CHRISTIAN RADIO SPREADING MUSICAL GOSPEL

Unlike most secular radio stations, talking, listening and praying is a part of running a Christian radio station.

Billing, commercial production and a ton of paperwork also gets handled by Williams.

KUGT is located on Woodland in Jackson.

KUGT is "the light" for many of its listeners.

When Kevin Williams first began to work for his Christian college radio station, he didn't think he'd still be in Christian radio for long. He was wrong.

"I started off at Central Bible College radio station as a DJ just for fun," said Williams, who has been general manager at KUGT in Jackson for the past three years.

But it was five years ago that he began at KUGT working as a part-time disc jockey, little realizing what was to come. As he became more familiar with the work, he began to gain more and more responsibility around the station. So, when then general manager Barbara England got a job for a television station, Williams was the obvious choice for her job.

The job of general manager at KUGT entails, as Williams puts it, "overseeing all aspects of the station." This includes hiring, working with the program director to determine programming, taking care of the billing and every other little project that comes along.

While there is no typical day for Kevin Williams, there are certain tasks he completes every day. He has to go through mail, do a ton of paperwork, and he also gets to listen to new Christian music.

Williams spends several hours a day listening to new music to determine whether or not it meets KUGT's criteria.

"Our one requirement is that the music has to have a message. We listen to a lot of music that sounds good but has no message so we don't use it."

Williams spends most of his time away from the mike, but still pulls an occasional shift when he has to, when someone is running late.

Williams has many day-to-day challenges, and his latest one is helping the station adjust to its recent format change from southern gospel to inspirational adult contemporary. This has caused certain aspects about the station and its audience to change.

"Well, for one thing, we've gained a younger audience," Williams says. "Before the station mainly appealed to women age 35 to 55. Now it's younger people that are listening."

But the change seems to be popular with the rest of the audience, too. Williams said that 96 percent of the calls they have received have been positive. And Williams feels he knows the reason why.

"Contemporary Christian music is rising faster than any other style of music. I think the reason for that is that Christian music is now as good, production-wise, as a lot of secular music. They're really putting their time and money into it."

KUGT, unlike most secular radio stations, doesn't gear itself to any one particular audience. Williams says the audience is Christians of all ages.

"Our main purpose is to minister to the audience as well as entertain them. We do talk and pray with people over the phone."

But Williams doesn't place all the emphasis for one's religious guidance on his radio station.

"We're not here to take the place of the church," Williams said. "But people don't go to church every day of the week. We see ourselves as an extension of the church."

In addition to such popular Christian artists as Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Stephen Curtis Chapman, the station has programming specifically geared to help inspire its listeners.

Saturdays are for children, Williams said. Saturday mornings are full of programs for younger children while the afternoon has programs that young adults might find entertaining. Faith Seminar of the Air with Kenneth Hagan can be heard daily.

"We try to run programs that focus on biblical teachings," Williams said. "Or family/parenting counciling like our Focus on the Family show."

KUGT doesn't ask for donations; it is a commercial station and that means they sell commercial ad time. Williams said they have Christian businesses that advertise but not all are. There are a lot of reasons to advertise on a Christian radio station, Williams said.

"If the statistics are correct, listeners of Christian radio spend more time listening to the radio and they listen closer. They seem to be more attentive.

"And studies have shown they are more loyal."

Williams loves his job and the people he works with are a big part of the reason.

"I work with great people and a great staff."

While KUGT is currently an AM station, Williams said he hopes to someday be on the FM side of the dial.

"You get a better signal and it's not affected by the weather -- you get a clearer signal."

Another advantage is being able to operate longer hours on FM since AM is limited to daylight hours.

KUGT has applied to the FCC to get an FM approval, but was denied. Williams says he doesn't know why.

But he doesn't let it bother him. He feels KUGT is meeting its goal right where they're at.

"Our goal is to minister to people the most effective way we can, and I think we're doing that."