The Tribune

By Farah

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a two-year absence from radio, Dion “Da Butcha” Knowles, one of the most popular Bahamian disc jockeys, has returned to help Radio House bring the best entertainment possible to the local airwaves.

During his previous 18-year stint with the Tribune Radio station 100 Jamz, Dion Da Butcha worked as an on-air DJ and music director. In 2012, he decided to leave the station to pursue other ventures.

Today, he officially starts in his new role as the programming director of 100 Jamz, Cool 96 and Y98.

Dion Da Butcha told In Ya Ear that returning to Radio House is like “coming back home”. He was one of the first DJ’s to mix on air on shows like ‘Thunderstorm’, ‘Eat To The Beat’ and ‘Free Ride at 5’.

“It feels as if I just went off to college and now I am home to just go back to work. It is as if we were dating before, but now we are married. The level of responsibility that I bring to the relationship with Radio House is much more deeper and that is the difference between the relationship I had then and now. Now it is really more serious,” he said.

Dion Da Butcha, who has a wealth of experience when it comes to the world of music, said he is excited to take on his new role as programming director. He said one of the first things on his agenda is to ensure that the stations continue to present their audiences with the best entertainment.

“What is important is getting the stations to continue to grow in excellence in what we deliver to our audience daily. As long as we improve our on-air personalities daily, all of the personal rewards would follow that,” he said.

“We are going to get better at everything we do, every day that we do it. That is what I am all about, and that is what I am going to bring to the position and to the country through the vehicle of radio.”

Dion Da Butcha’s responsibilities will involve developing or selecting content that will be broadcast on the radio. He will also make decisions on placing staff members in positions where they are most effective.

“We will have world-class entertainment on the air all day, every day, on each of the stations. We have very talented and competent people in all of the key positions in all of the stations. So my job is similar to that of a coach to help them get better at what they do, potentially move a couple of pieces around because there maybe someone who is not in the place they should be. Sometimes the centre may be playing the role of a point guard position. So if we need to make any changes then we will do what we need to put people in the position where they are the strongest,” he said.

“The programming director is the same role as if you were coaching at team. For example, you have x amount of people that are available to you and your job is to assess their strengths and their weaknesses; improve their strengths and their weaknesses. Then you put them out on the court, which in this case is the radio, and that is exactly what will happen.”

Dion Da Butcha has decades of experience in music and is widely known in the Bahamas for his skills. He is also an entrepreneur and runs a company called Showtime DJs.

During his two-year absence, Dion Da Butcha invested much time in those entrepreneurial efforts.

“Everything in my life is music related and I could not escape it even if I tried. Even when I go to church people are bugging me about music. But during those years that I was not working with the station I took to grow my business and I had grand time doing so,” he told In Ya Ear.