Jason
Scarborough
Founder, CEO
When you hear the name Jason Scarborough you immediately think of sports in some shape or form. Scarborough is a veteran multimedia journalist, covering high school and college athletics for various outlets since 1997. After a two-year stint at “The Rankin County News” in 1997, Scarborough was recruited to try his hand at local sports radio. At the young ripe age of 19, Scarborough hosted a local scoreboard show, “The High School Sports Ticker” on Jackson’s WSLI AM 930. Green and inexperienced as the youngest on-air employee at the station, he decided to go back into the world of sales. But with each passing week, the desire to be back in front of a microphone won out again. After a two-year absence from radio, Scarborough was hired at Jackson-based Telesouth Broadcasting as a producer and co-host in 2001. Scarborough was once again the youngest on-air talent within the company, producing and co-hosting a variety of statewide call-in shows, as well as sports broadcasts for the Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and South Carolina radio networks.
Scarborough also doubled as production director and assistant production director during his time at Telesouth, and in 2003 began his career in play-by-play broadcasting as “The Voice of the Bulldogs” for Brandon High School. The endeavor into play by play broadcasting paid off huge dividends, as Scarborough and his broadcast partner Purvie Green were asked by the local Jackson ESPN radio affiliate to be the official broadcast team for the 2003 MHSAA Football State Championship Games. The games were heard across the Magnolia State on multiple radio affiliates.
Before leaving Telesouth in 2003, Scarborough received a call from Birmingham based NewsRadio 960 WERC to become co-host and producer of “The Scott Griffith Morning Show.” After downsizing WERC, Scarborough had grown weary of life in corporate radio and decided to work full time on forming his own company. Spirit Communications was born: a name he based on his Christian influence and being led by God’s Spirit in every decision he would make with his newfound employment.
The leap of faith paid off. Spirit Communications became the official home of several high schools over the years, including Brandon, Pearl, Clinton, Ridgeland, Jackson Prep, and St. Andrews. Spirit Communications was also the broadcast company for several MHSAA state championship game weekends in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and produced the 2018 MHSAA state championship games for Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Scarborough and his longtime color analyst Purvie Green also were part of the MAIS Football Championship Games in 2007.
Then in 2009, the show that would take Spirit Communications to new heights was born. “The Friday Night End Zone” originated on ESPN 105.9 FM for 5 seasons and to present day, is the ONLY statewide radio show to originate from the 105.9 FM building. In 2009, The Spirit Radio Network was formed as the primary network of radio affiliates for The FNEZ Show and any statewide radio broadcasts produced by Spirit Communications, newly named The Spirit Radio Network in 2009.
After a one-year hiatus in 2014, The FNEZ Show returned in 2015 on 104.5 FM inside The Pearl Municipal Sports Complex. That season, FNEZ was the first radio show in the entire state to EVER simulcast their radio show on TV- another career highlight for Scarborough to add to his already impressive resume. The FNEZ Show concluded in 2018 as the FNEZ Crew focused their Friday nights on a new venture, “The Game of the Week.” The crew travels the state of Mississippi on Friday nights during the fall for the best high school football matchup in the Magnolia State. One of the clips from our game broadcast in 2019 was featured on ESPN as of the plays of the week, as well as Monday Night Football’s pregame shows and Randy Moss’ “You Got Mossed” segments on the ESPN.
In addition to his high school football exploits, Scarborough has covered some of the most exciting moments in college football recent history in the south. From Oxford to Starkville, Hattiesburg to Baton Rouge, or Tuscaloosa to the Plains-Scarborough has been witness to many of the greatest moments Saturdays down south has to offer and is excited about adding more memories to an already impressive resume. Last year, Scarborough began hosting “Audibles with Jason Scarborough,” a show featuring long form interviews with some of the most recognized names in Mississippi and the Deep South. From the high school gridiron to some of the most heralded cathedrals in college athletics, and now to sitting down with some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment, and life-Scarborough continues to see God open doors for him and his crew at The Spirit Media Network!
Called 1st no hitter in Trustmark Park history on March 16th, 2007 (Brandon vs. Pearl)
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Only local radio personality that has met and interviewed THREE NFL Hall of Fame inductees (Brett Favre, Jim Kelly, and Jerry Rice)
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Was featured on WAPT story on local radio play by play personalities
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Cohosted “The Sports Zone” on WJTV for 2 years and was the first contributor on that show
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Dec. 2008: was on the radio call with Purvie Green when South Panola’s national best streak of 89 straight wins was broken by Meridian in the MHSAA state football championship games-a truly historic moment in Mississippi high school football.
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Jackson Prep hadn’t defeated hated cross-town rival MRA in boys’ basketball in 6 years and had lost 37 straight games to MRA. Dec 2011 that changed as Scarborough called the game where Prep broke that streak against their rivals.
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Jackson Prep has a storied history in athletics but hadn’t won a state title in boys’ basketball in the state or overall tournament in 14 years-the longest drought without a title in Prep boys’ basketball history. Scarborough was on the call that season in 2011 when both of those streaks were broken.
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Nov 2011: Scarborough and Green were on the call when South Panola visited Madison Central for a football playoff matchup on live TV. Madison Central hadn’t beaten South Panola in 10 years and had their seasons ended by the Tigers in 4 straight years. Scarborough and Green were on the call that night as Madison Central snapped the 10-year skid to South Panola.
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The MHSAA in the formation of their new MHSAA Network were to video webcast the volleyball championships in 2011 as the first ever webcast in this new endeavor. Scarborough was the first voice ever on the MHSAA Network that day calling the volleyball championships on the new MHSAA Network, which also happened to be his first ever attempt at calling any volleyball.
Newman
Kazery
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Don Newman Kazery, III has worked with Spirit Media for 1 year. He brings his experience in video production in both the civilian world and the military.
Don attended Mississippi State University and graduated from State in 2014 with a degree in communication. He now lives in Jackson, MS and is a Public Affairs Officer for the Mississippi Army National Guard. During his free time Don freelances for many different companies including Spirit Media, ESPN, Fox Sports, Play On Sports, and CSS.
Last year with Spirit Media Don, was our camera operator where some of his work made it on ESPN as well as the NFL network. This year he is switching things up and becoming our new technical director.
Don is excited to bring what he has to the table and hopes that you as viewers will enjoy what Spirit Media has to offer.
Chris
McDonald
SIDELINE CAMERA OPERATOR
Chris McDonald returns this season to The Spirit Media Network crew, reprising his role as our sideline camera operator for The FNEZ Game of the Week. McDonald has been in Jackson area radio for 9 years. After interning with Y101 in Jackson, Chris began producing sports broadcasts for The Spirit Radio Network, producing Jackson Prep and St. Andrews athletics in addition to other sporting events.
Chris is a graduate of nearby Brandon High School and played for the Bulldog football team. He also had a brief career in semipro football with the Jackson Juggernauts and Mississippi Mad Dog for 4 years combined. Chris currently lives in Pearl with his wife and daughter and is excited to be back with The Spirit Media Network for his 8th season. He invites all to watch, listen, and get involved with some “spirit” this year!