10 Questions with ... Scott Jameson

1) What was your first job in radio, and what led you to a career in radio in the first place?

My dream was to be on the PGA Tour, I thought I was a pretty good until I got to college then realized I wasn’t. Began hanging out at the campus radio station at Bowling Green State University in Ohio; I loved it and never looked back. Growing up in Cleveland with WMMS and hearing CKLW from Windsor, Canada was a quality upbringing. My first job in radio was pulling weeds and cutting the grass at the transmitter site.

2) Can you give us a quick rundown of the programming positions you’ve had in your career up to now?

I’ve stayed mainly in the Midwest except a few years when I was EP of the Atlanta Falcons Radio Network thru-out the southeast. I’ve held VP positions with CBS Radio, Cumulus and now Beasley. I’ve been fortunate to work with great teams at KYYS, WFBQ, KQRS and currently WRIF, WCSX, WMGC, WDMK, WDMK-HD2

3) Congrats on your position as Director of Programming and VP/National Content for Beasley Media in Detroit. While you’re overseeing other formats, for purposes of these 10 Q’s, let’s focus on the Rock stations starting with the legendary WRIF which is currently celebrating 50 years of rocking the Motor City. How is the celebration going so far?

We’re just getting started – we began with Alumni Day in February featuring 5 decades of RIF audio and video content along with guest appearances from legendary jocks Ken Calvert, Karen Savelly, Steve Kostan, Jim Johnson, George Baeir and others. Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, Kid Rock and a host of notable Motor City influencers joined us in the celebration. We have something very special to unveil in a couple months that I’m confident your readers will enjoy.

4) You’ve certainly worked with legendary radio stations in your career but what can you say about the on-air talent level and overall love Detroit has for RIF?

Every day begins with one of the best morning shows in America with “Dave and Chuck the Freak” who dominate adult ratings in Detroit- Jade, Meltdown and Screamin’ Scott deliver great content on-air and on-line the rest of the day. WRIF is a unique brand, deeply woven in the fabric of Detroit’s storied history, yet it’s all about today’s rock and roll vibe in the Motor City.

5) Before we jump into your Classic Rocker WCSX, keeping with WRIF, what’s your take on new Active Rock music and the format overall?

While some may question the current batch of new rock, we’re quite bullish on the format overall. Jade and I like Badflower, Dirty Honey, Ayron Jones and cleopatrick to name a few. You can hear the influence of legacy bands, yet they’ve managed to carry the torch for Active Rock with their own unique style.

6) Now let’s move over to Classic Rock WCSX. How is the station performing in the market?

WCSX and WRIF are consistently Top 5 Persons 25-54, with WCSX typically in the Top 3 among Men 25-54 right behind RIF

7) With the abundance of consumer choices for music, how do you keep WRIF and WCSX top-of-mind?

Rock radio was founded on fun and irreverence, so whenever we have a chance to take the audience along for a ride with storytelling by celebrating our Rock heroes, we do. Artist ownership delivers P1 expectation and provides RIF and CSX with a content rich competitive edge. Music is available everywhere, in many cases commercial free, so we need to context the music, add more engagement, and always find new ways to connect emotionally turning listeners into fans.

8) Before you came to Detroit, you were PD for Classic Rock KQRS/Minneapolis and VP/Classic Rock for Cumulus Media, so you are uniquely qualified to answer this question. How would you access the health of the Classic Rock format in 2021? 

I can’t think of a time when Classic Rock wasn’t healthy- in 2021 there are headwinds and opportunities. Not much we can do about aging of the core audience, but we can minimize it being contemporary in all other aspects of your brand. Beasley has a terrific digital strategy with a bright leadership team, so having a modern web and social presence keeps a gold-based music station relevant. Finding clever ways to re-package Classic Rock is important too, providing context and storytelling.

9) 2020 was an unprecedented year with Covid-19. How has WRIF & WCSX handled the pandemic both on and off the air?

We got creative. Events had to be re-tooled but our team found ways to engage. On-air, we focused even more on cities and neighborhoods. The WCSX morning show, “Big Jim’s House” was a strong advocate for Detroit area bars, restaurants and small businesses. On-line we crafted virtual events, finding ways to drive value for our advertising partners and interesting content for our listeners.

10) Finally, on a personal note, what are some of the things you like to do for fun when you’re not in “radio” mode?

When weather agrees, golf is a perfect mix of personal challenge and relaxation. I also like to BBQ/Grill/Smoke on our deck with a good cigar and Sinatra. We live in the walkable downtown area of Royal Oak, so my wife and I are on a continuous restaurant tour.