What drives a programmer that wears multiple managing hats, to be successful with so many tasks to complete, and only seven days to check them off? What are their biggest challenges? How do they find fresh talent? And, how do they manage their team? On Wednesday night, February 13 Radio Ink will once again be part the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. The 30 Top PD’s in Country Radio will be announced at the Amazon sponsored event that will feature The Zac Brown Band and other artists.
JoJo Turnbeaugh, iHeartMedia’s Region Senior Vice President of Programming for the Denver Region is one of those programmers to be recognized by Radio Ink. Turnbeaugh is also the PD at KWBL in Denver. He’s been in radio for 38 years, programming country music for a decade. In this extended interview with JoJo he goes into detail about why he’s so passionate about radio, what made him so successful and how he manages his team.
Here’s our extended interview with JoJo Turnbeaugh, pictured here with Little Big Town.
Radio Ink: What would you consider to be your biggest station accomplishment over the past year (outside of any ratings successes)?
JoJo: Denver is a very competitive Country market. Our team effort of launching 106-7 The Bull against a legacy competitor was certainly an up-hill battle. I’m proud of what we are able to build in a short period of time. In fact, our launch forced another competitor out of the format. Now, it’s a two-way battle. 106-7 The Bull’s cume has grown tremendously, and it’s a testament to the passion of our listeners, unparalleled company resources, and the hardest-working air staff in Denver.
Radio Ink: What are your biggest challenges?
JoJo: Balancing the art and science of building, growing and maintaining a radio brand. We not only have our internal metrics and data that we use to make music decisions, but now we have metrics like consumption, sales, downloads and more coming from our label partners in Nashville. Deciphering all of it is a daily task. But, at the end of the day, having the tools that are available to us is the difference between success and failure. And, there’s no substitute for block-and-tackle programming tactics.
Radio Ink: What drives you every day?
JoJo: In my role overseeing programming for the Denver region – which includes multiple markets – I have the honor of working alongside the best programmers and talent in the country. Regardless of the format, we challenge and help each other to achieve success with clearly-defined expectations and providing the tools to win.
Radio Ink: Why are you passionate about being in radio?
JoJo: I was born into this business and I am a second-generation radio brat. I started riding the lawnmower to work when I was 11-years old – yes I mowed the lawn and did an air shift every Saturday morning. I fell in love with the pure joy of being on-the-air. And now, 38-years later, that love of radio has never wavered. The business has certainly evolved, and the number of platforms we use to touch our listeners changes daily, but I feel very blessed to have grown with this business.
Radio Ink: How have you achieved success?
JoJo: Fortunately for me, I have been mentored by some of the smartest people in the business.I’ve always believed in surrounding myself with the most-talented individuals and learning from their experience and success.
Radio Ink: Where and how are you developing the next big talent?
JoJo: The talent pool is very shallow. 15-years ago, we looked to the small and medium markets to find the next big show or talent. Now, if you are a big talent in a small market, chances are you have done a great job marrying that market and have no desire to leave. As an industry, we have to develop talent that may have never worked in radio.
Radio Ink: What is your philosophy on managing your team (please be detailed).
JoJo: First and foremost: Hire the best people and let them do their job. Micromanaging is something that sucks the creativity from the people who provide content. My job as a leader is to inspire and encourage. Every member of my team has clear expectations for their role, and we work together as a cohesive unit to achieve the best results.
Radio Ink: What is the key to becoming a successful Country programmer in 2019?
JoJo: That’s easy: Surround yourself with the best people. Don’t be afraid to hire someone who is smarter and more creative than you. Take risks and do not be afraid to fail. Work hard to understand your audience. Be willing to pivot when needed. This business is a fast-moving train that is changing at every stop.
Radio Ink: If you could change one big thing about the radio industry today, what would that be?
JoJo: We use ratings and revenue to measure success and failure. With the evolution of data, streaming, consumption and all other platforms to reach our audience, shouldn’t that data be used for a station’s actual impact? Instead, more often than not, our success is defined by the listening habits of a handful of PPM panelists.
Reach out to JoJo to congratulate him on being one of the best PD’s in the business at [email protected]
