led to that and what was your "takeaway" from the experience?After WBR, the opportunity to work at Sony ATV Publishing for Jody Gerson presented itself. I knew nothing about publishing but it felt like the right move. I had never worked for a female before and I couldn't have asked for a better mentor. I was able to learn from her and the best A&R's in the business and try to soak everything in.
Working in promo for so long, you are working the finished product that is wrapped up in a bow. On the publishing side, I was able to learn the front end and the business side of it all. It was like finding a huge missing piece of the puzzle. It was a big 'a-ha' moment for me to learn a completely new side of the business and ultimately, helped me become a better promotion person.
JoJo Lopez
PD/mornings
KWWV/San Luis Obispo (4/30/19)
Imagine your job today without social media. How would it be different?I feel the same way probably everyone on Earth feels about it. I wish I could use it less. It's an enormous time suck, but it's also necessary. On the one hand we waste so much time not only looking at it, but also cultivating it. Each of us is probably responsible for content creation for your own accounts and at least a few stations on multiple platforms... Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. But on the other hand, how uniformed would we be if we didn't look at it. I know a few people who've swore it off and they think I work for TMZ when I share my knowledge of pop culture with them. It's a huge form of show prep, and a great way to connect in a more meaningful way with your audience.
Miss Alynette
middays
KHHM/Sacramento, CA (5/14/19)
What got you into radio?One day, I was listening to the heritage station in Oxnard at my desk job and heard the midday personality give incorrect information about an artist. When I called the studio line to correct her, she invited me to their upcoming cattle call for street teamers. I took the opportunity and three years later, I ended up as her replacement on-air when she moved to a larger market.
DJ Shady
MD/Mixshow Coordinator/middays
WJQM/Madison, WI (5/28/19)
If you could be on any TV reality show or game show, which would you want to be on?I would love to be on The Bachelor. Why? C'mon now.
Edwin "DJ Ewrek" Ruano
PD/mornings
KPAT/Santa Maria, CA (6/4/19)
What makes living and working in the Santa Maria area so special?The food! Also, the people are down to earth here. Life is a little slower and I can leave 10 minutes before work and make it on time.
Vijay Das
APD/MD/afternoons
KWYD/Boise, ID (6/25/19)
What would probably surprise most people about Boise?It's not all farmland! There is so much to do here. It's a perfect place if you're an outdoor person because of the amazing scenery. Lakes, waterparks, museums, sporting events and we get some decent big-name concerts that make stops here. Downtown Boise is amazing. There are events EVERY weekend. The nightlife is great here and lots of different and diverse restaurants. People back home are still shocked that I moved here. I have relatives who think I moved to Ohio and asked if I was sad when LeBron left...
J. Reed
PD
KISV-KKXX/Bakersfield, CA (7/9/19)
Best hip hop live show you've ever seen?By far it was Jay-Z and his Reasonable Doubt 10 year Anniversary show at Radio City Music Hall. That's my favorite album of all time and to be able to see Jay perform each song live and in person was a dream come true!
Mia Amor
mornings
KSFM/Sacramento, CA (7/16/19)
Who were some of your favorite celebrity interviews?JLO - The nicest person to talk to. She's like your homegirl.
Phife Dawg - He did a dope freestyle on my show that went viral.
Marlon Wayans - Having him sing Happy Birthday to Obama was so funny and cool.
Ne-Yo and Ashley Graham are some other favorites.
Greg Williams (THROWBACK)
PD/mornings
KDGS/Wichita (7/14/09 and 7/30/19)
Where do you find joy in your job?I love the competitive nature of the business. In my market my Top 40 competitor makes it a point to talk about me directly on the air, frankly I consider it a compliment and I have never allowed myself to be reduced to their level of immaturity and ignorance. The real joy comes when the listeners display their passion for your radio station with their support of station events and ultimately strong ratings. That's the joy, being the target on top of that hill and even though many have tried, they have been unsuccessful at sustaining themselves in that effort to knock us off. I like having that target on my back. Being the number one 18-34 station in the market for as long as we have been is a huge statement and something that was not achieved without a lot of hard work.
Leo Caro
PD/mornings
KBZT/Midland-Odessa, TX (8/6/19)
Did you take broadcast/communications classes in college? Anything stand out about them?I did get a Mass Communications degree and looking back NOTHING is valid today. LOL...I kid. But, I do remember turning in my radio audio final on a cassette. But yes, the basics still apply and that's good to know.
Kevin Cruise
OM
KUUU-KUDD/Salt Lake City (8/20/19)
Did your work in the streaming music business give you some insights to programming contemporary terrestrial radio today?I'm very grateful for my time in the streaming side of the music industry. It helped me break away from being a "radio listener" and listen like anyone who prefers digital consumption. It helped break some old rules that don't necessarily apply to what we do today. Sometimes I think we get stuck in the mindset of "I was taught it has to be this way"...and there's nothing wrong with being taught the right way to program. It has helped me evolve my thinking and become a better programmer, or at least more well-rounded.
Buckwheat
afternoons
WLLD/Tampa, FL (8/27/19)
Looking at your radio career to this point, what are you most proud of?Man, there are so many proud moments, but the best one is that I get to share it with my work wifey, Stiffy. Coming up the ranks with my homie, and a lot of others, makes every proud moment a great, shareable moment.
Joey Hernandez
PD/mornings
KHQT/Las Cruces, NM (9/3/19)
What got you into radio?My first summer of living in Las Cruces, I used to work for the Horticulture department at New Mexico State. One day while working and listening to HOT 103, I actually heard a "we're hiring" commercial. I always thought how cool it would be to work with the people that I hear having fun on the radio.
Justin Credible
nights
KPWR/Los Angeles (9/17/19)
What do you remember the most about your first air shift?I was super nervous. I remember thinking to myself, "this isn't as easy as these guys make it sound." I was also excited and I instantly knew that this is what I want to be doing with my life. I had finally found a job where my off the wall energy actually helped me succeed.
Kev King
Nights
KISV/Bakersfield, CA (9/24/19)
What artist/entertainer would you pick to do your show for you while you were on vacation?Snoop Dogg or Dave Chappelle would be great to host the night show for a week.
Greg Hoffman
PD/morning co-host
KSEQ/Fresno and KQKZ/Bakersfield (10/1/19)
You're a programming veteran. What advice would you share with someone just getting started in programming/management?Be a teacher. I fear radio is not developing the talent that will benefit the industry in the future. So do your part and develop the people that work under you. It will improve your radio station, help them and the process will make you better, as well
Dex
morning co-host
WHZT/Greenville, SC (10/8/19)
What's your favorite thing about doing mornings?I love talking to the people that call in with their stories! No matter how crazy the story is in the world, chances are we have a listener that can beat it and they just call in. I love that! I love the energy in the room and how fast things move in mornings. It's like the next thing you know, you're doing the last break of the show and it feels like it just started.
Tanch
APD
KHTP/Seattle (10/15/19)
What was the biggest change in the move from Albany to Seattle?The pace and the people. Where I'm from, there's an immense pressure to live to work. People in the Pacific Northwest work to live. It's refreshing.
Jessica Carroll
PD
KPAT/Santa Maria, CA (10/22/19)
Who would be your dream celebrity "Follow" on social media?Chance the Rapper or Jhene Aiko
Big Mo
APD/MD
WJMH/Greensboro, NC (10/29/19)
What excites you about programming?Being able to flow the music the way I want to flow it. Flow is very important to me, especially with programming, because I never schedule R&B songs back to back, slow or upbeat. I like to protect those records. I want to keep my station sounding like a party at all times. Also, finding and breaking new music excites me, especially when it works in Shazam and callout! It never gets old!
Frankie V
APD/MD/mornings
KSSX/San Diego (11/5/19)
Why are Boston sports fans so much more intense than San Diego sports fans?We grew up with sports in our blood in Boston! It is a homegrown city where EVERYONE is from Boston. San Diego is such a transplant city that it's tough to build that deep-rooted fan base. Plus, when your teams win championships at a rate that the Boston teams do...it's tough to not be intense!
Booker
mornings
KUUU/Salt Lake City (11/18/19)
Radio has taken you across the country. What was your favorite market to live in?I spent quite a few years away from Salt Lake City and being back here this place has grown an insane amount in that time. I've always called SLC my second home for personal reasons. But I would probably say Boise was my favorite place to live in terms of "quality of life". The city literally has any and everything a person needs. Outdoor life is awesome for those who are adventurous, great city for food and a very vibrant nightlife. I've had several people ask me about Boise since I've left, I have and always will give that city high recommendations.
Mia Mance
PD/afternoons
WXYY/Savannah-Hilton Head (11/25/19)
What was the biggest change in the move from North Dakota to Savannah?Easy, the weather! You must respect broadcasters that come out of the frozen tundra, people willing to stand outside, do remotes in -20 weather and blizzards. The Radio battles in a small state like North Dakota are REAL! That state, working across the state in Fargo and Bismarck made me a better broadcaster and an even better human!
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