Jeremy Mansfield: Radio legend makes every moment count

Cancer has a way of making you sit up and pay attention to your life. That’s how it was with radio star Jeremy Mansfield.

(He will, undoubtedly, be embarrassed by that label, but the reality is that, at its peak, his three-hour morning show on 94.7 alone generated 38% of the revenue and 23% of the profit of Primedia Broadcasting, which owned four radio stations.)

His life changed on his return from a break in the Seychelles about 10 years ago.

“I had a shower and came out freezing. My wife said ‘it’s not cold’. I felt tired, too, so I just went to bed.”

At 2am, he woke in agony and bathed in sweat. Blood tests at hospital later that day confirmed the unthinkable: he had “almost zero white blood cells” – leukaemia.

As he went on to the chemotherapy which would save his life, Mansfield and Primedia’s bosses sat down to put together a “succession plan” for the station in the event the worst would happen.

At that watershed moment in his life, he realised he was “tired of getting up every morning, dragging myself to work to generate returns for shareholders”.

He also didn’t agree with the company’s plans for the station, so they parted ways.

Effectively, then, he dropped off the radar, “pursuing other interests”.

His change-of-life cancer experience made him think deeper about what is important.

“We were on a trip to see the fjords of Chile and then on to the Antarctic. I spoke to this man who was saying you have to step back and think about what is left.

“So, let’s say I have 25 years left, which is 25 winters and 25 summers. If you have things you want to do or see on your bucket list, some will only be possible in summer, some only in winter. So, choose one a year…

“Obviously, if you want to go hiking somewhere, do it before you get to 65; but even if you’re 90, you can go on a world cruise…”

But he always wanted to make a difference, to the country, and to people. He’s from the Eastern Cape farming stock, boet, and they know life is about cycles, bad and good.

Tough times don’t scare them. So, he’s going nowhere. And at one time, he was thinking of going into politics.

Jeremy then got a call from Lloyd Madurai, an ex-colleague and the managing director of Hot 91.9FM, a community radio station in northern Joburg, asking him if he wanted to do the breakfast show on the station.

Hot 91.9FM is, effectively, a “not for profit” organisation. Anything they do make is ploughed back into community projects, from school feeding schemes to animal welfare organisations. Last year, the station’s Hot Cares end-of-year charity drive raised more than R2 million.

“I was on my way down to the family farm when Lloyd called. I asked him to give me a couple of days to think about it.

“My brother-in-law was there on the farm and I really respect his opinion. He said to me: ‘Just don’t forget one thing: more than 50% of politics is … politics.’

“Then he said: ‘You can make more real change with a radio show’…”

And, having signed with Hot 91.9FM, Mansfield feels almost as though he has “come home”… but without the stress and pressure of the old days.

Radio has always been in his blood. After doing two years of national service, he completed a journalism degree at Rhodes University (with drama classes on the side).

“In those days, that was the only way into radio,” he says.

He joined Capital Radio 604, which was broadcasting into SA from its base in the then Transkei homeland.

“That was one amazing place to learn and an incredible newsroom…”

He then moved on to 702 and worked in the newsroom as a sports reporter. He also worked with, and learned from, the legendary John Berks who effectively introduced South Africa to the idea of the “shock jock” – the radio presenter who was less than polite.

At 702, Mansfield was eventually given his own show and then, when Primedia bought the former SABC station Highveld 94.7, he set up the breakfast show there.

His background in journalism is a huge benefit, says Mansfield.

He and co-host Samantha Cowen are both experienced journos (Sam produced the Chris Gibbons show for many years) and “we can handle things which develop…”

His morning show on Hot 91.9 is drawing more and more listeners, many of them disillusioned by the offerings from competitors.

“People want to have a place where they can chill in the morning. Look, not many of us are morning people and it’s horrible to have to get up and fight your way through this kak Joburg traffic to get to an office…”

So, Mansfield and the team put together a mix of music, chat and humour to help people “face the day”.

There are times when things get slightly rof, but Mansfield has mellowed a bit.

Beside, these days, “we have families where they play us in the car, going to work, dropping the kids at school. So, you have to be careful…”

On the other hand, those kids are “our future audience” says Mansfield, marvelling at stories from listeners about how their children enjoy the music the station plays … despite the fact that Hot 91.9FM’s target market is the over-40 and female demographic.

And, it seems to be working. Hot 91.9 audience figures in Johannesburg North is in excess of 320,000 listeners.

It’s not only listeners, it’s the industry paying attention.

At the Liberty Radio Awards this year, Hot 91.9FM “swept the boards” in virtually every category they entered.

Mansfield chuckles.

“Ja, boet, life’s okay and I’m loving it!”

You can catch Mansfield in the Morning on Hot 91.9FM weekdays from 6-9am.

– brendans@citizen.co.za

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