Veteran DJ and television host Matt Pinfield is joining 88.5-FM, The SoCal Sound, as the award-winning, non-commercial radio station’s new afternoon drive host.
The award-winning music personality is taking the spot left open by Andy Chanley, who announced earlier this month that he was leaving the station to become music director at Triple-A (Adult Album Alternative) legacy commercial station WXRT in 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 SoCal Sound General Manager Patrick Osburn.
“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.”
Pinfield said he “couldn’t be more excited” to join the station in the afternoon, 2 to 6 p.m., slot.
“I immediately bonded with Program Director ‘Mookie’ Kaczor and Pat (Osburn) over their passion for radio and music discovery,” he said. “My history with the on-air staff goes back a long way. 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 US. Julie Slater (midday host and 88.5-FM music director) and I also worked together at WXRK in New York City.
I know I am among friends and look forward to this opportunity to share my undying love for radio, and new music with the 88.5 community.”
Pinfield first received national prominence as a VJ at MTV. He served two stints as host of the alternative music program “120 Minutes,” from 1995 to 1999 and from 2011 to 2013 on MTV2.
He started working as both a radio and club DJ in the early 1980s as part of the New Jersey alternative rock scene. He worked at WHTG when the station first began broadcasting alternative rock in 1984.
He later became music director at the station and won several awards before joining MTV in 1995 to host their late-night alternative music show.
He went on to host several shows for the MTV family of networks. Pinfield also served as vice president for A&R (artists and repertoire) for Columbia Records from 2001 to 2006. He has since worked as a DJ and television host for a number of radio stations and television networks.
“Matt is a consummate professional, beloved by music fans and musicians alike,” Kaczor said. “His music knowledge and enthusiasm for broadcasting is unparalleled. We are so happy to have him.”
88.5-FM, The SoCal Sound, is a combined effort of California State University, Northridge, and Saddleback College, which began simulcasting as 88.5-FM in October 2017, linking the Los Angeles County- and Orange County-based signals.
The station’s Triple-A programming is available on the KCSN and KSBR 88.5 HD1 channels, via the 88.5 app and online at www.TheSoCalSound.org.