What I’m not going to do here is pen something called “My Next Chapter” or “I’m Coming Home,” although in some sense, both phrases are true. As of today, I’m back in the friendly confines of the 104.5 The Zone studios here in Nashville, but in a much different role, and one I feel blessed to be able to announce.
Beginning on Monday, July 2, 2018 at 6:00 PM central time, you’ll be able to hear me every weeknight as I take the baton from Brent Dougherty, Mickey Ryan, and Dawn Davenport and carry The Zone relay team to victory. Yeah, that sounded hokey even as I wrote it, but I’m leaving it in because I’m confident in who I am. This program won’t be like any that might have come before it but will instead build on the strong foundations of those that sat in the seat before I was asked to do it.
The Big Six debuts TONIGHT on The Zone, and I couldn’t be more jacked up to kick off this journey in a few hours.
My journey with WGFX began in the summer of 2012 when I was chosen to be an intern for the Midday 180. They had me in with them twice a week, and honestly, they weren’t sure if I would fit them when they first met me. I split time with another broadcasting student, and he received three days. I chalk it up mainly to him being from MTSU and me attending WKU, but I digress from the joke. I was an adult. I went to NC State in 1997 and 1998 and then worked in pro wrestling chasing a dream for the better part of the next decade. My day job was retail management, because dreams often don’t pay bills as you work to establish yourself.
A situation led me to leave South Carolina in 2009 and I was lucky enough to be accepted at Western Kentucky in 2010. Through a chance conversation that turned out not to even be entirely true, I contacted Chad Withrow and inquired about intern possibilities I had heard about through a classmate at the time. The communication was slow and frustrating, and it was vague, but somehow, I managed my way into that spot. This was the very infancy of interning at The Zone, so in addition to me not knowing exactly what I could and should do for the hosts, they had very little idea as to how to answer that question either.
So, what I did was listen. When I was there, I looked up facts if I heard them mention something, or I found relevant articles and would occasionally write something on a small notepad and hold it up for one of them to see. I didn’t know any of them and wasn’t really included in any conversations and will never forget Paul Kuharsky telling me on my first actual day in the old Zone studios that I might just be overqualified for what they had for me. I still laugh today as I say that he was wrong. I was nowhere near qualified.
But, I could spell, I could write, I could talk, but also had an ability to know when to stay quiet. I took over tweeting during the show, helped come up with the topics and questions for Trivia Trifecta, scheduled some interviews, came on air a few times, and in August when I left, Jonathan Hutton, Chad, and Paul all mentioned their own feeling that I should be in that building on a permanent basis. They all pledged to help me and asked me to stay in touch. Each one of them has continually lived up to that promise.
I never knew I would end up with the level of friend I’ve found through WGFX, but I count several people at The Zone among my closest and dearest friends and confidantes. I’m good friends with their wives, I DJ’d Hutton’s wedding, I’ve done play-by-play work with Withrow, I’ve been followed on Twitter (and then unfollowed) by PK, and I’ve talked about everything under the sun with program director Brad Willis, Titans Radio executive producer Rhett Bryan, and spent time with literally every employee in the building. Brent, Blaine, Dawn, Mickey, JT, Mark, Kevin, Hut, PK, Chad, Brad, Rhett, Joey, Frank, The VOTT, Phil, Dyson, Steve, Ryan, Jimmy, Morgan, Ned, Bob, Virgil, Doug, Tate…I love ‘em all.
Wake-Up Zone executive producer Brandon Haghany and Midday 180 executive producer David Reed are perhaps closer to me than anyone else in the world, and that’s a shoot.
Thus, when an on-air opportunity finally opened up that matched my skill set and offered me the chance not just to host, but also to fill-in regularly, to write, to do multimedia, to handle digital, enhance social media, and to help restructure what a radio website COULD be, I was intrigued. It was brought to my attention, and I began to pray about it.
One other thing. I need to go back to the history lesson for a second. I also met Clay Travis through WGFX, and thanks to that introduction, I found work over the past four years both writing for Outkick the Coverage and producing and hosting for Fox Sports Radio. There is not a chance I would be writing this or announcing my new position or my new show without Clay’s influence, his support, and his incredible loyalty to me. He knows it, but he holds my eternal gratitude in his hands, and I would do anything in the universe to even attempt to pay him even partially back for what he’s done for me.
Throughout this process, which has gone on for over four months, from the planning to the possibility to the interviews to the conversations to the visions to the long nights, he has consistently been behind me, helping it along both in ways I could see and some that I would find out from others.
The show is the biggest part of the new gig, but I bring all my pop culture, pro wrestling, sports, and editorial writing to The Zone as well. I’ll be blogging most days, joining the shows regularly to talk about the day’s events, and also working with each of the established brands to expand their reach. You’ll get so much more from 3HL, more from WUZ, and more from the 180 as we incorporate video, exclusive audio, new thinking and groundbreaking ideas that simply gives you a plethora of what you want… CONTENT.
You’ll also continue to get Squared Circle Radio, but with the added possibilities of live reaction podcasts following Pay Per Views, video work, more remotes and chances to meet and greet, and just flat out MORE.
Not once during the process did I get a sense I was making the wrong move. Whatever success I’ve found and whatever abilities I possess, all of it belongs to Christ Jesus. He has gifted me these blessings and as my faith has grown to be the most important thing in my life, it’s essential that each of you know that when you tune in and dig what we’re doing or if you’re a fan of my writing or if you’ve been entertained by anything I’ve ever done, all that credit and all that glory goes to God. He has led me to this place today and my ultimate goal is simply to share that love and joy and hope to extend that sense of peace to those I’m lucky enough to encounter.
The one promise I hope to live up to as it pertains to this job and especially this new show, which I hope you’ll check out, is I will never waste your time. I’m going to be prepared, I’m going to be ready to fire, I’m going to have things to say that will challenge you and will strengthen your own arguments even when you disagree with me, and I’m going to include you in all of it. It’s going to be family friendly, but we’re going to have an absolute blast with this show. It’s going to be an escape, but it’s going to be a vacation that hopefully makes you smarter.
6 PM, while you’re stuck in Nashville traffic, with nowhere to go, is going to become a lot less Road Rage and a lot more Appointment Listening.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll begin to roll out some of the new ideas, and I can’t wait to share those with you. I am a child of God, thanks to the grace and forgiveness continually given to me, a very ordinary sinner whose hope emanates from Jesus. I’m blessed beyond measure thanks to His love and generosity, and as I step back into a familiar place, I feel as if I am in some way coming home. But my eyes remain fixed above. It’s the only chance I’ve got.
There’s so much to do, so much to say, so much to share…it’s time to get to work.
I’m thrilled to announce my new position as 6 PM host, staff writer/editor, and digital coordinator with WGFX-FM Nashville and Cumulus Media. The show starts…in five hours.
Talk to you then.
Sincerely,
Jason Martin
