Brian Tucker Interview

Brian Tucker
Director
Christian 106

Career Capsule: Brian entered the radio industry in 2019 after a nearly thirty-year career in the Financial services sector. His first station was wiamradio.com, based out of southern New Jersey. Brian served as assistant director, artist contact point and programming director. In August 2020, Brian, along with assistant director Jennifer Cotney, founded Christian Mix 106, with the homebase being in Wilmington, Delaware. Brian serves as the station director overseeing all aspects of the radio ministry as well as directing Christian Mix 106 Ministries.

Brian, tell us what’s new at Christian Mix 106… any news, changes, etc… and what’s new with YOU?

Christian Mix 106 is seeing some incredible growth, we are coming off our best quarter in our brief history. We are seeing active listening from over 50 countries, people listening longer and positive feedback about what we are doing within this ministry. We have built an incredible team, starting with assistant director Jennifer Cotney and reaching to all of our podcast, devotional and sermon contributors. This incredible team that I have the honor to lead is one that I am so grateful for, and all successes this radio station and ministry are seeing is a result of them and God having a hand on it. Personally, in addition to running the day-to-day operations of the station, I am also working on completing my Bachelor’s degree in Ministry with a hope to have completed by end of 2022.

How do you balance work & family, how important is it for someone in Christian Radio to ‘have a life”?

I believe it is extremely important, as we cannot do our best work for not only the radio station and more importantly, God, if we are not as centered as possible.

What makes programming an internet station unique, what’s different, challenges?

We have a lot more latitude as far as programming. In my opinion. I try to be as random as possible with the music selection that I program, like your Ben-FM, Steve-FM, etc. in the secular arenas. I want people to see and hear the wide variety of Christian music from the big names to the independent artists, as they all have a story and testimony to share through music.

What’s something you’ve learned about launching an online Christian station that you didn’t know prior?

Launching the station has brought to me and showed to me so many ways that ministry and broadcasting can be done. The goal we have of the station is To Entertain, To Enlighten and To Bring People to Jesus and we set out to have a station that does all that but never loses its focus of bringing the one to Jesus that needs it. We set out in August 2020 to have a station that was different, out of the box and give people of all ages something that could appeal to people, whether it be the music or other programs that we offer.

What’s your thoughts on podcasting for Christian Radio?   

I believe that podcasting can be a big piece of Christian radio. Stations, like ours, can use podcasts to bring sermons, different stories and testimonies to the air which might normally never be heard. These stories might just be the one thing to help someone overcome hurt, despair or other things that have deeply affected their life and turn it around to live for Jesus.

What is your view on music playlists, how do you see the composition of new to current to gold?

I and we at Christian Mix 106 believe and have a goal to play the best Mix of music. We air songs from the 90s to today and keep the playlist completely random. I find the randomness of our music playlist refreshing and keeps people listening longer. There is so much in the way of fantastic Christian music over the last 30 years or so and to have the opportunity to share a sing that people may have forgotten about, not heard in a while, etc. is in my opinion, a positive.

Generally speaking, to the industry what are the biggest obstacles facing Christian radio?

I believe Christian radio needs to work harder to cater to men, as it is widely known that a lot of stations cater to the Moms in the car, driving their kids to here and there and repetition is important. Opening more avenues to increase the male audience through music choice, programming, etc. would in my belief, steer more men to Christian radio.

Who are your radio heroes and influences? and why?

I would say some of the bigger influences are ones that I listened to growing up. There has always been that dream that being in radio would come to fruition and it is still hard to believe that life has some full circle to make that happen. Personalities such as Dan Ingram from WABC in New York, along with Hy Lit as well as so many others from Philadelphia and to folks such as Ellis Feaster, currently at Z88.3 in Orlando. These personalities helped make radio come alive and these days, through social media and other avenues, these trailblazers and the “good old days” of radio are still alive and well.