10 Questions with ... Monique Jordan

1) What do you know now that you wish you had known in the past?

Ask more questions and be more patient. This business is about communications and I just didn’t do some things as well I think I could have.

2) How did you get into radio?

In 1994 for my son’s birthday; I decided to call the local radio station to wish my son Happy Birthday. At the time, I was stationed there in the army. PD Mychal Maguire was on the air and he asked if I ever thought about doing radio, I said no. He asked me to come to the station so he could record my voice, I did. He liked it and told me I should think about doing radio. He had his night jock, Kenny Smoov, train me, and I’ve been doing it since.

3) How has the role for female personalities changed since you first got into the business?

It has become a lot more diverse than it once was. There was a time when radio had women only in middays. Now you find women in every department of stations and companies. These days there are CEOs, COOs VPs, OMs, PDs, Promotion Directors, and lead morning show anchors. I’m loving everything that is going on.

4) Between being in the military and radio, you’ve had to move around. What has that been like?

When I first got into radio, I really didn’t know what to expect, though I did expect for a person to keep their word. I learned quickly that wasn’t true. If it’s not in writing, don’t hold your breath.

5) Who are some of the people that have influenced and mentored your career?

I was fortunate to work for a list of amazing people, including James Alexander, Al Irvin, Terri Avery, Michael Tee (R.I.P), Terry Base, and Phillip David March.

6) What was the biggest misconception about radio did you have before getting into the business?

When I first got into radio, I really didn’t know what to expect, though I did expect for a person to keep his or her word. I learned quickly that wasn’t true. If it’s not in writing, don’t hold your breath.

7) What drives your passion for radio?

I like making a difference in the lives of listeners. I always love meeting a listeners who tells me I made them smile or laugh. To me, it’s about making a connection with the audience. I try and visualize the listener when I talk on the air. If I can un-complicate someone’s life for just a few moments, I know I’ve done my job.

8) What advice do you have for those just starting out in broadcasting?

Learn production! I mean not just reading a script and putting music under it. Being able to sell whatever it is you’re talking about in 30 or 60 seconds. Production is the most important element in a station. When working at WBLX in Mobile, AL, I was asked to teach a Broadcasting class at Springhill College for their Upward Bound program. My main focus was production. At the end of the summer, each child was proficient in Cool Edit Pro.

9) Have you ever thought about getting out of radio?

Yes, back in 2000 I accepted a job, packed up, took my kids out of school, drove the U-Haul 10 hours to find out they changed their mind. It was a nightmare and I had nowhere to go. I ended up at my Mom’s house, not ever wanting to do radio again. One day I turned on the radio and heard this voice that sounded a lot like mine. Each day I would tune in to hear this girl and finally called to talk to her, she really lifted my spirits and talked me into not giving up and trying again. I don’t think I’d be back in radio today if it wasn’t for Delyte when she was at WEUP in Huntsville.

10) What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you in radio?

When I was at a station in Jackson, MS, I kept using Kwasi Kwa’s music beds. He asked me to stop but I didn’t. One day I go to do a break, as I started talking I pressed his music bed, as I always did. Well, Kwasi decided to record over the music bed with him moaning, I was so embarrassed and all I could hear when I took my headphones off was everybody laughing. Everybody knew he recorded over the music bed but me!

What profession would you have chosen had you not gone into radio?

I guess if radio didn’t find me, I’d still be getting grease under my nails fixing generators; I love cars. I got it from my dad. He would let me work on them with him when I was a little girl.