Originally posted Friday, January 4, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
V-103 clearly had a revamp of its morning show planned well in advance. A mere 24 hours after informing Wanda Smith and Miss Sophia that their services were no longer needed at the station, management announced their new, much younger replacements: Jade Novah and JR.
They will be matched up with Frank Ski, 54, starting January 22.
In a press release (which I was not sent), boss Rick Caffey made it clear the station is focusing on expanding its digital side. Jade and JR, two web-savvy Millennials, would certainly help. It's also an eye to the future as the station chases much-needed but difficult-to-reach younger listeners in this day of Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music.
“In addition to mornings on-air, the show will be an integral part of V-103's digital content initiative,” Caffey said. “We look forward to celebrating the city’s urban culture and to providing our listeners with fresh, engaging content on all the platforms we know they love.” (I left him a voicemail and email message seeking further comment.)
Here's some basic info about each personality. Much of what I culled about Jade comes from AllMusic.com:
Jade Novah
Real name: Lindsay Fields
Instagram followers @JadeNovah: 362,000
Born in: Cleveland
Lived in: Los Angeles
Describes herself as: writer, actor, actress, vegan
Married to: singer/musician Devin Johnson,
Was a back-up singer for: Missy Elliott, Tyler Perry's "Madea's Big Happy Family"
Songwriter: As part of a songwriting group called PenUpDolls, she wrote for acts such as Mya, Melanie Fiona and Christina Milian.
Adopted pseudonym Jade Novah in: 2012
Impersonator: Did cover versions of Beyonce and Rihanna that went viral on YouTube. Her cover of "Diamonds" from 2012 has been seen more than 13 million times.
Debut album in 2018: "All Blue"
Radio background: Doesn't appear she has any.
Her press release quote: "Atlanta is where I started my career as a solo artist and content creator and I'm excited to come back to the city to represent the voice of a free thinking generation."
JR Jackson
From: Bronx, New York
Age: 31
Instagram followers @JRSportBrief: 8,071
Subscribers to his YouTube page: 107,000
Collective views on his YouTube page: 81 million
Has interviewed: Kobe Bryant, Usain Bolt, Pele, LeBron James, Conor McGregor, Snoop Dogg, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Charles Barkley, Dick Vitale
Has covered: The Olympics, Final Four, the World Cup
What he says about his interviewing style in his "reel": "I'm respectful but honest."
Radio experience: sports talk 660/The Fan in New York
TV experience: has appeared on CNN and HLN
His take on himself: "I'm just an ordinary guy who's been able to do some extraordinary things."
How he started JRSportBrief, according to a 2014 interview: "I started JRSportBrief out of my old Bronx bedroom. A shoebox, snack table, and Sony Handycam was the start. Encouraging Gary Sheffield to retire was the subject and YouTube was the platform. At the time, I managed digital for the first podcast to go from online to MTV, relationship show Man and Wife. At the urging of leading TV and online producer Fred Seibert, I launched JRSportBrief. I nabbed 1million views my first year, made JRSportBrief a full-time job the second, and currently have 74 million views on YouTube."
His press release quote: "I look forward to getting to know the city's unique culture - from the arts to sports and everything in between."
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