Buzz Bishop Leaves Vancouver Radio For Calgary

Buzz Bishop is one of BC's most recognized pop culture broadcasters, as well as a writer and new media junkie. His radio experience spans nearly 20 years, where's he held nearly every position on the radio clock, consistently brings top ratings. This summer Buzz was released from his drive gig at Virgin radio in Vancouver. With a recent announcement, Buzz will be packing it up, Howard Stern Private Parts style, and heading to Calgary to host the morning program at AMP 90.3.

RockStar Weekly wanted to check in with Buzz to wish him well on his journey.

1. You’ve been on BC airwaves for about 20 years. It’ll be sad to see you go to Calgary, but congratulations. Tell us about the new gig.

I'll be doing mornings at AMP Radio in Calgary. I'll be working with the gang in Calgary to build out the rest of the team when I arrive the first week of December.

2. Is that a new station?

AMP Radio was known as Fuel until June 09. The plug was pulled on the classic alternative format and the boomin' top 40 AMP replaced it.

3. Are you sad to leave Vancouver? Any problems selling your home?

Of course I'm sad to leave Vancouver, I've been in BC for 30 years, but I'm looking forward to taking the next step in my career. Selling the house was much easier than I thought. We were lucky.

4. So, does this mean you’re now going to root for the Flames and Stampeders?

You always root for the home team.

5. In your 20 years, many of those have been in Vancouver on 95.3. That’s a long time for a jock to stay stationary on the dial. What do you think kept you in the same place so long?

I got lucky by having programmers who believed in my talent and kept me through many incarnations of the top 40 that Z, Crave and Virgin presented.

6. It must have been fun to be part of the official launch of Virgin.

I was the first voice that flipped on Virgin in January 09. I interview Sir Richard a week after our launch, it was a huge time.

7. What do you think went wrong at Virgin?

I don't think anything went wrong, my ratings were tops and I had been picked Best In Vancouver in the Georgia Straight 2 years in a row. 5 of us were let go at the same time - it's just stuff that happens in radio.

8. What were some of the major industry changes that you have seen happen over the years (examples – automation, digital, Internet)?

I started at Z by doing the overnight show and 2 weekend shifts. Those positions don't exist anymore. In fact, Virgin doesn't even have a live evening show anymore. Those day-parts represent the first 4 years of my career in a major market.

That said, there are more stations now, so the number of jobs is probably constant, just spread out.

I don't know how I did my job 20 years ago before the Internet. I remember cutting articles out of magazines and saving them in a file folder for show prep. Now, I can do it whenever, wherever.

9. There must be a few moments that stand out in your Vancouver career.

I grew up in Vancouver and to have hosted the Z Morning Crew and create my own version of the LG Morning Zoo was a lifetime dream. I've worked alongside my radio heroes Howie the Hitman and Darren B Lamb and rocked the mic in my hometown. It was a thrill.

10. How about some funny celebrity gossip that you had the chance to witness?

The day Nicole Richie announced she was pregnant, I was interviewing Hilary Duff. I was first to get her reaction about her ex hooking up with Richie.

11. You've probably had your fair share of celeb interviews as well. Any favourites?

Janet Jackson, Mick Jagger, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Britney, No Doubt, Spice Girls, Destiny's Child, Diddy etc etc.

Think about pop music over the past 15 years, I've interviewed just about every chart topper. It's a truly remarkable privilege afforded to us in radio to experience pop culture in a first person environment like that.

12. You’ve taken to the Internet and your blog is widely respected. What drew you to the Internet?

I was asked to participate in a web chat for Top Kids back in 1995/96. It was a bulletin board message board. They loaned me a computer, I taught myself HTML and the rest is history.

13. Have you ever thought about leaving radio to concentrate on doing something on the net?

The only way to be successful in netcasting is to have a truly international audience. I may have had top ratings in Vancouver, but people in Kansas, Ottawa and Estonia have no idea who I am. Leo Laporte is one of very very few people who do netcasting with any sense of profitability and he's one of the very best I have ever seen.

14. Will Vancouver fans get to hear your Calgary broadcasts on the net at all?

AMP Radio has one of the thickest juiciest web streams I have ever heard. Dial up http://www.facebook.com/l/ee79c;www.ampradiocalgary.com to hear it. I also have the TimeTuner iPhone app which lets you dial in any of 14 000 radio stations around the world. With this app I check in to AMP now as I drive around Vancouver and tie up some family chores before the move.

15. Thank you for your time today.

No problem.