In a twist of fate, the journey KMJ Program Director Blake Taylor could have been entirely different from his chosen path. His remarkable radio career began at just 17 years old. After moving to New Mexico, he ventured into the sports radio world and hosted a show for several years. However, destiny took a turn just before the tragic events of 9/11, when he lost his job.
On the day America faced the 9/11 attacks, Blake was scheduled to meet with the management of a news and talk station for a potential program director role. Unfortunately, the interview was canceled due to the unfolding crisis but was later rescheduled, leading to his eventual appointment. Blake’s desire to serve his country at that critical moment could have led him down a different path.
Reflecting on those pivotal times, he acknowledges that he might never have reached his current position without the opportunity to program a station in New Mexico. KMJ holds a special place in the hearts of the Fresno community, dating back to the early 1920s when it was the sole station in Central California. People would gather around a large speaker outside KMJ’s downtown Fresno studios to listen to World Series games or thrilling boxing matches. KMJ was the only radio station between Sacramento and Los Angeles for over 20 years.
KMJ remains an integral part of the San Joaquin Valley a century later. While times have changed, the right person leads the station. Blake Taylor joined KMJ approximately 16 years ago, knowing he was destined to step into the role of program director when Skip Essick retired. He patiently bided his time, serving as the station’s new director and assistant program director until he officially assumed the role of KMJ Program Director in 2014.
In today’s world, managing a brand involves more than just guiding talent and overseeing a team. Social media and streaming have boosted a station’s capacity to connect with not only local communities but also with people all over the globe. Even if you’re a Fresno transplant, you can tune in to KMJ from wherever you are.
With the growing use of technology, consumers have a broader range of choices and fiercer competition. Blake Taylor understands the steps required to keep KMJ relevant. He has forged partnerships with the community and expanded KMJ’s presence in local news by collaborating with local ABC30 to provide more extensive coverage of local news and weather.
We sat down with Blake Taylor to discuss his journey to KMJ, how the station’s internal consistency is a big part of keeping Fresno engaged and entertained, what he most enjoys about his job, and how a partnership with community members allows KMJ to give back to a community that loved and supported the station for more than 100 years.
Ryan Hedrick: How has your role as a program director changed over the past decade?
Blake Taylor: You’re not running a radio station anymore. Ten years ago, it was a lot more straightforward. These days, you’re running multiple social media sites, multiple podcasts that you’re in charge of, and streaming that you must maintain. You’re looking at a broadcast entity of nearly a dozen outlets at any moment.
RH: What do you like most about being the program director at KMJ?
BT: I love coming to work every day and working with true professionals. That was one of the reasons that I came here to KMJ. I took the news director job in 2007. I came here to win and to work with real broadcast professionals. Most of the people that I started with in 2007 are still here. That vibes with me. You come to work, and people are here to have fun but also to play ball, and they know what they’re doing.
RH: How important is KMJ’s internal consistency to the listening audience?
BT: It’s huge. It says a lot about dependability. KMJ is the 38th oldest continually operated radio station in the country. We just celebrated our century anniversary in 2022. We also released a one-hour documentary ( KMJ | 100 Years in the Valley). If you can put together a century of radio broadcasts recapping what it’s meant to the area, that will tell you what KMJ means to the San Joaquin Valley and Fresno.
Ray Appleton, our midday guy, on the 19th will be his 36th anniversary; that’s just at KMJ. He had years prior in rock radio. That will tell you about consistency, and that will tell you why he’s number one in that position for more than three decades. He’s been here for a third of the time the station has been on the air.
RH: How was the process of creating the documentary? How did you balance celebrating the past with promoting the future of KMJ?
BT: It was fascinating. The research that Valley PBS filmmaker Jeff Aiello and his team were able to come up with opened a lot of eyes, especially how KMJ got its call letters. KMJ was the only radio station in Central California for 20-30 years; from the early 1920s to the early 1940s, KMJ was the only station in Fresno. That was something between us when you got to Los Angeles or between us and Sacramento.
We found old pictures at the archives in the library of people standing outside in downtown Fresno, with their suit and their hats on, listening to World Series games or big boxing match-ups. They would stand outside our first iteration of the KMJ building in downtown Fresno, listening to the loudspeakers broadcasting to the street because people didn’t have radios in their homes back then.
RH: You have a unique, local partnership with ABC30 in Fresno. How did this partnership come about?
BT: We’re excited about this partnership. They are the clear leader in local television news coverage, their viewership dominates the Fresno market, and KMJ is the breaking news leader throughout the San Joaquin Valley in radio and streaming. The partnership made sense for the two powerhouses to join forces. We utilize some of their content, especially on KMJ Morning News. It’s a great fit. Their reporting and weather reports are top-notch, and I couldn’t be happier. We are off to the races with ABC30, it’s excellent.
RH: Does your experience as a news director give you an overall advantage when you’re programming the station?
BT: I think so. Coming from the news side, you get to know the nuts and bolts of your city, the city council, the board of supervisors, and the players. You get to know the people who can make stuff happen, which helps a programming role because you can work with the talk talent and disseminate the information you’ve gathered from the news department.
RH: What is your approach to managing and coaching talent?
BT: As I see it, my job is to spark interest in different topics or ideas a host hasn’t thought of from a certain angle. Reinforce concepts of specific ways to tease segments and ensure we’re using the best audio we can. For instance, we had an Israeli flag-raising in downtown Fresno. In this dark time, Mayor Jerry Dyer was speaking and announcing Fresno’s unwavering support for Israel. He is getting shouted down by Pro-Palestinian protestors, and the audio came out amazing. So, I made sure everybody had the audio. My job is always supporting talent, and that’s how I look at it.
RH: With this busy national and international news cycle that we’re in, how does KMJ leverage that content and use it to serve the San Joaquin Valley and Fresno communities?
BT: Nine out of ten times, there’s a local angle to a national or international incident. Somebody in our area is from the area in the news; Fresno County has one million people. Our job is to look for the local angles. That’s another way to use social media too. Put information out there if you are looking for something. There is a local angle. Our job is to try and find that and tell those stories.
RH: KMJ broadcasts on both the AM and FM bands. What do you think the future holds for AM radio, and are you concerned if automakers remove it from cars, it could impact KMJ?
BT: My fingers are crossed for the survival of AM Radio. Getting rid of it in emergencies would be a huge detriment and potentially dangerous. Two years ago, we had what was called the Creek Fire, just to the east of Fresno, which was threatening a number of mountain communities. We jumped on the air; it was Labor Day weekend, and there was no communication for those struggling to escape the flames. Many homes were burning down, businesses were burning down, and thousands of acres of forest land were being scorched. KMJ came in on a holiday, and we were broadcasting emergency declarations from law enforcement about where the safe spots were to go. It was a life-and-death situation for a lot of folks. AM radio was there to help.
RH: When programming a station, do you watch and listen for the next great talent? Even if you may not be hiring at the moment?
BT: Yes, I am always taking mental notes. If I talk to somebody interesting who has a presence, can tell a story, is smart, is quick, hopefully sarcastic to a point, has a sense of humor, is self-deprecating, and otherwise, if they’re interesting, I will listen to them. I always take mental notes on who I like as a potential host or weekend personality. We’ve put on many of those in the last five years.
