10 Questions with ... Jessica Northey

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Just a simple girl from Tucson, Arizona who loves music, broadcasting, community building, helping you discover your dreams and being of services to others. 15+ years Media experience including Television, Radio/Internet sales as well as an on-air personality. Currently a Social Media, Broadcasting, Country and Music Blogger/Journalist, Writer as well as Nationally Recognized Speaker.

1) Congrats on your new job with the Tony & Kris show-we know you will be helping them out in the Social Media dept., but give us a quick job description of what you'll be doing for T&K?

We're making it up as we go along ;). As an Online Correspondent, it is safe to assume that I will be corresponding about online stuff on-air and as a Digital Daypart I will keep doing what I have been doing for many clients including myself: creating content, building community and communicasting with followers. I might also play the girl from time to time giving a female voice to the show. A lot of morning shows stop their interaction when the show is over. We plan to be there when our listeners are there.

2) Are you excited about moving to Music City and being in thick of the Country music world?

Yes, I am. I love Nashville everyone is so nice! Some guy tried to help me get my suitcase out the door at the hotel and I thought he was gonna steal it, must of looked panicked but realized he was just helping so I said, "Thanks" and he said, "You're in Nashville get used to it." Thought that was cool!

3) This is what your bio says: "Tucson Native Jessica Northey is taking over Country Music and Radio one Tweet at a time". That's a pretty brave statement! Can you explain how you will accomplish that?

Actually, it was written about me in some tech magazine. I kind of liked the sound of it to open my bio up and they said it was OK to use it. As for how I will accomplish it, I am work in progress:

• Just got book deal from well known publishing company
• Nationally recognized Social Media, Broadcasting and Music Industry Speaker for dozens of conferences from Tech to Broadcasting
• Tweeted over 70,000 times
• More than 150,000 followers on Twitter
• Consistently Ranked One of the Most Powerful Woman and Top Globally by TwitterGrader.com
• My dog has over 7000 Twitter Followers
• Pretty decent Klout score (82)
• Daily column here on AllAccess.com called SocialMediology 101
• Regular contributor/writer for Nashville Music Guide and Radio Ink
• Former Social Media Editor for Full Throttle Country
• Creator of KrisCountry.com
• Host of one of the largest organized chats on Twitter #CMchat aka Country Music Chat (garnering over 100 million impression in less than a month)
• Just landed a position on Nationally Syndicated Country Music Morning Show
• Work with some pretty well known Musicians and Celebrities

I might be living up to it, however pinch me, just so I can see if I am dream-tweeting or not, this is all still kind of surreal to me.

4) Why is social media so important to radio, and is there any fear of the station's Facebook page actually becoming more important than the station itself?

Social Media is sink or swim for radio. Embrace, embed and involve yourself into your listeners' lives, connect in a way that shows you actually care about THEM and what THEY want. Social Media won't replace you, apathy will! As for it being competition: Do you consider your website competition, if you do you have bigger issues than being replaced by Facebook. Do you consider a radio remote competition? A concert? An event? Facebook/Twitter are nearly the same and should be treated and sold as such. They are solid NTR and an extension of your brand, another tool in your toolbox. No need to fear it, just do it. Have fun with it and take ownership. You have everything to gain!

5) How did you become so interested in this field in the first place?

Accidentally on purpose. I was just drawn to it. I have always been a Socialite and an Entertainer. It combined wit, a little tech savvy and a lot of sassy. Social Media has empowered me, liberated me and helped me feel heard in this BIG WORLD. Putting my thoughts into words and words into action has given me strength and I have finally given up caring what other people think of me or how to be like anybody else. I am living my dreams powered by Social Media.

6) Can you name a few artists that are climbing in the social media world right now that have yet to still get 'traction' at radio?

Defining traction you mean regular play or charting. I am watching a huge success story happen in real-time with CJaye LeRose. REMEMBER THAT NAME. Also seeing amazing stuff coming from 16 year old Mary Sarah from Texas, Curtis Grimes from The Voice, non-traditional Country Music like the Moonshine Bandits, Cowboy Troy or even Colt Ford. I could name many, in fact most of the music I listen to these days I discovered online through Twitter and Youtube.

7) If you were an artist, would you rather be popular in the social media world first or played on the radio-or both-and why?

Social Media first then you have a better chance of getting things the way you want when you go to a label and or radio. If you already have an audience it gives you more to bargain with for the best deals. Get on it ASAP, just do it!

8) What do you like to do when your computers are turned off? You do turn them off don't you?

I sleep with "one eye open" like the Metallica Song sys. Honestly, I travel so much to speak these days 2-3 times a month and in what spare time I have, I like site seeing, LOVE writing, reading, shooting guns, playing pool, listening to music, going to concerts, watching movies, BBQs. I am pretty normal chick that was raised at the races on a dirt track in Tucson, Arizona called Corona Speedway (now Tucson Raceway Park).

9) You are also pretty prominent as a public speaker-do you discuss mainly social media and how did you get into it initially?

Oh boy, I am still trying to figure this out. I think they invite because I am part comedian, not like any other speaker you are used to and definitely don't do anything canned or like anyone else. I can't stand listening to BS at all these conferences, it's getting old, no offense. Get off your soap box, get in the field and see what we are really dealing with on the Social Media frontline. It doesn't look like what most people are talking about at most conferences. I talk a lot about being authentic, meaning being yourself in real-time, the humanization of a brand, I actually call it Socialality when I speak. I have developed a cool way to help people "Get a G.R.A.S.P." and make Social Media easy. The only people who make it complicated are the so-called experts who want to keep you uninformed and make it complicated so they can keep their jobs. I like to teach people to "hunt and fish" for themselves rather than just giving them a one-time meal.

10) Name something that is going to become very popular in 2011 that we have not heard of yet?

We are seeing a lot from Google Plus, Triberr certainly made a huge spring step this year, big fan of what Klout has going on, completely addicted to Empire Avenue and this new integration of Skype and Facebook should be something to keep your eye on.

1. The name Finger Candy is quite awesome. How did you come up with that?

It's what I call the QWERTY keyboard. It's candy for my fingers and while I was buying some domain names (another addiction of mine) I had to come up with something. I was going to go with Thumb Candy for the texting company I sold but this was just sexier and more fun.

2. What current artists, any format, are you loving?

The Moonshine Bandits, Cowboy Troy, Kasey Lansdale, CJaye LeRose, Mary Sarah, Lynhurst, Craig Moritz, Big and Rich, Burns and Poe, Marthia Sides, the Oak Ridge Boys(discovered them again through Joe Bonsall on Twitter), Curtis Grimes, Kanye West, JayZ, Metallica (always), Artic Monkeys, Aaron Lewis and a bunch of others but those are in my iPod right now when I work out.

3. What is your favorite guilty pleasure snack? The colors on your site kind of remind me of Pinkberry!

I love Ben and Jerrys Twice Baked. It is choc chip cookie dough and brownies. YUMMY!