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10 Questions with ... Jacent Jackson
December 12, 2006
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NAME:Jacent JacksonTITLE:PD/afternoonsSTATION:WLUMMARKET:Milwaukee (#36)COMPANY:Milwaukee Radio AllianceBORN:Cape Girardeau, MORAISED:Champaign, IL
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
1993-98 -- I worked for Alternative stations in the Midwest that no longer exist. As a Music Director, a morning guy, a night jock, and so on...
1998-2004 -- PD/afternoons for KQXR/Boise. Later picking up PD duties for sister Rock station KJOT.
2004-2006 -- APD/MD at WKQX (Q101)/Chicago.
May 2006-Present -- PD/afternoons at WLUM/Milwaukee.1. What appealed to you most about programming WLUM?
I thought it would be fun. Private ownership. Family atmosphere. Autonomy. No corporate head of programming. No corporate head of anything. A station that had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Hard to find those opportunities.
2. Why did the station relaunch as FM 102.1 Independent Alternative Radio?
We needed to stand for something. Any great music station knows who it is, is passionate about its genre, and is consistently entertaining in between. We needed to get the first part of that equation right.
3. How has the music changed on WLUM changed since you taken over as PD?
Dramatically. It is a station by and for alternative music fans. We're playing new music with an old-school sensibility. Play a good pop song, a good rock song, and be sure your audience likes both songs. It is how alternative radio used to do it when they had better ratings.
4. Your first book was PD of WLUM was solid. Tell us about how the station did in the Summer '06 Book?
It was WLUM's biggest book in 9 years. The station was #1 Men 18-34 (previously 6th) and #3 Persons 18-34 (previously 9th.) It was the station's first ever #1 finish with Men 18-34 as a rock station.
5. What are you most proud of from the Summer '06 Book?
That we have a base of listeners who respond with passion when they hear something they like. It's hard to find that in radio these days.
6. How would you describe the radio landscape in your market?
It was one that didn't take the idea of an Alternative station seriously. Hopefully, it still doesn't. The stations here are well done. Brian Kelly has done an incredible job with the Top 40 station. My consultant friends from my days working with Jacobs Media have the crosstown rock station dialed in pretty well, and they have a dominant morning show. I know the Journal guys are great broadcasters because I used to work for that company. We're just looking to stake out our own turf.
7. What would an outsider find most surprising about the Milwaukee market?
That we don't sit around drinking Miller all day then going out for a ride on the Harley. It's a clean, friendly Midwestern city on the lake. And a lot of it is still unspoiled by urban renewal.
8. What would surprise people most about you?
That I shower naked.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?
My wife and my dog.
10. Biggest highlight of your radio career to date?
At one point, I had the highest rated station in the format. I helped relaunch a major market station. I got nominated for some nice awards. That being said, I think it's still yet to happen.
Bonus Questions
What are your hobbies?
Brainstorming. Going to meetings. Dreaming up a "blue sky" scenario. Making it happen. Taking it to the next level. Taking it to the limit, one more time. Damn you Glenn Frey!
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