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10 Questions with ... Jarrett Stevens
September 13, 2021
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1. Please tell us about your career journey?
I spent most of my career in mainstream commercial radio in North Dakota, with stops in Minot, ND, Jamestown, ND, & now Fargo, ND. I also did a brief stint in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. The past 3 years have found me serving as PD for Life 97.9 my longest so far in Christian Radio.
2. Share a moment in your career that you’ll always remember.
I remember back early in my career. I was 23ish, it was my first steady afternoon gig on a classic rock station and there I was talking golf with Alice Cooper during an interview I had with him before his concert at the North Dakota State Fair. Apparently, he has an incredible golf game! It’s better than mine anyway! It was a fun interview and it was also in that moment I realized the “stars” are just people too.
3. The best advice you've ever received was…
I have been blessed to work with some incredible people over the years! A few of the great ones I look up to always offered the same advice: “Be Yourself!”
4. How do you continue learning and growing?
I feel like I’ve grown leaps and bounds over the last few years. There have been times in my career when I felt like I was on an island, and there just wasn’t money in the budgets to invest in the tools and training needed. However, since arriving at Life 97.9, I have been amazed at how Northwestern Media, as a whole, invests in their people and give us the tools we need to do our jobs well. I also read as many blogs, attend as many industry webinars, and actively listen to as many stations as I can.
5. What’s one thing you wish you’d known about radio when you first started?
How hard this job was actually going to be! As a young broadcaster one kind of has this idea that it’s radio how hard could it really be…It’s hard!
6. Tell us about someone who you really respect and why?
I have an appreciation for how hard each person in our format works each day to point people to Jesus. The work is important! I would also have to say my very first consultant, Jon Holiday, is someone who really stands out to me. I was 28 moving in to my first OM/PD position, and I was like a deer in the headlights! I knew nothing about being a PD, but he had a way of fielding all my silly questions and making me feel not so dumb. I consider him a great friend. He is someone I’ve stayed in touch with over the years and every once in a while reach out and ask him a silly question.
7. What’s something about you that would surprise people?
My youngest son Bohden was 13lbs 2oz. when he was born and had to spend 2 weeks in the NICU to allow for his lungs to develop. I can remember the nurses having to make an emergency run to Walmart because they didn’t have diapers/clothes big enough for a baby his size.
8. What’s on your nightstand?
A lamp with no light bulb (one of my kids borrowed it because it was easier to take Dad’s lamp light bulb than go look in the closet for one), my phone charger, and probably a few dust bunnies…
9. Finish this sentence: My day doesn’t start properly before I ___________________________.
Say good morning to my wife Kyla. I’m so thankful for her endless support of my career/hobby over the years.
10. What do you to unwind and chill?
I really like to spend as much time with my family as I can. We don’t have to do anything special - just being together is what important.
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