Pete Mundo has spent nearly two decades in broadcasting, from an internship in Philadelphia and newsroom positions in Oklahoma and New York to hosting his live KC talk radio show.
Since 2018, he has hosted a morning show, Mundo in the Morning, on KCMO Talk Radio, where he has built a loyal audience by bringing his strong opinions and an open mind to every conversation. He shares how his winding path led him to his daily show, why live talk radio still has the edge over podcasts and what keeps him grounded outside the studio.
What originally drew you to broadcasting, and how did your career take shape in Kansas City?
Listening to talk radio, mostly sports, starting in middle school, is when my passion and love began for broadcasting. Growing up in northern New Jersey, WFAN was the first-ever all-sports radio station in the country, and it had some top talent like Mike and The Mad Dog, Steve Somers and Don Imus. However, I never viewed it as a career path. I did a talk radio show at Villanova University, but it was for fun.
When the 2008 financial crisis hit, I was unable to secure an internship in my field of finance and real estate. I started to consider broadcasting as a potential career. That led to an internship at ESPN Radio in Philadelphia, part-time broadcasting gigs after graduation and then to Oklahoma for a sports and news broadcasting position. It was the best experience imaginable.
In 2013, my fiance, now wife, and I moved to New York City where I worked at WCBS Newsradio 880, WFAN Sports Radio and CBS Sports Radio. By 2016, I was filling in for Fox News’ national radio network, and I fell in love with talking about the news.
A connection recommended I look at Kansas City and KCMO Talk Radio. After months of test shows and interviews, my show began in April of 2018, and it’s been an incredibly fun, rewarding and fast eight years.
How do you know what stories resonate most with your audience?
There’s not an exact science to it, but over time, you just start to get a “feel” for what is going to make the audience tick. What is the big national story of the day? How can we localize it or make it relatable to Kansas City? What are people going to be talking about at the water cooler? Those are the angles we try to explore each morning.
In an era of podcasts and digital media, what role do you think traditional radio still plays, and how have you adapted?
Are we really in an era of podcasts? Or are we in an era of talk shows that are just time-delayed? There’s no doubt that podcasts are hot, but all they are, at their core, are talk shows. In a climate of nonstop breaking news, live radio has a huge edge that our industry has not done a good enough job in telling its own story. Also, talk radio has caller interaction in real time, which is not something a podcast can do.
How would you describe your style as a host? Has it evolved over time?
Strong opinions, with a willingness to listen and learn. The best part of having live callers is that if there is a caller who is an expert in their field, I am willing to have my mind changed. Too many hosts think they need to always double down on their opinion, even when presented with different information or new facts. That’s an act. And it’s not how real people interact with each other.
When you’re not working, how do you unplug?
Burnout can be real, but watching and opining on the news of the day are things I would be interested in doing anyway. But I do try to have moments that are news- and phone-free to reset, whether it’s taking my dog for a walk with my daughter, a night out to dinner with my wife, or watching college football, basketball, the Chiefs or a golf tournament.
Catch Mundo in the Morning every weekday from 6–10 am on 95.7 FM and 710 AM.
