10 Questions with ... Pete Jones

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started in Radio at KYOS-A/Merced, CA in 1985 doing weekends. I became PD at KYOS-A 1987. I worked for KYOS-A and sister Oldies KABX until 1990. In 1991, I helped flip KHTN/Modesto-Merced, CA to Top 40/Rhythmic. I was PD at KHTN until August 1998 when I came to All Access.

1. Submitted by JB King, APD/MD at KLUC/Las Vegas: You've been away from radio programming for many years, what do you think about a current programmer's day-to-day duties, as someone who has a history but is now looking in from the outside?

I think most programmers are buried. In my conversations with programmers, I don't hear as much joy as I used to. I hear some fatigue from them. Many sound like they are really spread thin. Many don't want to be running the Country station, the Hot AC and the Top 40/Rhythmic but if not them, someone else would.

2. Submitted by Kevin Cruise, PD at KUUU/Salt Lake City: What have you noticed about programmers since PPM has started?

I've noticed that programmers tend to be more conservative with their music and more impatient. I've heard several times that they aren't ready to wait to long for a song to develop on the air. They are much more comfortable letting a song develop its story elsewhere, then move on it.

3. Submitted by Pattie Moreno, PD at KHHM/Sacramento: Who's the hottest chick you have ever met?

Gabrielle Reese...she worked out at the gym in our building. She's a very nice lady, too. She was always friendly despite being a bit intimidating. A co-worker once described Gabrielle as "daunting".

4. Submitted by Fred Rico, PD at XHTZ-XHRM/San Diego: Growing up, were you cool, thought you were cool, or just geeky?

I was pretty damn cool but I've grown out of it. You've seen my 8th grade school photo on Facebook, haven't you? http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs142.snc1/5255_127145872149_530642149_3118451_3089921_n.jpg

I had a freakin' moustache at 13, bitches!

5. Submitted by Motti Shulman of Atlantic Records/Special Ops: What was your favorite thing about living in Merced, CA?

Moving back to Los Angeles in 1998. Actually, I loved my time in Merced. I had my family nearby, met a wife, helped raise two wonderful stepdaughters and I worked with amazing people. I hope that the people that I worked with at KHTN will always be close to me.

At KHTN, I worked with Mark Medina, Rene Roberts, Greg Lawley, Drew Stone, Eric Sean, Dan Watson, Ryan Cota, JV, Steve Smith, Jeff Davis and so many good people.

KHTN was also a great place to develop relationships with the music industry. Our regional record reps out of the San Francisco Bay Area and some out of Los Angeles were some of the best in the business. People like Nino Cuccinello, Andrea Kline, Liz Pokora, Gary Marella, Pamela Newman, DJ Ennis, Aggie Baghei, Eric Baker, James Israel and the king of Sacramento...Jim Burgin.

6. Submitted by J. Reed, PD at KISV-KKXX/Bakersfield, CA: Who, besides me, takes the longest to call you back?

I'm glad you took yourself out of this question...ya weenie. You're a homie from Merced/Atwater, too! Everyone is pretty good about getting back at me. Over the years, I've always been amazed at how accessible WBBM/Chicago APD/MD Erik Bradley is.

7. Submitted by JB King, APD/MD at KLUC/Las Vegas: Since working at All Access, you have given up weekend remotes, club nights, NTR events....and with all your spare time you've taken up golf. Honestly, don't you think your game should be better?

Yes, it should be better. There are no excuses for my game sucking.

8. Submitted by Interscope's Brian Gray: If you were to play a round of 18 with Tiger Woods, what advice would you give him?

I'd say, "T...you're struggling with your game now, your marriage is toast, let's get you back to bimbos and hoochies." I'd also ask him if he thinks bimbos and hoochies would help my game.

9. Submitted by JD Garfield, PD at WJQM/Madison: You can only listen to one song for the rest your life. You can only listen to one song and one song only on eternal repeat. What song is it? Oh...Why are there no porn links on allaccess.com?

One song...that's straight nasty. Even Fight On, the USC fight song would make me nuts. Toss up between Elvis Costello - Watching The Detectives and The Clash - Police And Thieves.

About the porn links...send me some that you think may be a good addition to the site and I'll take it up with Joel.

10. Submitted by Lauren Michaels, morning co-host at KLUC/Las Vegas: If you had to go gay to save the world, who would you go gay with? Or...when on your man period, who do you usually take your anger out on?

OK...I tapped out on part one, although I do have a man-crush on USC Assistant Coach Ed Orgeron.

I've gotten better about my "man period" but my wife, Sue, has to catch the worst of it. Got to tell you, though...she gives and good as she gets.

Submitted by Darren Stephens, PD at WKHT/Knoxville: Everyone thinks Pete Jones is such a nice guy. Have you ever made someone so mad they threw up?

Yes, I have. Many people know that I'm like a lot of Los Angeles commuters. I have a 120 mile round trip commute to the All Access offices in Malibu. Part of my drive is on a winding mountain road near Moorpark, CA. I was tail gaiting a particularly wussy guy driving a Mazda Miata down the mountain. He was braking hard and flipping me off the entire trip down the mountain. At the first light, I pulled up beside him and he's beat red and starts to scream at me. Next thing I know, he spews chow on his passenger seat. It was classic.

Submitted by Rene Roberts, PD at KHTN/Modesto-Merced: You were a PD, so put on your PD hat on. In today's media, we have so many different choices to go to for music as a listener/consumer. How will radio stay realistically relevant in the next 5 to 10 years.

We stay relevant by keeping up with those media options. Stations need to have web sites that are at least as interesting as their stations. I think we need to make sure that we're creating station branded apps for smart phones. The biggest thing is that stations have to entertain and do it in many forms. Broadcast companies need to commit to growing their stations and their brands.

Submitted by Amanda King, MD at WZPW/Peoria: If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

X-ray vision is a very exciting option but I think I'd want to fly. You try driving 120 miles every day in Los Angeles.