Jessica's Career Capsule
Before getting into Christian radio, I was a pre-school teacher and worked at the local hospital. I entered a contest the station was sponsoring and got to know the staff here through that. When a position opened up for a promotions person, they asked me to apply. Long story short I was hired as the Promotions Director, and started tracking overnights about a year later. From there I was moved to mid-days, and when our Program Director/Morning Show person moved, took on the Morning Show solo up until this past February when we hired a co-host. I accepted the Program Director position 2 years ago. It’s been a fast climb, but one clearly directed by God. I’m just along for the ride!

1. Tell us about Spirit 92.9 and your role there ?

We’re a fast growing small market station in the heart of Central Minnesota near St. Cloud. And like most small market station staff, we all wear a lot of hatsJ I am currently wearing the Program Director, Music Director, and Morning Show co-host hats-my neck is strained a little, but I love what I do;)

2. How is your station most impacting the community?

Spirit 92.9 is unique in our community because we have always made a point to be out in it making relationships with our listeners- we get to know so many of them and what’s going on in their lives. We’re active in our community festivals and parades, bringing our artists here so our listeners don’t have to drive over an hour to the nearest metropolitan area to experience their concerts, and we work closely with organizations here that serve our community-such as the local homeless ministry and Pregnancy Resource Center, as well as partnerships with our area churches.  We often work with our listening family to gather donations for these organizations such as diaper drives, school supplies, hygiene items, etc.

3. What is the best advice you've been given about getting into radio? The worst??

Best: Don’t get into it to get rich or famous-you won’t! Specifically in Christian radio-you have to look at it as ministry. Do it because you want to serve others, not yourself. If your heart isn’t in the right place, don’t waste your time.

Worst: It’ll be so exciting! Don’t get me wrong-it’s fun, there are cool perks, but most of my time isn’t spent hanging out with artists-it’s in front of a computer scheduling, replying kindly to emails and phone calls from listeners who have ideas or suggestions on how to do your job, searching tirelessly for show prep, and trying to work with the sales team to please both clients and listeners. It’s work!

5. Where will future Christian radio air talent come from?

I think it will be everyday people like me, who someone sees possibility in and is willing to invest time and teaching in. Christian Radio needs to be relationship based in order to connect with our audience, especially in a technology driven world where she can the music anywhere. We need her to need us for something. Our air talents need to be relatable, likable, in touch with her life, so much more than a ‘radio announcer’..but a friend.

6. What is your most memorable promotion so far?

Our ‘Random Acts of Spirit’ and ‘Random Acts of Christmas Spirit’ have really taken off. We encourage listeners to print a letter from our website and do a random act of kindness for someone. It’s exciting to hear the stories of how our listeners are serving our community and then others keep paying it forward.

7. Generally speaking to the industry what are the biggest obstacles facing Christian radio today?

Ourselves! If we are out of touch with our listener, not connecting with her, un-relatable, boring, don’t encourage her in her life-faith-marriage-parenting etc., then she has no reason to tune in to our station. She can get the music anywhere-we have to work harder than ever to add that extra something she needs.

8. Do you feel syndication is good or bad for Christian radio?

I think it can be ok if it’s well done, but again if we are going to make ourselves needed by our listeners-I think relationship is important. When we’re local, she sees us at events-she can talk to us and feel like she knows us, she knows we live here and care about her community because it’s ours too.