Straight Radio Station Owner

Straight Radio Station Owner

Energizes Gay Media Market

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - When you meet Joe Bayliss, it’s hard to believe that this blonde, married, relatively conservative guy owns Energy 92.7FM, the heart-pumping independent dance music radio station that has a huge gay following.

Since hitting the airwaves nearly three years ago, Bayliss has charted a course for San Francisco’s only independently owned radio station that has enabled it to turn a profit and become the most listened to dance/electronic radio station on the West Coast.

“The gay community, which makes up 15% of the San Francisco market and represents $670 billion in consumer spending, has a passion for dance music, but no one was playing it. So we launched Energy 92.7FM Pure Dance,” said Bayliss. “We took an old-fashioned approach to our business model; local, live personalities and grass roots community involvement and went to work.”

Bayliss and his team put together a radio line up of the hippest dance club music available with dynamic on-air personalities that today includes America’s first all-gay morning radio show. Additionally, the Energy team began supporting local non-profits and taking an active role within the community. “We wanted to be the kind of station that not only played great music, but was there for the community 365 days a year,” added Bayliss.

Support of the station has grown exponentially, allowing Energy 92.7FM to expand onto the web with live streaming. “We hear from queer youth all over the country, thanking us for being on the air,” he added. “They may not live in San Francisco, but these kids now have an outlet to tune in to for great music and positive gay role models.”

So what’s next for Bayliss and his station? Energy 92.7FM will host a major dance party on June 23^rd, “Queen,” during San Francisco’s gay pride. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Equality California, the state’s leading LGBT nonprofit advocacy organization. “You need a big party for Pride,” said Bayliss, “and this will be the biggest the city has ever seen.”