Jeremy Pritchard, Alt 94.9 (KBZT) San Diego’s Brand Manager, Afternoon Host, and Audacy’s Alternative Librarian, puts his money where his mouth is. He’s a total “music geek.” And I mean that in the best way. He also uses big words…. some I had to look up, LOL. But there is no question he has been a student of the music and the format all his life.
“I was a total radio rat growing up, and as cringey as it is, I was the kid in high school who answered, ‘I’m going into radio’ in the yearbook when they asked what are you doing next,” explains Pritchard. “As quick as I could I got an internship at my local Los Angeles/Orange County radio station KIKF-FM.”
“Craig Powers gave me a shot doing a warmup for his Disco Saturday nights as my first on-air shift, and after that, I found myself on a collision course with Mike Halloran and my foray into programming. That brought me to KFSD San Diego, and eventually, Garett Michaels brought me to KBZT in 2003. Taking advantage of starting my radio career while I was still in college, I worked my way from Part Time Weekends and Promotions Coordinator to Brand Manager.”
It’s rare to see someone’s career develop and continue its course in one city for so long, but if there is one thing I have learned, having lived and programmed there myself, there’s a reason people in the business do not leave San Diego. They will wait years while living there to find another gig on the radio so they don’t have to leave. That’s because San Diego is paradise, and the mentality is so laid back, while the city maintains a unique progressiveness.
KBZT has always been a great example of the personality of the city. “KBZT has always been about the freedom of experimentation,” says Pritchard. “When the station launched, we were raging against the corporate rock machine, but we were always flexible.” In 2007, the signal was turned over to KPBS after they lost the ability to transmit during the Witch Fires. The station has also been the broadcast home of the Padres.”
The one thing (besides potential earthquakes) San Diegans have to deal with are fires. “It really is scary; I remember the Cedar Fire in ’03 and the Witch Creek Fire in ‘07. Much like our neighbors to the North (Los Angeles) it was a terrible shock to the community. We partnered locally with the San Diego Food Bank to collect needed items to help those affected in LA. Locally, all Audacy SD stations are pooling resources to give the community up-to-date info for what’s been popping up in SD, like the recent Border Fire and Mission Valley Fire.”
The good news for those who get to know Pritchard, whether on air or off, is that what you see and hear is what you get. “I am very much the same person whether the mic is on or off. If you run into me at the grocery store, I am still a total nerd,” he insists. “I geek out on music, the same as I do being a dad or playing Dungeons and Dragons. I try to be a conduit of positivity and musical sherpa-tude. Anytime my San Diego family tunes in, I want them to get something they can use: some cool musical knowledge, the heads up on something going down in the city, or just a laugh on how my day-to-day little life struggles mirror their own.”
As for the Alternative format, Pritchard is excited about 2025. “I think this will be a great building year! A lot of the Alt Heritage acts released music in ’24, so now we get to see the next phase from some of the acts we invested in during COVID. Seeing where some of our new stars like Cannons go next is very cool.”
“I think fans of Alternative music are really leading the charge right now. They are showing us stars like Myles Smith, Djo, Good Neighbours and Lola Young. Some of my personal favorites include Myles Smith’s ‘Wait For You,’ Djo’s ‘Basic Being Basic,’ Cannons ‘Fire for You,’ and Gig Perez’s ‘Sailor Song.’
And Pritchard believes strongly there is plenty of new music out there to keep the format growing and thriving. “Hell yeah!” he exclaims. “Social media has made it easier than ever for artists to develop a fan base beyond their local open mic nights and gigs. The social egregore has become one of the best (and worst) A&R tools out there; it’s our job to weed out what works for us as a format.”
As for some of the best collabs in the format, Pritchard starts with “James Bay, Lumineers, Noah Kahan “Up All Night.” “This is about as close to a Crosby Stills Nash & Young as this generation has ever had,” he says. “IMO the only voice it’s missing is Nathaniel Rateliff. Another is Powfu & Beabadoobee ‘Death Bed.’ Say what you want; it’s a cool and timeless fusion of two musical arts that feels eternally Alternative. And Temple of The Dog ‘Hunger Strike.’ Anytime I think of voices working together, this is the first song that comes to mind. The blending of the voices of Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder is like watching two unicorns effortlessly bring joy to the world.”
“Collabs I’d like to see… Jack White and Mk.gee, Bon Iver and Jean Dawson, 070 Shake, and Tame Impala,” says Pritchard. “Honestly, I don’t know if any of these would have any commercial success, but with all the things I listen to, I’d get excited to hear what these six artists do together.”
And as for the latest change in Nielson’s five to three minutes of straight listening for credit in PPM, Pritchard LOVES it. “It gives us more of a chance to get credit in the way listeners use the medium. If I’ve done anything, it’s to give the station a thorough check-up under the hood and ask the questions: Do the clocks still work? Am I maximizing all my quarter hours with song placement and desired sound codes? and most importantly, Am I still taking advantage of stop set positions by straddling those quarter hours? We’ll see what happens.”
Much like the San Diego mentality, “Right now, for us, it’s a slow return to normalcy,” says Pritchard. “We lost a lot when COVID hit and now we’ve had to re-learn a lot of what we took for granted, while at the same time, acknowledging the changes that it made to the everyday lives of our listeners. 2025 is a year where we are looking forward to new discovery of listening patterns and being just as seen as we are heard in the community.”
Follow Jeremy Pritchard @RadioMang on Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, and Twitch.
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Charese Fruge’ is an award-winning Content, Broadcast, and Marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, San Diego, and Las Vegas. As the owner of MC Media, she works with radio brands and individual talent, especially young women, helping them grow their brands and negotiate on their own behalf. She is also a Voice Actor and Voice Over Talent as well as a Freelance Writer for International Broadcast Outlets. Find her at @MCMediaOnline or www.mcmediaonline.com.
