KTSW’s 30th Birthday: Interview with Alumni Jonathan Valdez

By Hannah Walls
Web Content Contributor

In honor of KTSW’s 30th birthday, I had the opportunity to interview alumni Jonathan Valdez.

He originally got his start at KTSW in the programming department working on nightly broadcasts. After applying for a specialty show, the hour-long morning talk show Orange Juice & Biscuits was born.

Valdez originally applied for a show with fellow DJ Adrian Peterson, but most of Orange Juice & Biscuits was done with co-host Amanda Dugan, who is now a reporter in Austin.

“Being in college and having that time at KTSW was so fun. We were really just making a name for ourselves, but also carving out a path for other students,” said Valdez.

According to Valdez, Orange Juice & Biscuits was the first show that obtained press passes for SXSW film, which paved the way for other shows at the station to do the same.

“I think it was really cool to do,” said Valdez. “Like my first red carpet interview was for the movie I Love You, Man, which was with Paul Rudd and Jaime Pressly and Rashida Jones, and all sorts of really big people. Doing that whole SXSW film journey and being treated like an actual member of the press was a big deal and really surprised people.”

After graduation, Valdez continued the legacy of Orange Juice & Biscuits by using it as the namesake for his blog, where he covered pop culture and fashion. Valdez then moved to New York to join the “blogger explosion,” happening at the time, and began covering fashion shows, interacting with designers and having more opportunities to speak with celebrities.

“I don’t think I would’ve been able to have that gusto and know how to do these interviews if it wasn’t for KTSW,” said Valdez.

Valdez also mentioned that he still keeps in touch with fellow KTSW alumni, such as former music director Kristen Hennessey. He recalled the sense of community and family while working for the station.

Valdez’s biggest piece of advice for current KTSW staff and Texas State students in general is to make the university work for you and believe in yourself. This message is extremely important to Valdez, as he was originally scrutinized for wanting to cover pop culture and interview celebrities on Orange Juice & Biscuits, which ended up being wildly successful.

“They said, ‘it’s a college radio station, nobody is gonna want to talk to us,’” said Valdez. “Then I ended up doing an interview with David Arquette. As long as you’re passionate about it and good at it, people are going to want to come back to you time and time again.”

Another golden nugget of advice from Valdez was taking advantage of the alumni system at Texas State and the resources and opportunities that are available from that.

In addition to Valdez’s blog, check out his podcast, which airs every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. with the latest celebrity gossip, lifestyle tips and what’s new on social media and in entertainment.

Featured Image by KTSW Multimedia