John L. Hanson

Background

About John L. Hanson

John Hanson’s commitment to radio as his chosen ladder was made in his hometown, Detroit, as a teenager. He began as a music programmer and youth reporter for the student station in his school. Upon his high school graduation, he traveled to Austin, Texas, to attend Huston-Tilotson College, and landed a DJ slot at a small, low wattage station in nearby Lockhart where he offered a popular nightly program of jazz and soul music. The commuting from Austin weighed heavily on Hanson after graduation, so he began seeking employment at the various radio stations in the Austin area. His particular goal was to get hired at the public radio station at UT/Austin, where he felt his special mix of radio entertainment, which includes music, news and motivational pieces, might be more welcome. After many attempts and rejections, Hanson’s diligence was rewarded, and he was hired by KUT radio in 1974. His first assignment was to produce a nightly program called “soul on FM” which became an immediate success and ultimately earned him recognition as “Best DJ in Texas” by Texas Monthly magazine in 1976. In 1977, Hanson received a Minority Training Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which he used to learn the ropes for setting up a public affairs program for KUT, the NPR affiliate. Upon his return from the CPB workshops, Hanson turned his attention to improving and increasing information about the black community, which was not effectively reaching the local media outlets. Additionally, he sought to provide a venue for leaders and organizers whose issues and activities deserved wider exposure. This was accomplished via his implementation of ‘ACCESS”, a weekly, live, phone-in program on KUT which allowed experts in various fields and endeavors to address the public about their intended impact on the Austin community. From that rung on his ladder, Hanson was promoted to become the producer of IN BLACK AMERICA after its previous host left the city in 1980.