Jackson Free Press

Othor Cain, 38, radiates an exuberance for life in his smile, his body language and, most of all, his deep-toned voice. That voice, were it visible, would surely be the burnished gold of fine jewelry.

That voice got him started in broadcasting on a fluke. With no thought of a radio career, Cain had taken his 1990 Jackson State business administration degree straight to McRae's. One day, while Cain was announcing a sale at the Meadowbrook store as senior area sales manager, he got lucky. "The general manager from MISS 103 was in the store, heard me and had me paged," he said. "I thought it was a customer with a complaint." One requested demo tape later, Cain was on the air, Saturdays and Sundays, midnight to 6 a.m., as country music DJ Troy Cain. "Can you believe it?" he said, reaching out to touch my wrist, making a personal connection with his listener—just as his voice does from the broadcast booth.

Over the years, Cain polished his craft as an on-air personality and learned the ropes in broadcast news and production at several area radio stations, including WMPR, WJXN and WOAD—at WJXN, he hosted a morning gospel show called "Wake Up!" Laughing a bit, delight shining in his eyes and exaggerating certain syllables like Southerners are wont to do, Cain explained, "People called in and said things like, 'I'm Lynn from Rolling Fork. Tell sister to wake up!'"

After two years in Atlanta, Cain returned to his hometown Jackson in 2001, and work included voice-overs, gigs he called "odds and ends," and a time as staff writer with a byline at "The Mississippi Link," an African-American newspaper.

"All along," Cain said, "I had wanted to do television, but I couldn't find a niche—news, entertainment, political commentator?" He knew he loved to talk, though, and public access Channel 18 gave him the chance to try a weekly talk show in 2003. "Face to Face," Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., is Cain's baby. He and guests discuss the evolution of a 21st century Jackson.

While Cain has been amazed at the response to public access television—also a great vehicle for people to learn the broadcasting business—he's proud that "Face to Face" has been picked up by WAPT Channel 16, beginning in January 2005, for the 9-9:30 a.m. Sunday morning slot.

Excited about the chance to engage a statewide audience, Cain said, "It's the right time for it."

Previous Comments

ID

82355

Comment

i am so proud of the work that Cain has done for Jackson and the state. He was one of the first radio personalities that I can remember listening to and knowing that i wanted to do that one day. Lynette brought out the personable Othor that can sometime be lost on "the man" himself. And that is where he is in his element--- when he is allowed to interact with people. I look forward to being his ally on 16 WAPT when "Face to Face" begins. C. A. Webb

Author

c a webb

Date

2004-12-17T12:47:03-06:00

ID

82356

Comment

Where did he go wrong...

Author

QB

Date

2008-03-31T18:51:43-06:00

ID

82357

Comment

I assume you don't mean Webb? So sad what went down there, too. Not to address Othor specifically, but it is not uncommon for media personalities to adjust their schtick in order to get more controversial and give their listeners/readers some red meat to chew on. I wouldn't think that's the best tactic here in Jackson—what with all the efforts at racial dialogue that are occurring, it would seem to be a dated strategy—but on the surface it looks like Othor is hankering for a good racial fight where he can find it. I understand anger, but he has such potential to be a healer and leader. It's sad to watch him go a different direction. I watch it with compassion, though, even as the unsubstantiated accusations toward me and others are hard to take. I pray he finds a different path soon and moves back toward the light.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-03-31T20:28:27-06:00

ID

82358

Comment

I went over to his blog and I must say that some of the stuff being posted there is among the most disgusting piece of trash anywhere on the Internet, or at least involving Jackson. I'm really upset about the things he's saying about Donna, the JFP and anyone associated with them to the point where I've joined in to defend them against Othor and his posters' unsubstantiated allegations. If Othor's mission is to trash others to boost his own fortunes, then that's a tragic mistake for an otherwise talented guy.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-03-31T21:08:09-06:00

ID

82359

Comment

Thanks, golden. Sadly, he seems to have missed the whole journalism lesson about not passing around unsubstantiated rumors. This habit has been brewing in the local blogosphere for a while now as a way to wage personal vendettas, and it's reaching epidemic proportions. It's not healthy because it builds distrust (and runs the risk of hurting real people). And, frankly, someone in Othor's position should just know better. He's in the media business, for God's sake, unlike some of the rest of the local blogging yucks. Frankly, I'm more concerned about his the attacks over there on police officers than I am on me and the JFP, although those are getting more inflated by the day. It's starting to sound like he's determined to out-do the hatchet job that the Ledger, et al., did on Chief Moore during the last administration on current police leaders, including the union guys. And the attacks on Duckworth and Downtown Jackson Partners aren't fair (or accurate) either. For God's sake, one can find plenty of stuff in his history to criticize Ben Allen about, so why start making stuff up? I've certainly had my rounds with him—but I am also happy to see him doing what I believe to do much better work than he was doing when he was sitting next to Larry Nesbit promoting crime sensationalism (and, yes, pushing the memes that crime stats were cooked). And a big part of the problem is a lot of the posts over there about how development is happening downtown are based on false information about how incentives even work. Factchecking is a journalist's friend. So are corrections, as needed.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-03-31T23:19:42-06:00

ID

82360

Comment

Maybe I shouldn't let what Othor and his posters say bother me (and it really doesn't), but what they've said about you was over the line. I know you're more than capable of defending yourself, but I couldn't sit by and allow good people that I know get trashed like that and not say anything about it. I'm not a Frank Melton fan, but even I'm not going to bash him over rumors said about him over the years. I was also disgusted about his "real people" comment about the crime summit last week. I mean, where the people who attended actually aliens from outer space? If Othor wants to raise legitimate concerns about JPD or even the "white power structure" behind Downtown Jackson Partners, then fine. I even have concerns over things he may bring up. But tarnishing other people's reputations over things they may not have done is somthing else.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-03-31T23:55:44-06:00

ID

82361

Comment

Maybe I shouldn't let what Othor and his posters say bother me (and it really doesn't), but what they've said about you was over the line. I understand feeling that way, Othor. That's the way I felt when I saw his comments to hard-working people like Juan Cloy—a man who walks into my office wearing his SWAT gear from time to time to talk about planning a town-hall meeting in his spare time. This isn't someone who sits in front of a computer screen or behind a microphone. He's on the front lines. Blogging is a wonderful tool for conversation if we use it responsibly. But using it to spread rumors is not responsible. If Othor wants to raise legitimate concerns about JPD or even the "white power structure" behind Downtown Jackson Partners, then fine. I agree with that statement. Ever since my experiences of covering downtown Manhattan as it was being gentrified, I've been concerned about how economic development is done and who is displaced. But here's the thing: We can whine from a distance about any and all development lumped together as "BAD," or we can get up close and figure out what/how things are being done and use our public influence to try make sure that it's done better. As for downtown development (not Farish), the truth is that people are not being displaced by the King Edward, the Electric Building and other developments down there. Will it mean that high-priced condos and hotel rooms come in? Yes. Will that help the city's tax base? Yes. A bigger gentrification concern of late has been the actions by JSU to "quick take" people's homes around JSU. That is straight-up gentrification, even as I can understand the need for good eco-devo around JSU, and was not even disguised as anything else. My understanding is that Ronald Mason apologized to residents about that last night (look for a story from Adam later) due to community outcry and negative media coverage. I don't know about you, but I don't recall hearing Othor saying anything about that effort. Maybe it didn't fit his stereotype of who does gentrification. Bottom line: We need to watchdog development and how it's done. We've said that from the beginning. And watchdogging does not includes rumors, lies and innuendo designed to disparage people you don't like. We also believe in it when it's done right. I have no apologies for that.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-04-01T06:23:05-06:00

ID

82362

Comment

I should also add that I fear that the way Othor goes on about the "white power structure" is actually going to convince many people that there isn't one—kind of like the boy who cries "wolf" all the time. The truth is: there is, and it has long been a problem in this city, culminating in its all-out efforts to help get Frank Melton elected. Ironically, it joined with charter members of the BPS to do that, forming the oddest and most distasteful rainbow coalition imaginable, leading to a very rocky campaign, to hear people involved then describe it. In today's world, it's some of those kinds of coalitions that need to be scrutinized the closest, just as back in the day when Percy Green came across as supporting white supremacists for his own purposes. Right now on Othor's site you can see people blogging and high-fiving with him about his ugliest comments who have posted some really ugly stuff about race on this site back when they could. Talk about coalition building. A coalition built on hatefulness will always be just that. And I remind everyone that the way we ended up with Melton's fact-challeged, divisive demagoguery running the city is that people did not stand up and question his nore outrageous statements about other people over the years. He build a "folk hero" status on unsubstantiated rhetoric. We know better now. Everyone out there should challenge accusations whenever you see them to find out what's behind them. We will be a stronger city if we hold our loudest pundits accountable. And with that statement, I'm going to try to move on from Othor-gate. I've ignored his obsession with me for months now, and I've reacted enough over the last couple days, I think, to his statements about the town-hall meeting and the police to raise awareness that it's going on, which is all I can do. I'm going back to what I do very well: ignoring the trolls in our midst. Thanks again, golden, for being a uniter and not a divider.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-04-01T06:29:54-06:00

ID

82363

Comment

Hmmmm ... looks like Othor's high 'standards' are attracting a bit of national attention from business journalists ... check out this post over there before it disappears ... Kevin Clash Says: April 1st, 2008 at 7:28 pm I am an editor of “Black EOE Journal”. We are based in Riverside, California. I was alerted to this website by a relative that lives in Canton, Mississippi. Mr. Cain, all that we are attempting to do in our black community, you are destroying. If you cannot see what your attempts at “investigative” reporting really are, please understand that many of us can, and what you as a black individual are perpetuating with your “reporting” has a chilling affect on those of us that have “earned our stripes”. I would like to discuss this with you Thursday and will contact you. I have your number. Respectfully, Kevin Clash

Author

gipper

Date

2008-04-01T19:35:18-06:00

ID

82364

Comment

http://www.blackeoejournal.com/

Author

gipper

Date

2008-04-01T19:36:45-06:00

ID

82365

Comment

That's fascinating. I wonder if he's the puppeteer Kevin Clash!?! The truth is that people need to learn that the Internet is a very large medium, for better or worse. People find you. And what Othor may or may not know is that there are excellent black journalists out there who don't take kindly to people who lower the standards of their profession and make them look bad with cheap race-baiting and by not following the basic standards of journalism. Even as the Jayson Blair mess was ultimately the fault of The New York Times, he didn't do a lot to help dispel unfair stereotypes of black journalists playing fast and list with the rules. It sounds to me like that Mr. Clash is not happy to see the kinds of low standards and personal attacks that Othor calls reporting. And he's right not to be. As I said already, this is not the example to set for young journalists at Jackson State or anywhere. Oops, backslid into Othor-gate. This post intrigued me, though. Hopefully, good will come of all this.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-04-01T19:48:04-06:00

ID

82366

Comment

Careful, y'all. Kevin Clash is the voice of Elmo, and he is featured on the cover of the Black EOE Jurnal, but he is not listed as an editor on the list of contacts.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-04-01T20:09:55-06:00

ID

82367

Comment

Hmmm, could it be a ruse!?! The plot thickens.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-04-01T20:32:38-06:00