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10 Questions with ... Jeremy Burgess
October 11, 2005
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NAME:Jeremy BurgessPOSITION:Music Director/APD/MiddaysCOMPANY:Salem CommunicationsSTATION:103.9 The FishMARKET:Sacramento, CABORN:August 10, 1971
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Weekends at New Country 105.1 KNCI (Sacramento), Nights at KMIX Country 100.9 (Stockton), Nights at Cat Country 103 KATM (Modesto), Nights at Hot New Country 92.3 KRST (Albuquerque), Mornings at B93.1 KOSO (Modesto), Afternoons at 107-9 The End KDND (Sacramento), Middays at 103.9 The Fish.
1) What was your first job in radio?
My first job in radio was doing weekend over nights at an AM CHR in Stockton, CA. KSTN 1420 AM. I was doing nights within a year, when the owner walked into the studio one night about 9 pm, and demanded to know who I was and why I was there. I told him who I was and that I'd been there for almost a year and he didn't believe me. He asked me to leave the building and to never return or he would call the police. Being that there was no one there to cover the rest of my shift, he just turned the station off until the overnight guy got there to turn it back on.
2) What do you think is the most important topic facing the Music Business and Radio right now? Why?
Listener options are the biggest things facing radio right now. People don't care about radio as much as they did before. Terrestrial radio needs to become more of a "destination" for listeners.
3) What does Christian Radio need to do in order to break through to a mass audience on a more consistent basis?
Personally...I think Christian Radio needs to stop being Christian Radio, and start being a radio station that plays Christian music. We complain sometimes that in some markets, we aren't getting the nod or respect amongst our competitors that we think we deserve. For the longest time, Christian Radio has been that little listener-supported station at the left of the dial with the bad signal. We're seeing that change all over the country.
But sometimes, we still pigeon-hole ourselves. We don't like to be labeled, but yet we still label ourselves. I'm the Music Director of a radio station that plays Christian music. To our listeners, we are a Pop AC station that the whole family can listen to and through the music you will hear about the grace, love and peace that can be found through a relationship with Christ. To our advertisers, we are an affordable alternative with the most dedicated listeners in the market. To our competitors...go ahead...keep ignoring us.
4) Who is your favorite air/personality not on your air staff?
My best friend Maverick at Way-FM in Denver.
5) What is your favorite radio station outside of your own market?
I was in love with the KDAY in LA when they first went on the air. I love old school hip-hop. Hard to say now, I don't follow much outside my market.
6) What's your take on current music? Is it as good as say, six months ago? Better than it was? Same? Elaborate please!
The music has been great for sometime now, so it's hard to say if it's better, it is getting broader though. Unfortunately, it takes some time for everything else to catch up. I still think the next great Christian radio format is Urban Contemporary/R&B. There seems to be so many great new Christian Urban/R&B artists out there with great music who just don't fit in the current formats.
7) If you could have any job outside the music business, what would it be?
I want to host infomercials, game shows, or maybe, be a host on QVC. Seriously.
8) What book have you read that has touched you or taught you the most?
"Blue Like Jazz" was a great book. I've always felt like a Christian social activist and that book told me that was ok. "Messy Spirituality" and "Desiring God" are a couple that rank right up there also.
9) Which character in the Bible do you most relate to? Why?
Probably the talking donkey, because I've been called one before. Seriously, the father of the prodigal son. Sometimes you have to just let go. You can't force someone's free will.
10) What is your favorite quote?
"Hey everybody!!! Come see how good I look!" Lately, I've been running around the station yelling, "Up top!!," then demanding people "hi-five" me.
Bonus Questions
1) What's in your CD player right now?
Anthology by Cameo, the new Switchfoot CD and a live Bootsy Collins CD that a buddy made for me.
2) Do you have Musical Guilty Pleasures?
Funk and Old School. Ohio Players, Brothers Johnson, Cameo, Parliament, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash, etc. Not feeling guilty about it at all. I sing in a funk cover band called, The JunkFunkies, so I gotta stay on top of things. You can check us out at www.myspace.com/junkfunkies, but we just created the page.
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