Jeremy jumps to #1

Jeremy White’s New Hampshire drivetime radio program - aptly named The Jeremy White Show - has reached the top spot on the Nielson ratings in the coveted demographic of women aged 25-54 and adults.

“It’s funny, I wasn’t expecting the ratings to come out and get the results that we got,” said White, who credits changes under a new program director, like promos, contests, music, and a more youthful image for the station, 105.5 JYY, in large part for the success of the show, which he pre-records from his home in Kahnawake.

However, despite these humble words, fans of White will know his personality has also played a big role in his program’s leap to number one.

“I sell smiles for a living, and if you turn the radio on and don’t hear that smile beaming through the speakers, it’s not the Jeremy White show,” he said.

“You’ve got to have the energy, you’ve got to have the sunshine, you’ve got to have the smiles because you never know who’s having a terrible day, and if you can brighten it for just a couple of seconds with something stupid you say between Gwen Stefani and Lady Gaga songs, well then my job is done.”

White, whose media journey began at K1037 Radio before moving to Montreal’s The Beat 92.5 and beyond, has racked up over a decade of experience on the air. He even filled in for two weeks this summer on talk radio juggernaut 640 AM in Toronto, the biggest station of its kind in the country.

“It was so weird being in a live radio studio again because I hadn’t done live radio in a year-and-a-half,” said White, for whom its been two years since he made the choice to step away from The Beat 92.5 in Montreal.

While he misses live radio for its interactive element, he enjoys a pre-recorded approach for the control it gives him over what he’s doing and executing his vision for the show.

“It’s just about upbeat, feel-good vibes that you can work alongside to or drive home to,” he said. “It’s all about the feel good.”

While his gig in New Hampshire is the crux of his radio appearances these days, he’s keeping busy with all kinds of media work, including keeping his interview chops sharp on his podcast, also called The Jeremy White Show, and corresponding YouTube channel, which is up to 17,000 subscribers.

That’s all on top of helping out at his parents’ store, the Mohawk Market, and producing his album, which involves musicians from across the globe.

“It’s kind of a mish-mash of all kinds of really cool musicians, kind of the musicians I grew up loving and I always wanted to play on my record. We’re getting a lot of those names to play on my album, which is pretty damn cool.”

He’s hoping to finish up by the end of the summer, but he’s in no rush.

“I don’t mind this album taking as long as it needs to for it to be perfect,” he said.

The Jeremy White Show on 105.5 JYY is on the air from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. every weekday in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire.

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter