About Me - Jonathon Bear's NAKED RADIO

Who am I? Glad you asked...

Taking the Industry by Storm, and Having Fun Along the Way...
I was born in Los Angeles, California, and am proud to be a native (don't ask why). I got my first taste of Rock and Roll during the 1971 Southern California earthquake, which made relocating to Phoenix, Arizona real easy.

In Phoenix, I entered the entertainment field as a mobile/club DJ (when playing rock at a high school dance was still acceptable - 1978). In 1983, I got a taste of what was to come - I was asked to be on the fireworks crew for a show being done by the Osmonds at ASU Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. My new love was born! While providing music at functions and doing lighting for local bands in Phoenix, I continued doing some of the most elaborate music-oriented fireworks sky shows all across the US.

I decided to quit playing records (remember those?) in 1986, and began working for the bands and artists that I had been spinning. I worked as a lighting director/roadie on concert tours. Ask me about it - I love to brag!

Family life brought me back to earth and to Kalamazoo, Michigan where I started in radio (this is 1994) at a small family Christian radio station (WKPR AM), then moved to the Crystal Radio Group cluster of WRKR, WKMI and WKFR FM. Then rock outlet WRKR FM unleashed my Insomniacs Radio Program weeknights from midnight to 6am.

Continuing my career, in 1997, I moved my show, jumping almost 100 markets to Omaha, Nebraska and landed at Z-92 (KEZO). Under the direction of the late Doug Sorensen, I got my first Arbitron rating book, increasing the "All Night Flight" ratings by 132%, and have increased each book to date. In 1998, I was voted "Best Midnight DJ in Omaha" by Reader Magazine's annual reader poll.

Also in 1998, Z-92 had the extreme honor of being nominated by Radio and Records as Rock Station of the Year. Z-92 is honored to have Doug Sorensen bring home the PD of the Year Award.

"It's fun to be Bear after midnight!"