10 Questions with ... Jade Springart

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

My first job in radio was technically an unpaid internship here at Greater Media/Detroit. I was eventually hired on the promotions team for the entire cluster and got to learn about the Active Rock, Classic Rock and AC formats. I've always been about rock n' roll, though, and I remember listening to Karen Savelly and Ken Calvert as a kid, thinking they had the coolest job. When I was young, my brother and I would play radio at our house and pretend we were DJs. We didn't know what "hitting the post" was back then, but I remember Jason always telling me it was okay to talk over the intro of the songs because all the real DJs did it.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize this is what I want to do for a living?

After I graduated high school, I didn't exactly have a plan but knew the communications field was something I was interested in, so I was taking classes at the community college towards that. Through a little bit of luck, I met a guy who worked promotions for GMD. He gave me his boss' e-mail address and said to send him an inquiry about an internship. My first event was a WCSX car show with hundreds of people, and I knew instantly that I really wanted to be a part of all of this. I wanted to be on the mic, I wanted to know how all the equipment worked and I wanted to be the person that made all the radio magic happen.

3) How long have you been working for WRIF and what were you duties before you became the MD?

I've been at WRIF specifically for about seven years. I was on the promo team for three before I made the transition to programming. My first programming gig was board op-ing live broadcasts and hosting the occasional overnight shift. Eventually I got my own slot and moved from overnights to weekend dayparts. Along with being on air, I helped in the production department, I've been the PD of our Alternative HD2 station, Riff2. Riff2 has been an amazing attribute to my career. I started hosting the new music show The Undercover Sound System, plus creating imaging, promos and events. It's allowed me to explore and learn the industry first-hand.

4) You also do weekend air shifts and a Podcast with Mark and Andy. Tell us about the Podcast?

The Mark & Andy Show podcast is what airs live on Saturday mornings and then we turn it into a downloadable podcast. Our topics range from everything local, what's trending in pop culture, and since we're all pretty good friends and tend to hang out outside of work, we often discuss the happenings of the night prior or something funny that may have happened earlier in the week. It's a fun, relaxed vibe and the listeners can relate to us.

5) As the MD for a station like WRIF/Detroit, when you listen to new music, approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play and chart position when determining the status of a record?

I'd say it's about 40% gut and the rest combined make up the remaining 60%. I like to think I have a good grasp of what sounds good and what our listeners will like. The stats are important, but there's no better feeling than hearing a new song, putting it into rotation and then watching it react with the audience.

6) What's your take on current Active Rock music and the format as a hole?

Some people still believe rock is dead and that's simply not the case. Music is always evolving and 2017 rock n' roll isn't the same as 1987 rock or '95 rock or even 2007 rock. Evolution isn't a bad thing and I think the music we have coming out today is just as good, if not better than what we've seen in the past. It all really depends. You can have a week where you discover five new songs that are all awesome and the next week there's only one. Overall, this format just proves that rock is not only still alive, but thriving as well.

7) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year and why?

1. Highly Suspect: I know the album came out last year, but they're about to head out on tour and I'm excited to see them now that they're gaining so much momentum.
2. The Orwells: I was immediately a fan of their single "They Put a Body in the Bayou" and really enjoyed the full album. I then started exploring some of their previous releases and just really like what they do.
3. "Let You Down" by Seether: I love this song. It's catchy and they do a fantastic job performing it live.

8) Detroit is certainly a great Rock n Roll town. How much does the Detroit Rock City vibe influence the type of Rock you play on WRIF?

Detroit is still very much a rock n' roll town and it's evident by the number of local acts we have. Detroit's musical history is on another level compared to other cities and we definitely work at keeping the scene alive through our playlists on WRIF and Riff2.

9) Congrats on recently winning the RadioContraband award for best Major Market MD of 2016. How did you feel when you won this award which is voted on by your peers in Rock radio?

I was really excited to win this award. Knowing that it's voted on by my peers and having so many people support me is overwhelming. I can't thank everyone enough especially my boss Mark Pennington who has been an incredible mentor and friend to me. I love our little community of Rock radio rebels and it's amazing to know that they're not just my colleagues, but my friends.

10) Finally, when you're not in "radio mode," what do you like to do to get away from the biz and relax?

I like to stay pretty active and experience new things. With the "resurgence" of Detroit, there are tons of new bars and places to spend free time. Fowling (a unique Detroit original sport that combines football and bowling) was a more recent adventure, but I love going to concerts, snowboarding and playing softball. I'm also a huge Detroit Tigers fan so during the summer I spend a lot of time at the ballpark.