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10 Questions with ... Jamie Knapp
August 9, 2021
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1. Please tell us about your career journey?
Crazy GOD story…Back in 2006, I was surfing the dial to find a very low watt station that was known to play a song I enjoyed hearing. When I landed on the frequency, I learned that little station had went away and there was this new Christian radio station that took over the spot and noticed they were actually playing “cool songs”. I never was into Christian music so much for regular listening, but I got HOOKED. Hooked enough to call in and request a few songs during their 3-point play during drive time. They had me come into the station to do it live, which I still to this day have no clue why they asked me to come in. I did and the program director heard it. After I left, the PD asked the deejay who I was but without any of my info left behind but my first name, he didn’t know how to get ahold of me. Fast forward 3 weeks or so later, I see the deejay at church!!! I never had seen him before – vica versa. He was like “crazy we go to the same church! And by the way… the pd wants you to get ahold of him for a possible on air shift”. WHAT?!?!?! I never ever thought of being in radio! I went from working in elder care to volunteering for radio on the side to having a Sunday show to moving to the bigger AC station in our group to becoming the Music Director, to a Morning Show Host and now the PD! I have been here for 16 years this year!
2. Share the most challenging part of your career.
The Juggle can be a struggle at time, if you know what I mean (shout out to smaller market PDs). It’s doing many tasks and not having as much time to let creativity flow as much as I’d like, because you are also performing as a firefighter.
3. The best coaching advice you've ever received was…
Keep your eye on the ball. It applied huge back in my softball days, but as a PD, I think it’s just as important. Keep honed in on your target demo and do what it takes to make your station just “hit it out of the park”!
4. How do you continue learning and growing?
I think gleaning from the greats and getting good solid wisdom is good for me. I also think there is always room for risk too and trying something that may be a tad out of the box. How will you know if you can succeed at something if you don’t give it a shot?
5. What’s one thing you wish you’d known about radio when you first started?
When I first started, I had no clue it was going to be this ongoing career, but the outlet for creativity is kind of addicting.
6. Tell us about someone in our industry who you really respect and why?
I respect Mike Couchman. He hangs in his own lane and puts his fingerprint on things. What he does and how he operates stands out. He seems pretty radio savvy and knowledgeable about radio anything. (Could it be that it’s all a façade and he’s just winging it? Ha!) Whatever it is, he rocks it!
7. What would surprise people most about you?
Continually wondering why God chooses to use Me of all people for this spot,
8. What’s on your nightstand?
My Phone and my stale glass of water from the night before.
9. What are you most excited about this year?
I am excited to see what God has for me, whatever that may be. It’s got to be good, right? This last year was like the hardest year of my life, so I am expecting good things.
10. What do you do for fun?
Listen to music, drive, photography, try different restaurants, camp.
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