Written by Matthew Cavallo for The Argo

Considering a career in broadcasting? This week, The Argo caught up with Jahna Michal, co-host of “The Cat Country Morning Show” on Cat Country 107.3 for an in-depth discussion on her career and what it took for her to get to where she is today. Jahna filled us in on all of it; from college to working in Philadelphia, interviewing celebrities like Ariana Grande, and more.

Michal began her education at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she originally wanted to pursue a degree in Theatre. She joked that she was “tricked into radio” by a friend who said they were going to see a movie. Her friend instead brought her to a Podcast club, where she instantly fell in love. Following that, she completely changed her trajectory. She transferred to Rowan University, where she obtained a degree in Television and Film with a concentration in Radio and a minor in Journalism.

In college, she began an internship at Beasley Media Group, which is based out of Philadelphia. After that, she transferred to IHeart radio where she was a social media and promotions intern for two years. One big piece of advice she gave was, “If you start out in a big market, you can handle just about anything else.” She then worked her way up through the ranks until she was a regular substitute host. She accredits her success to “saying yes” to every opportunity that was given to her. 

She has caught up with some big-name celebrities throughout her career, including Ariana Grande, Christina Perry, 21 Pilots, Judah and The Lions, Dierks Bentley, Jackson Dean, Lainey Wilson, and more. Her favorite interview of all time was with Patti LaBelle, whom she interviewed when she co-hosted the “Patty and the Millennials” podcast with Patty Jackson. 

Michal then spoke candidly about what it means to be a woman in the radio business, saying “It’s 2023 but misogyny and chauvinism are still a thing, and it is harder to be taken seriously as a woman.” She went on to say how she found ways to “work smarter, not harder.” She also encouraged all women going into the business to “not be afraid to say what you mean, mean what you say, and to fight back when needed.”

Michal became co-host of “The Cat Country Morning show” in 2018. It was a significant move to go from a large-scale market in Philadelphia, into a smaller local market in South Jersey. She expressed her love for country music and her love for “what it means and what it stands for.” She quipped, “who doesn’t want to live at the beach?” She also expressed her gratitude for her connection with the listeners, whom she interacts with at various events that Cat Country hosts. When asked how she copes with the schedule of a morning show host, she said “You don’t,” and professed her love for coffee and monster energy drinks. 

When asked what advice she would give to anyone going into the broadcast business, she again reiterated that you should “say yes” to every opportunity given to you, and stressed the importance of internships. She claimed that “when it comes to someone who spent four years at their college radio station versus someone who dabbled in their college radio station and had internships, they are going to go with someone with the intern experience.”

You can catch Michal, along with her co-host Joe Kelly, every Monday–Friday from 5:30-10 a.m. on Cat Country 107.3.