Gettin Paid and Underage: Buddy Costa

Meet Buddy Costa: The Nephew

As the newsroom coordinator and producer of the Top 30 Countdown, Buddy Costa is only 25 years old.

Costa has always had a love for music and popular culture. The only thing is that he didn’t realize it until after he received his bachelor’s degree in sports management. He left a job working for the Red Sox and interned for his uncle, Billy Costa, in the newsroom three year ago. Eventually, a job opened up, and Buddy became the newsroom coordinator.

Costa described his work in the newsroom as hectic but energizing. “Every morning, Billy gives three newscasts. Myself and the interns work together to give information about the top news stories of the day. We find clips from online as well as the news which we edit and play for Billy during his newscast.”

“We also find the leading entertainment stories and do the same for Billy’s two entertainment breaks in the morning. It can get pretty crazy in here, and there is a lot of pressure leading up to the newscasts, but it definitely wakes us up in the morning,” Costa said.

Costa also has the advantage of joining Billy with all of his celebrity interviews. Costa does a lot of research before they meet with the artists, and edits all of the footage after the interview has taken place.

Costa produces the weekly Top 30 Countdown which his uncle hosts. Costa works with the Music Director to find out the rankings of the weeks top songs, researches information about the artists on the countdown, and sits alongside his uncle in the recording of it. He also uses his expertise of music to incorporate weekly old-school jams into the countdown.

Costa also has a full time job of being a DJ. He DJs throughout the weekends, as well as during the week for special occasions. He frequently DJs at The Estate, Rain Nightclub, and Marina Bay Beach Club. With working so late and then again so early, Costa finds sleep to be extremely lacking most times.

“I can’t complain because I love what I do and wouldn’t want to do anything else. It does get exhausting at times, but I have to remember that not everyone has the opportunities I have at such a young age. I’m still so young and I have a lot of years ahead of me. I’d like to accomplish as much as I can now while I still have the energy in me,” Costa explained.

Like the other young adults working at Kiss 108, Costa has a concern for the state of the economy but tries not to worry about it. “Of course it is something I have thought about. It’s all over the news, there is no way to escape it. Kiss 108 is going to continue on. The Morning Show is something that people tune into to uplift their moods- it’s not something that will be easily taken away. As for my position at Kiss, the news will continue no matter what, so I’m not worried. And as for DJing, no one is going to stop partying!” Costa said.