The Saginaw/Bay City/Midland area is the
last real "populated" area heading north in Michigan.
It's interesting to serve both this "populated" area
and still need to serve the many very small towns that
surround it and us. There are no "subburbs" in
Northern Michigan, only metros and boondocks, so your
listener in Metropolis is from a completely different
world than your listener in Podunk (literally,
"Podunk, MI" is in our listening area.) It makes
having a tight listener profile even more important.
2. What is the
most fulfilling aspect to you personally about
Christian radio?
I love, love, love the
impact a song can have on a given person at a given
moment in their life. We play approximately 360 songs
a day. That's 360 opportunities to impact a life, and
I didn't even have to say a word.
3. Here is your
chance to testify on behalf of your station...How
has God used WPRJ?
In more ways then we
could ever know or probably would even imagine, I'm
sure. One story: A young gal got connected to our
station through a friend, she loved the upbeat music,
and she made the effort to come out and say "Hi" to
the staff on occasion. She really felt that 101.7 was
a "friend" not a "frequency". In the past year or so
she has joined the Marines and found herself at war in
Iraq. Throughout her time, the station was able to be
a support to her both in programming (online), and
personal contact (emails, phone calls, cards) and when
she returned she expressed how important we were to
her staying strong through some incredible trials.
4. What advice
could you give to a young person starting out in
Christian radio?
Stay focused on
purpose. It's easy to lose the "why" amidst the
"how". There will be plenty of distractions and side
roads, but if you embrace purpose, you will never be
without a foundation.
5. What are some
advantages/disadvantages of being non-commercial?
As a programmer? HA!
The disadvantage is that you even have to think about
that stuff. I just want to program the best station
possible and pretend the money will fly in from the
heavens whenever it's needed. I love that we can
play more music than a commercial station, but I hate
having to cater our sound to a certain demographic for
financial reasons (so we don't). A secondary
advantage to being listener supported is that your
listeners are literally invested in how your station
does. They want to see their money put to good use
and will help in the success.
6. How do you
think Christian Record labels can better serve
Christian radio?
Overall, I think the
labels are doing a great job. I'd love to see a
little more variety (it's the spice of life you
know). We are living in a food court generation,
Chinese one day, tacos the next. It's the same with
music, it's much less about genre anymore and so much
more about quality and relevance. Send me more Hip
Hop, pop punk, rock, techno, blues, whatever, if it's
done well and relevant to my listener they will love
it.
Oh, and online access
to all singles at one central website needs to
happen soon. It will save them money and us time.
7. In your
opinion what are the biggest obstacles facing
Christian radio today?
Becoming ingrown.
Spending so much time super serving the P1 Christian
listener that we calcify that little bubble we've
already created. There is a balance somewhere between
serving the listener and the potential
listener, and I think as an industry we favor the
former to the exclusion of the later right now.
8. What do you
believe is the primary role of the Christian radio air
personality today?
To be a friend.
9. What (if any)
other Christian radio stations do you consider as
innovators today?
