Welcome to the personal website of John McMullen, a pioneering digital media and radio programming executive with more than three decades of achievements in spoken word and entertainment content.

 

John's career launched at age 12, working summers in a family-owned small market radio station in the Pacific Northwest. At the age of 17, McMullen helped build and launch major market KUBE FM (then KBLE) in Seattle. A year later, he launched the Pacific Northwest's first tri-state sports network serving more than 40 stations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

 

Since those early days, McMullen honed his skills in News and Talk as a reporter,  anchor, talk show host, and program director at stations around the nation.

 

In 1995, John's entrepreneurial spirit and keen interest in new media led him to RealNetworks (then Progressive Networks) in Seattle, where he was a pioneer in digital audio and video. His vision in the development of niche content for audiences traditionally underserved by broadcast media led to co-founding the start-up Stellar Networks in 1997. The company was a trailblazer in the arena of reaching global audiences through streaming news, talk and entertainment.

In 2002, McMullen was recruited to serve as the first Director of Talk & Entetainment Programming, as well as the company's first original talk show host at SIRIUS Satellite Radio in New York City. John hosted a daily three-hour issues-driven talk show, while also launching channels like SIRIUS Buzz, OutQ and the satcasters political and comedy offerings. He also oversaw and anchored all of the SIRIUS coverage of the 2004 DNC and RNC political conventions.

 

In 2007, McMullen joined the Desert Radio Group in Palm Springs, CA, taking on the challenge of transitioning KNews Radio from primarily syndicated to 9-hours of daily local programming on a shoestring budget. The station added an FM frequency in 2010 and saw dramatic positive momentum with younger demographics under John's direction through 2012.

 

During his tenure at Desert Radio Group, McMullen first met and worked with legendary news/talk programmer David G. Hall, who he has since collaborated with on best practices by talent in all aspects of audio/radio around the world.

 

John began working with a number of program hosts, syndication and podcast projects in September 2012.

John spent the next year overseeing the development, production, and online and syndicated distribution of independent shows about food, wine, healthcare, and an edgy afternoon drive personality duo.

 

In late-2013, McMullen had his first taste of the Midwest, heading to Peoria, Illinois to take the reigns as Program Director of Alpha Media's legendary WMBD AM & FM. There, he helped to guide the focus from a historically older audience towards the 25-54 demo, and worked with Robbins & Markley in afternoon drive, also heard now on Portland, OR sister station FM 101 KXL.

 

John's leadership in Peoria was cut short by a fracture in his lower back, which he had surgery for in August 2014. While recovering from a serious back fusion surgery, McMullen has worked closely with nationally-syndicated newcomer Chad Benson, who hosts a daily 3-hour talk show heard on Radio America.

 

Together with Benson, they are launching a new multimedia venture in Summer 2015, with interests in radio, video, mobile apps and video games.