By Amelia Tarallo
Hometown Weekly Staff
What is your third instinct when you get in your car? You pull on your seatbelt, you turn the ignition, and then what? Many people switch on their radios. Some listen to the news, while others tune into one of their favorite music stations.
If you’re listening at the right time, you may even hear the voice of Brendan Jeannetti, a Walpole High School graduate and Walpole resident.
Jeannetti is very young to be an on-air personality, and that’s partially thanks to Walpole High School. “It really all started at Walpole High School. I moved to Walpole at a young age, and it just took awhile for me to acclimate to a new school. Eventually, in tenth grade, I found the Rebel Report. I started to shoot video for them out of class. I found that not only did I really like shooting video, but I really liked being the one who gets shots from the camera. From there, I started to do recording for them. Eventually, I was the anchor for the morning news. That completely changed my everything. It opened my eyes to wanting to work in media,” explains Jeannetti. “Ever since then, I’ve dipped my toes in every single possible [medium] that I could.” Jeannetti was an anchor for the Rebel Report for two years and also participated in Walpole High School’s film festival.
Jeannetti continued his work in media after graduating from Walpole High School in 2015. During college, he majored in Communications and Media studies. He worked for Sony Music, Barstool Sports, and iHeart Radio. Eventually, he ended up on Country 102.5, where he works today.
Jeannetti’s favorite part of working on-air has been being his genuine self. “This is something I had hone. When I first got my job on-air, I was trying to be what’s expected of a radio DJ, or anyone that’s a public figure,” explains Jeannetti. As he got more comfortable, he realized that being himself on the radio made for a better show.
“It’s really cool to genuinely be yourself and really highlight the weird parts of your personality. I try to do one or two call-ins a shift. If you listen to radio on any given day it's like 'what would you do if your girlfriend was texting another guy?' and all that stupid stuff. I like to get really specific." Influenced by conversations with coworkers and friends, Jeannetti has asked questions like: “Is it weird to drink milk with your dinner?” and others that you would never usually hear. The responses to these ultra-specific questions come in droves, with people getting heated about their opinions. "It's really cool to make light of everyday things, and to relate with so many people who normally you wouldn't relate with," says Jeannetti.
Though he is currently off the air due to the stay-at-home order, those wanting to listen Brendan Jeannetti can usually hear him on Country 102.5 on Saturdays from 7 p.m. to midnight - but he may also be covering the morning show or other spots on the station.
