Ebon’e Merrimon to take held of radio
station in January
MURFREESBORO,
Tenn. — Approaching its 25th anniversary, the WMTS-FM 88.3
student radio station is celebrating its diversity with the landmark
appointment of its first African-American female general manager and a renewed push to
promote its wide-ranging programming featuring the next generation of media
talent.
General
manager Ebon’e Merrimon, who will start in January, also is just the third
woman to hold the top position at the station, which was formed in 1992 and is
housed in the Center for Innovation in Media inside the Bragg Media and
Entertainment Building.
The
Nashville area junior with the electric smile said she developed her drive in a
single-parent household under the tutelage of her mother, Pastor Stacey Young.
“When it
comes to growing up, I had to learn ‘adult first, child later,’ and I’m still
like that now,” Merrimon said. “My entire life I’ve seen nothing but a woman on
the move, on the grind. My mother worked three jobs one time to provide for me and
my sibling.”
A
College of Media and Entertainment student majoring in media management with a
minor in African-American studies, Merrimon is looking forward to working
alongside assistant general manager Melissa Summit to expand the station’s
footprint and continue creating a more diverse array of shows.
She and
her team will manage nearly 60 shows, which include the award-winning “The
Justin Reed Show” featuring classic country, bluegrass, Americana, classic and
Southern rock music, and the highly rated hip-hop program, “The Remix.”
Named for the well-known
graduate student who serves as its host, “The Justin Reed Show” is broadcast
6-10 a.m. on Thursdays. “The Remix” airs 8-10 a.m. on Fridays. See the
station’s full lineup at www.WMTS.org.
Merrimon
has been involved with the station since her freshman year and served as a
radio host for the station’s first gospel show, “Deep Soul Gospel,” as well as
“Deep Soul Radio.”
Those
around the station, including the director for the Center for Innovation in
Media Val Hoeppner, say Merrimon’s ambition and tenacity ultimately led her to
becoming the general manager.
“She’s
got a ton of energy, she’s incredibly passionate about this,” said Hoeppner.
“She came to me a freshman banging down my door to get in here and get on the
radio. I think that’s really great and she’s so organized and dedicated to
doing this.”
In such
a male-dominated industry, especially in the leadership positions, WMTS has
been ahead of the curve in terms of promoting diversity at the top. Hoeppner
plays a vital role overseeing the station and Merrimon will be taking over for
the second woman to hold the position, Melissa Ferguson.
Ferguson
trained Merrimon this semester to prepare her for the role and she already has
a plan set up for when she takes office.
Merrimon
stressed promoting more community involvement between the station and its
students. One such idea includes a WMTS-sponsored concert that will invite
local acts, especially students, to perform.
While
details are still being developed, Merrimon and her team envision the concert
will take place in August and have multiple acts from all genres, including
rock bands, rappers, and even jazz artists.
Forming
stronger relationships with other organizations on campus is also a part of
Merrimon’s agenda.
“I’m
definitely all about networking with other organizations on campus to make sure
their organization is getting out there. If the station is student run it
should be student associated,” she said.
Internally,
the focus will be on locating more self-motivated radio hosts such as Reed and
Jasmine McCraven, who hosts the hip-hop and discussion-based “JazzyLo Radio”
from 11 p.m. to midnight on Thursdays. Increasing the profile of such shows
will help with acquiring more sponsorships and increase the funding for WMTS,
Merrimon said.
MTSU
sophomore Joe Wasilewski of Knoxville, Tennessee, whose 4-6 p.m. show “Stop
Motion” features alternative rock, psychedelic and “trip hop” music, is among
the varied radio personalities that listeners will find on WMTS. Wasilewski
recently had a local rapper as a studio guest, a departure from his normal
comfort zone but something he has the freedom to do.
“What’s
surprising is the amount of listeners I get, particularly during the drive time
hours,” said Wasilewski, who said he was recently accepted into the music
business program.
Even
though she doesn’t take office until January, Merrimon has already begun
putting the wheels in motion for some of her plans. Ferguson, who served as her
mentor and trainer, wasn’t surprised by her early efforts.
“She’s
really a go-getter and she’s just so inspiring to me and I think to others. The
biggest thing I told her was just be prepared to make decisions for the good of
the station even when they’re hard or you don’t like them. I think she’ll do
well,” said Ferguson.
Merrimon
will hold the position until her expected graduation date in 2018, and by the
time she leaves her post, Merrimon already has a vision for what her tenure
will have accomplished.
“I want
it to be when I leave out of here, you can’t go anywhere without knowing WMTS
is a student-run station and it’s poppin’ and a hit,” she said.
For more
information on WMTS, visit their website www.WMTS.org or call 615-898-2636.
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