What's Been Said About The Broadcasters Training Network

Bandon's Jimmy Housego On The Air
By Andy Porter, Staff Writer
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A Bandon boy is taking to the airwaves and he hopes people will be listening.

Fresh from graduating a course of study from the National Broadcasters Training Network, 12-year-old Jimmy Housego has begun co-hosing a weekend radio show on K-Light Radio, a local Christian broadcaster.

Working with the co-host Doug Benton, one of K-Light's regular broadcasters, the talk and music show, "A Weekend in the West with Dougie Poo and Jimmy Too," will air on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the program day, said Rick Stevens, K-Light general manager.

Under Benton's coaching, Housego studied for the past seven months to pass the college-level course, he said.

Housego said his interest in broadcasting was sparked about two years ago after participating in a "share-a-thon" at the station and also being interviewed for the station's "Saturday Morning for Kids" show.

Jimmy's mother Tammy Housego, said that she had heard about the school on the radio and, "after thinking about it for a long time," decided to let Jimmy take the course.

According to Rick Stevens, K-Lights' general manager, the school then contacted the station to see if Doug would be interested in serving as Jimmy's mentor. Doug Benton said he would be delighted.

The seven-month course of study covered nearly every aspect of working for a radio station Benton said.

"I actually expanded on some of the curriculum that had been provided by NBTN so that he would become acquainted with document flow within a radio station and with other things like that," Benton said. "Except for sales, he learned about what goes on in a radio station."

Housego said the course work was hard at first, but then became easier as he learned more.

Each lesson lasted about three hours and included how to prepare and read scripts, breathing, pacing, enunciation, editing and other topics on preparing and broadcasting a radio program.

At home, Housego used a karaoke machine to practice breathing so the noises wouldn't come out over a microphone.

"I gotta tell you, I was really bad at first," he admitted.

Benton said that overall Housego has been an excellent student. "He's eager and totally compliant. He's a great kid."

"I've been 30 years in radio and I've trained lots of people, mostly adults, and I've never trained anybody that took to as quickly as he did," Benton said.

Housego said he hopes to go on to become a full-time radio announcer, but first he's got to attend to another important event, his 13th birthday which is coming up Aug. 16.

"I'll be a teen-ager then, so you better watch out," he said with a grin.