Caileigh Morrison: Kirk Jennings.
Kirk Jennings: Yes.
CM: What is your programme called and when is it?
KJ: My programme is called ‘That’s What’s Up’ and it’s Monday nights at 8PM.
CM: Exciting. What is your programme about?
KJ: ‘That’s What’s Up’ means “that’s what’s up in my head”. Songs that have been stuck in my head lately, songs that I’ve been listening to lately. Well, at least that’s how it started off, and now it’s expanded. I do different themes, and all week I think of the theme and different songs pop into my head and then on Monday I play the songs I’ve been thinking about.
CM: What songs do you usually think about? Any particular type of song?
KJ: Well, it really depends on what the theme is. Usually, if it’s just things that I’ve been listening to regularly it’s a lot of rap, some pop, mainstream stuff that I don’t usually get to play, and things like that. But a lot of times I’ll go with themes. For instance, tonight, I am doing country. And often, I take requests from people so I can get a lot of people interested not only in my show, but also Trent Radio.
CM: In what capacity other than programming are you involved with Trent Radio?
KJ: I started off as a co-op student here, and from there I started taking on more and more responsibilities. Then, once my co-op was done, I applied to be an operator here.
CM: I see. What did you do during your co-op?
KJ: It started off very simple, because I didn’t know how to do much. Organizing the Smooth Operator book, putting more PSAs in and taking the old ones out, and then doing Smooth Operator. Other than that, just a few cleaning things, but not too much. But then as my semester progressed it was really good because James and John [Programme Director and General Manager] would give me more and more chances to take on different jobs and do other things, so I had my own show, then two shows, and I interviewed political candidates. A whole bunch of things.
CM: Cool. Most of the people, actually I think all of the people I’ve interviewed so far are not high school students. Do you think that the Trent Radio experience is different for you, coming in as a co-op student? Do you catch a lot of flak?
KJ: Well, I guess everyone who comes in here for their first season feels new, but as a co-op student I felt even newer because I was always the youngest in the building. Always. It got to the point where I had so many responsibilities that I knew how to do more than most programmers did. I guess it was pretty weird being younger more than anything else, but now that I’ve been here for a couple of seasons it doesn’t feel weird at all. I just feel like part of the family.
CM: Very nice. What made you decide to come to Trent Radio in the first place?
KJ: I have always been interested in broadcasting and entertaining, and my plan is for it to become a career, so naturally I looked for a placement in radio. Before I started my co-op placement I’d only ever driven by Trent Radio – that was the most contact I’d ever had with Trent Radio. But then my co-op teacher said “you should really try Trent Radio, you get on the air right away, it’s such a good experience, you get to do so much” so I said “alright, sure!” Then right after my interview I fell in love with the place and now I don’t leave.
CM: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from hanging out here?
KJ: I think a lot that I’ve learned is on-air stuff, like talking into the mic and running the board. There is experience you can only get from continuously being on the radio; there are a lot of things that you can’t learn from being told or from books. And then a lot of things like....well, when you’re hanging out at Trent Radio you meet a lot of different people, and the best thing to do is to say “hey, how you doin’?” and just talk because it’s just one big Trent Radio family and you’ve got to be able to talk to everyone.
CM: What are your plans for the future?
KJ: Well, I’m starting another co-op placement next month at Chex Television.
CM: Sweet.
KJ: Yeah, I’m taking the whole broadcasting thing pretty seriously.
