10 Questions with ... Jeff Jacot

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started in radio at 18 in San Luis Obispo, CA working for Sly 96fm, which was a Mainstream station at that time (it's now Country). I was the loser promo kid who crashed the station vehicle ... that's why I went by the name "Crash" for the first half of my career. I moved up the ladder there to part-time on-air, to full-time nights, then afternoons and MD. I moved to Albuquerque for the first time to do mornings at Kiss 97.3 with Alley (now at Kiss in Milwaukee), hung around NM for a year or so, then it was off to Las Vegas to do mornings at Wild 102. That station didn't last very long, so that's when I got talked into moving into the Country format! I worked with Brooks O'Brian at KWNR, where I was her MD and midday jock. After a few years at KWNR I moved back to Albuquerque to be the APD/afternoon jock at Big I107.9. I stayed there for 3.5 years, then came across the street to program 106.3 The Range. In August of 2009, we decided to flip some formats here at American General Media and that's when we put on 97.7 OMG Radio and I finally got to come home where I belong, to the Mainstream Top 40 format!

1) In a business with an overabundance of "Kiss" and "Hot" stations, congratulations on coming up with an original name! What was the thought process behind "OMG! 97.7?"

We really spent a ton of time thinking about the right name for this radio station. The one thing we didn't want to be was a "Kiss" or a "Hot." My GM Chuck Morgan and I wanted to put on a station that nobody else in the country had done before -- and it had to be topical to our audience. I can't tell you how much free publicity we get on Facebook and Twitter (even from our competition) every time somebody writes OMG! The goal in the future is to make sure everybody in and around Albuquerque thinks of our station every time they see or text OMG!

2) Give us a feel for the station's musical position.

This market has so many formats ... and multiple stations doing the same thing! We wanted to target the 21-44 females who love Pop music. I don't care if it's Rock, or a Dance/Pop song ... if its fun, we will play it! In the same week I added "Bad Romance" from Lady Gaga, Green Day's "East Jesus Nowhere" and Michael Buble "Haven't Met You Yet," so needless to say we're not afraid to do it a little different here!

3) How about the stationality? Who's your voice? Jingles?

I use Rebecca Thomas, who sounds amazing, and Rick Wade from Australia (I'm told the ladies love the accent).

4) In addition to the unique name, you have some unique programming features. Tell us about the "TWIX MIX."

TWIX MIX is the brainchild of my kick-ass Imaging Director and night jock Justin Case! He came up with the concept to do a mix show that is all requests through our Twitter page! Twitter + Mix = Twix Mix. So far it's going really well ... except when he puts in a Dance remix of an Ace Of Base song ... that makes me wanna vomit!

5) What is the most challenging part of the job?

Being a PD and doing mornings is the hardest part! It's hard to critique your own morning show ... cause it's always perfect in my mind! LOL ... Some days are really long for me since I'm up at 4:30a and usually work till 4p! But I can't complain ... I love my job and have the best staff in the business around me to help out!

6) What artist would we be surprised to find on your iPod?

Josh Groban, Cross Canadian Ragweed, lots of Angels & Airwaves and even some Enya ... oh yeah, I have a sensitive side!

7) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff and why do you like them?

Hardy! He was at Extreme in Vegas while I was on Wild 102. Best break I ever heard ... His computer froze or something while he was on air and he had about five seconds of dead air ... he finally cracked the mic and said, "We'll I'd like to take this time to tell you about my savior Jesus Christ," then he started cracking up and went into a song! I don't know why, but that break always makes me laugh every time I think about it! He was always funny, and didn't sound anything like a typical jock ... last I heard he was in Boston, but his station flipped ... If I had any budget, I'd hire him in a second!

8) What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?

KROQ Los Angeles ... Still one of my faves. Always innovative and on top of what they do!

9) Do you have a favorite hobby outside of radio?

I've been training to run my first marathon in Phoenix on 1/19, but I keep hurting myself. So far I've fractured my right ankle twice, and haven't let it properly heal! I love running and have become obsessed with it over the past year. It's hard to admit, but I'm getting older and my body doesn't like the 15-mile training runs anymore!

10) What music do you listen to when you're not working?

I listen to myself trying to learn the piano ... it's not pretty on the ears!

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Storm chaser ... I'm still hoping it happens!