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Time well spent with ...
Denise Brooks, director of urban proramming Clear Channel Laurel/Hattiesburg, where she oversees WZLD-FM (Wild 106), WJKX-FM
(102.5) and WEEZ-AM (890) and can be heard afternoons on WJKX.
This on-the-move programmer has a storm story to share, but first, her background...
Growing up in Columbus, MS, Denise Brooks never imagined she would be responsible for the daily programming of three radio
stations: urban AC WJKX-FM (102.5), urban WZLD-FM (Wild 106.3) and blues WEEZ-AM (890). The stylish Brooks, in fact, had aspirations
to be an interior designer. During the summer of her sophomore year in college, while waiting tables, she ran into one of
the girls who had been on the cheerleading squad with her in high school. Brooks found out that there was a position open
for a traffic manager at a local radio station. It intrigued her, and that was the beginning of her radio career. She has
held titles from morning show co-host to morning show producer and music director, working in markets such as her hometown
of Columbus, MS, at WACR-FM (Soul of R&B 103.9) and WIMX-FM (Mix 95.7) in Toledo, Ohio.
Brooks has somewhat of an "entertainment" background - in high school, she sang with the concert chorus, was
named class favorite and was a cheerleader. In college, she was the first Black to dance with the MUW (Mississippi University
for Women) Dance Group, sang with the Choralettes singing group and was a member of the Corettas Social Club.
The MUW graduate says her favorite group is the Whispers because they know how to "Get You in the Mood" and
make you want to "Say Yes." She has been in the radio business for more than 15 years and says still looks forward
to a long career in radio, climbing up the ladder of success and helping others do the same. Brooks is well on her way - just
six months after taking on OM duties at the Laurel/Hattiesburg, MS, cluster, she received indicator status for two of the
three stations she oversees: urban Wild 106.3 and urban AC, something her male predecessors did not do, You go girl!
Her real desire to stay in radio was recently tested when Katrina ripped through the
... then, all you could see was destruction... trees looked like they had been sawed off... Billboards were down all over.
Trees down everywhere. Trees were on top of houses. No traffic lights were working within the city.
Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Laurel/Hattiesburg did not receive the worst of the devastation storm, but the area took
a wallop and put Brooks and her staff to the test.
Star - Tell us your storm story...
DB - On the Sunday before Katrina, we all came into the station - me, the GM, the top people. We wanted to make sure we
had all the information we could get out to our listeners, such as the shelters, items they should have in their homes - some
of us didn't leave until 4, 5 that afternoon to prepare our own homes. We had Clear Channel Worldwide News as an hourly feed.
I left about 7 p.m. and got prepared. I started watching the weather and saw the expected wind gusts. We're about 55 miles
from the coast. I saw 125 mph winds would be coming our way - that's pretty hard! And for four hours or more! That was scary.
I called my son in Miami and when he heard what the winds were going to be, he said very calmly, "Mom, you need to leave."
A sense of urgency came over me and I packed a small amount of clothes. I got about 30 miles outside of Meridian and the
traffic slowed down to a crawl. Once I hit Highway 82 going into Columbus, Ms, a normally three-hour trip took me five hours.
Of course I couldn't sleep once I got to my parents' house. I was extremely worried about Laurel/Hattiesburg. I was glued
to the TV, but I couldn't get information about what happened to Biloxi or Gulfport or Hattiesburg. I finally got back to
the area Thursday morning. The minute I hit Highway 59, I started to see people trying to get back. I witnessed a caravan
of help ... then all you could see was destruction... trees looked like they had been sawed off... Billboards were down all
over. Trees down everywhere. Trees were on top of houses. No traffic lights were working within the city. The American Red
Cross was passing out ice and water - no one could use their water. Most of the city was without power. But the station was
back up and running quickly - we simulcast on 1400 and 102.5. There were some people who stayed at the station. There was
a hole in the wall but otherwise it was OK. We were back on the air in 24 hours. Our phone was down, but we found a way to
wire in service to our cells from a tower close by. We operated with cell phone usage. Our listeners who still had service
were calling us to tell us where they were and if they were ok, and we asked
them what could we do to help. We were getting on the radio and letting others know what others needed. People helped each
other. It was an amazing outpour of the community. We had someone running out of insulin and we told her where to go and she
called back to thank us for saving her life. After a period of time, we were able to connect to the Red Cross and the mayor
and other agencies. We were in around the clock providing information.
Star -- When do you go back to regular programming?
DB -- October 3.
Star -- What kind of support did you get from Clear Channel central and other Clear
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Channel personnel around you?
DB -- We pride ourselves as a family and I personally saw the family love. We just all got together and helped each other
with food, water, and a place to stay.
On a regional level, Kenny Windham was phenomenal. They sent supplies, food, water, ice. Bruce Demps out of Memphis reached
out to us and other stations out of the state sent us supplies. We had engineers from other states and they built us a new
tower. My e-mail was flooded with Clear Channel employees all the way up to Doc Wynter to make sure we were OK.
I had to be strong for our listeners, but it was hard behind the scenes. We were getting e-mails from people trying to
find family members, and we would go on the air and read the e-mails, trying to reconnect people. Even after we got power,
there were still other parts of the area that didn’t have power.
We became the only connection for family members. I kept all the letters. People would e-mail me back when they heard
from their family members after we had gone on the air with their info.
I have been doing this more than 15 years, and this is the first time I really, really understand how important our jobs
can be. Our staff put aside some of their own
issues to take care of our listeners.
Star - Are things different now? I mean, with all the damage the hurricanes did on the community ... do you come back
and program any different?
DB - We came back with drops and testimonials from people ... we let people know as a community we were united. It still
feels that way. It was a refresher course in love for your fellow man.
Star - One of your first accomplishments as PD of WZLD-Wild 106 and WJKX was getting R&R reporting status? How did
you do that?
DB - I was persistent. I called Dana Hall and asked how I could get it, and she gave me a window. I just did my homework
and made it happen. Being in a small market, a lot of time you are overlooked, but we are just as important. I wanted to provide
out listeners with the same quality promotions and music that a major market gets.
Star - In a small/medium market like where you are, talk about the challenge of creating promotions that complement the
music? For example, because you are in a market that size and you don't have BDS/MediaBase status, it's difficult getting
artists to come through. So what are some of the alternatives you can offer your listeners?
DB - It really is difficult to get top name artists to come in. We use what resources we have. So we use a lot of artists
from this area. It works because people in this area know those artists, so people do come out and support them. We do giveaways...
the record labels provide us with minimal giveaways and stretch them and I make my promotions sound as big ... I concentrate
on making it sound exciting. I'm not angry at the labels; I just have learned to work with what I have. Whether or not I get
I try to have a meeting at least twice a month as a staff and one on one once a day, just to keep it fresh. I am a coach.
I feel like with al the experience I have, I need to give back and teach, offer encouragement, tips, heads up on a news item
or something going on in the community.
promotional backing, a good song is a good song and the listeners deserve to hear it.
Star - What's your take on research? Are you a go out in the field kind of gal, or do you rely heavily on research companies?
DB - In order to be a good PD, you have to go out in the community as well as look at research. You can't be one sided.
That's where you find some of your best talent... out in the field. Every market should have a way to channel local talent.
Star - What do you do to cultivate your air talent?
DB - I try to have a meeting at least twice a month as a staff and one-on-one once a day, just to keep it fresh. I am
a coach. I feel like with al the experience I have, I need to give back and teach, offer encouragement, tips, heads up on
a news item or something going on in the community.
Star - Let's talk about being a female in what is still very much a male-dominated industry. How do you handle situations
where record label reps or artists or anyone hits on you or doubts your abilities?
DB - You have to stay professional. You can't acknowledge people like that. If you do, you put yourself in more jeopardy.
And once they see you are all about business, they stop. No after hour meetings is one policy I keep.
Star - So what's in your CD player right now?
DB - The All Star Tribute to Luther, the new Kanye West, Willie Clayton Full Circle, the new George Benson Live and Alicia
Keys Unplugged.
Oh, I want to add a saying:
Excuses, excuses, are for the weak and the incompetent and those who specialize in them lead to nothing.
Visit Denise Brooks' stations at www.102jkx.com and wzldfm.com
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