-
10 Questions with ... Jack Casey
June 29, 2020
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Started at WERS and WECB at Emerson College, worked on-air during summers of ‘66 and ‘67 at WBRL/Berlin, NH (second summer as PD). Full-time air talent junior year at WKBR/Manchester, NH and senior year mornings at WAAB/Worcester, MA. After graduation, on-air at CKXL/Calgary; WPRO/Providence; WMOD/Washington, D.C. Then PD at WEEL/Fairfax, VA; WROV/Roanoke, VA; WRXL/WRNL/Richmond; KUDL/WHB/Kansas City; WZZP/Cleveland; and WMJX (Magic 106.7)/Boston, which I launched for Greater Media In 1982. Adjunct Faculty at Emerson since 1983. Hired as GM of WERS in 2004.
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I grew up in a one-stop-light tiny town in the early days of Top 40 radio. The big AM stations like WABC, WKBW, and WLS, in addition to local market leaders WTRY and WPTR, were my “windows on the world.” Through them, I connected to the worldwide culture of music, cinema, art, etc.
2. How would you describe the mission of WERS?
Train future leaders of the media industry; Produce a competitive, sustainable product for the Boston radio market and the World Wide Web; Reflect the quality of Emerson College.
3. You must be proud of how many graduates from Emerson have gone on to have careers in radio! Tell us about that.
The station has a storied legacy in the media world: Vin DiBona, creator of America’s Funniest Videos, Roger Mudd of CBS News, and Wayne Laravee, radio voice of the Green Bay Packers to name a few. More recently, iconic Urban programmers Ken Johnson and Elroy R.C. Smith, as well as WBUR/Boston anchor Jack Lepiarz and WBZ/Boston reporter Madison Rogers. Plus, several recent graduates have found a home in Triple A radio.
4. How would you describe the music on the station?
We are a market-specific Triple A throughout most of the week. Our music research is conducted against middle demographic listeners in specific zip codes in the Metro and surrounding counties. We take chances on new artists but maintain a healthy tie to iconic artists and songs from the past. Every night from 10-2a WERS airs “The Secret Spot,” featuring R&B love songs. On weekends, we air several hours of Jewish, Broadway and A Cappella music.
5. Over the past year the station’s audience has doubled. What actions did you take to accomplish that?
The increase was a combination of music research, effective marketing, and dumb luck. One or two changes in the PPM panel can make a huge difference.
6. What is the mix of professional paid staff and students at the station?
We have 10 full-time employees and 12 paid student managers, all of whom (except Phil) are working remotely. Normally, we have another 50 or so student volunteers. It is uncertain when the volunteers will be allowed to return to the facility.
7. What have you been doing programming wise to address the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic these past few months?
Only our afternoon host, Phil Jones, works live from the studio. All other shifts are tracked remotely. Our on-air messaging is about our commitment to providing listeners with the music they tell us gets them through good times and tough times.
8. How have you set up your airstaff to produce their shows from home?
WERS radio hosts are producing their programs with state-of-the-art equipment. Each of the hosts is using Comrex broadcast modems hooked up to the stations ENCO music library for professional and easy access to live radio broadcasts.
9. How have you approached pledge drives during these trying times?
Instead of our normal two-per-year, week-long drives, we have started doing monthly one day drives. Surprisingly, these generated $35k and $21k respectively.
10. What was the best advice you were given when you first started out in radio?
During my sophomore year at Emerson, I “board opped” at legendary Top 40 station WRKO. Their equally legendary afternoon guy J.J. Jeffrey said it is crucial to “always GTFO (GET the f*** out) before you’re TTFO’d (THROWN the f*** out).” The timing is everything.
Bonus Questions
What are some of your biggest challenges as a non-commercial college station?
Biggest challenges are 1) Turnover. We get eager, willing, talented students. We train them hard, and just when they get good ... they graduate. 2) Having underwriting prospects understand that we are not traditional “college radio.” 3) Having members of the college community realize the growth potential of a terrestrial radio station.
Tell us about being rated The Best College Radio Station in the Princeton Review.
The college likes our profile in the Princeton Review. It helps recruitment, which in turn helps us.
-
-