J. Love has exited his role as Operations Manager at Connoisseur’s KBAY and KEZR in San Jose. His departure comes after nearly a year and arrives just as KBAY prepares for a significant frequency move.
What We Know: Love joined Connoisseur last summer, coming off an 11-year run in Las Vegas that included the PD chair at Audacy Hot AC KMXB. Before Vegas, he built his career across San Diego, Reno, Detroit, and New Orleans. He launched his radio journey at then-Rhythmic Top 40 KHQT in San Jose. The timing of his exit is notable — KBAY is set to shift to 98.5 FM this Wednesday.
What They Said: Love reflected on his time with the company via social media. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a talented group of people and for everything we were able to accomplish together,” he wrote. “I’m proud of the work we did, the relationships I built, and especially the progress we made with both brands.” He added that he’s looking forward to what’s next.
What Remains Unclear: Connoisseur has not announced a replacement or shared a timeline for filling the position. It’s also unclear whether the frequency transition influenced the timing of Love’s exit. No details on his next move have surfaced yet.
What It Means: There’s clearly movement happening inside this cluster. KBAY’s shift to 98.5 signals change is already underway. Whether Love’s exit is the beginning of a broader transition — or the final piece of one — remains to be seen. The card shuffle is in motion, and the next move will tell the story.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.