Pinfield Takes PM Drive At 88.5, The SoCal Sound
• Veteran radio and television host Matt Pinfield is joining non-comm Triple A 88.5-FM (The SoCal Sound)/Los Angeles, as the station’s new afternoon drive host. He will succeed previous PM drive host Andy Chanley, who was recently named Music Director at Audacy Triple A WXRT/Chicago.
“When we unexpectedly had the afternoon drive slot open up, we were so happy to have someone of Matt Pinfield’s stature available to step in,” said Patrick Osburn, GM of the SoCal Sound. “We believe that someone with Matt’s level of notoriety in the industry will help us continue to grow and foster the national recognition we have enjoyed the last few years. With the addition of Matt to our roster, The SoCal Sound truly has a deep bench of talented DJs.”
PD Mark “Mookie” Kaczor commented, “Matt is a consummate professional, beloved by music fans and musicians alike. His music knowledge and enthusiasm for broadcasting is unparalleled. We are so happy to have him.”
For his part, Pinfield said he “couldn’t be more excited” to join 88.5 for afternoon drive. “I immediately bonded with ‘Mookie’ and Pat over their passion for radio and music discovery,” he said. “My history with the on-air staff goes back a long way — [88.5 morning personality] Nic Harcourt and I have been friends since the ’90s, when he was at WDST in Woodstock and I was in Asbury Park at WHTG. We were both music and program directors on the air when there were only 14 commercial Alternative radio stations in the U.S. Julie Slater (88.5 MD & midday host) and I also worked together at WXRK in New York City. I know I’m among friends and look forward to this opportunity to share my undying love for radio, and new music with the 88.5 community.”
Pinfield started his music industry adventure in the early ’80s working as both a radio and club DJ as part of the New Jersey Alternative rock scene. He worked at legendary Jersey Shore station WHTG (FM 106.3) when it first began broadcasting alt/rock in 1984. He was later upped to MD and won several awards before leaping to national prominence in 1995, joining MTV as host of its ground-breaking, late night alternative music show, 120 Minutes until 1999, and again from 2011 to 2013 on MTV2. Pinfield also served as VP of A&R for Columbia Records from 2001 to 2006. He has since worked as a host for a number of radio stations and television networks.
• 88.5-FM, The SoCal Sound, is a combined effort of KCSN at California State University, Northridge, and KSBR at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, which began simulcasting as 88.5-FM in October 2017, linking the Los Angeles County- and Orange County-based signals.
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