10 Questions with ... E.J. Tyler

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: NAME: E.J. Tyler : TITLE: OM/PD : STATIONS: KLLY Kelly 95.3 & KSMJ 97.7 The Breeze : MARKET: Bakersfield, CA : COMPANY: Buckley Radio : BORN: Albany, NY : RAISED: Albany, NY : : Please outline your radio career so far: : I started at WUPE/Pittsfield MA in 1989, hopped in and around Albany at various stations including WTRY, WKLI, WQQY, WJKE, WBPM, WBEC, WVKZ, and WWCP. I then moved to the mid-west in '94 to hit WXLC/Waukegan, WDEK/DeKalb and WMYX/Milwaukee. Someone told me to "GO WEST" in '97 so I did just that, landing at KMHX Santa Rosa, eventually became PD. I've spent the past eight years at KLLY. Oh, and did some weekends and fill-in's at KBIG Los Angeles a little over four years. : 1) What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid? : WQBK-AM in Albany, NY. Tom Leykis was the PD/Morning Talk Host. I now realize what a nightmare I was for him. I was the little 10 year old kid that would call him over and over to make stupid noises then hang up. I just wanted to hear myself on the radio. Even though I wasn't the station's target listener, they were a great local full-service radio station. They were compelling and engaging. As a listener, you felt like you knew them, you cared about them, and you were part of something big. A few years later, I discovered Top 40 and heard the same great radio when Todd Pettengill was PD/Mornings at WFLY-FM in Albany, NY. Both Tom and Todd were such dynamic personalities and brilliant programmers. They influenced me to want to do what they were doing and hopefully follow in their footsteps. : 2) What is your favorite part of the job? : Coming up with new concepts and ideas, then later seeing or hearing them executed. Whatever it is: promotions, contests, events, marketing plans, strategies, imaging, content, graphics, or videos. : 3) What type of billboards and/or TV campaigns are you running? : We ran a cute contest/audition last summer to star in our TV commercial that we ran in the fall. We used local listeners lip-synching and dancing to our music. It made the station look like a lot of fun. : 4) What is the most popular giveaway item at your station? : Kelly Lounge tickets. Besides the phones blowing up...if someone I meet finds out that I work for the radio station, the first question out of their mouths usually focuses who's in our next lounge and/or if they can get tickets to it. We have Buckcherry coming up and following that is Natasha Beddingfield. I have a feeling I will be making lots of new friends with that one! : 5) What will convince you to play a song that you feel isn't right for the station? : Definitely not the following: pressure, call letters, charts, research from other markets, sales or downloads! Being a typical Gen X-er, I dislike it when someone tries to sell me! I've only changed my mind about songs when I'm going through my daily life and encounter it as one of my listeners might. For example, when I hear songs on movie previews, in grocery stores, on TV, at the gym, in a friend's car, on a friend's MySpace page or in restaurants; it makes me think I've missed something and need to re-evaluate my opinion. : 6) What is the current state of radio's "talent pool"? : I'm worried that the radio industry isn't exciting potential new and young talent nor giving them any opportunities to become a part of it. The first few on-air weekend or overnight radio jobs that got me in the door no longer exist. I have a feeling we are missing out on some truly talented and passionate individuals. : 7) How much time do you spend surfing the net? : A lot! I'm compulsive about scanning all of the hard news sites, local and national, as well as entertainment news sites. I want to make sure I know what's going on in the world and local community as soon as it happens. Plus, I have an addiction to Facebook. : 8) What techniques do you use to get a celebrity to open up in an interview? : Don't talk to them like they're a celebrity...talk to them the way you would with an intriguing stranger. They are real people just like you and me! It's more interesting to hear the commonalities we share than the differences. Who cares about their musical influences when you can find out what they stuff their faces with when they've had a crappy day or find out something their mom bugs 'em about. : 9) What is it about our industry that keeps you wanting to do it for a living? : It's interesting and fun trying to figure out what people want from a radio station and how you can give it to them. You can experiment without ultra-serious life or death consequences. No one dies if you have a contest with no callers, or a promotion that flops. I continue to learn something new everyday about my job, my career, other people, and the world. I'm thankful for that and the ability to learn from trial and error! : 10) What advice would you give people new to the business? : Do anything and everything a radio station will let you do. Learn as much as you can and don't worry about how little money you are making! There will always be someone out there that is willing to do more than you, is smarter than you, will work harder than you, or that sounds better than you. If you have an opportunity, do whatever it takes to keep that job! Most important: Leave your ego at home! : Bonus Questions : 1) What is your favorite TV show? : It's a toss up between Desperate Housewives, Heroes, and Nip Tuck. : 2) What is your favorite TV commercial? : I think it would be the Tide commercial where a guy is in a job interview and the spot on his shirt talks and makes a bunch of noise whenever he tries to answer a question. : 3) What do you like to read? : Books like " A New Earth: Awakening to your life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle, and on the lighter side...anything by Seth Godin. : 4) You just won the lotto and you have your boss on the line. What's the first thing that you would say? : Hey I'm about to board an international flight so I won't be in today...actually I might be out for a few weeks...something came up! If you need anything the best way to get a hold of me will probably be via email. WOW!!! This Chardonnay is awesome...hot damn!!! I'll have to send ya' a bottle!! Gotta go! Talk to ya' later!

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