Jordan Stephenson
South Bureau Chief
Jason Jackson grew up in a small town in Cleveland, Ohio with his parents and siblings. In his hometown is where people he grew up with said, “he found that great connection between sports and writing.” When he was younger the sports he loved to play were mainly basketball and football. While in school, most of his teachers noticed and said, “he was a pretty good writer for his age, and that he had great public speaking skills.”
After a while, he started noticing the same exact things that his teachers had told him. Once he found that great connection, he never ever looked back and he knew what he wanted to pursue in his future endeavors. His friends said, “he’ll never ever forget what he learned and experienced in his hometown.”-
Jackson graduated from high school 1990, and decided to attend Bowling Green State University, in Toledo, Ohio. He pursued communication as major in college. Since his first week at Bowling Green State University, he was making extremely great strides. He used everything he learned from his hometown to keep motivated on his many goals, which were to pursue a career that involves sports, writing and communication; and provide his family with an even better life.
While at Bowling Green State University, he was serving as a resident advisor for a sector called Bromfield Hall. Also, he became the President of the Undergraduate Student Government. He also became a news director, talk show host, and anchor for WFAL-AM and WBGI-FM at his college. Jacson said, “Indulging in these different duties in college prepared him for what was to come in the future.” In 1994, Jackson graduated from college with a master’s in communication, and said he cherished the friends and experiences he had in college.
Right after he graduated, Jackson was able to land a job as a sports reporter and anchor for WSVN-TV in Miami. He worked there for a year. Then in 1995, Jackson was hired by ESPN to be an anchor and reporter. He was an anchor for shows like NBA2Night and NBA Matchup. Also, he co-hosted ESPN Radio’s Gameday. He also was able to contribute to other things like SportsCenter, ESPNews, and ESPN.com. He really cherished his time and experience while working for ESPN.
He worked for ESPN for seven years. Then in 2003, he endeavored to host his own sports talk radio show. His show was called The Jax show. Jackson has been working for the Miami Heat for 16 years as a television host and a court side reporter. He said this was one of his best jobs because he’s working for an organization like the Miami Heat, who follow their leader Pat Riley, who continues to strive for greatness, even at his older age. He also hosts a tv show called Inside the Heat on Fox Sports Sun, that has won an Emmy.
Jackson has been working in the mass media world for almost 30 years. He is a very accomplished black man. Another award he received in 2019 was Journalist of the Year for the National Association of Black Journalists Sports Tasks Force. When he received this prestigious award he said, “I was honored and emotional that all my hard work has come to fruition.”
Also, Jackson is the founder of an organization called, the Jax Fam Foundation. This foundation was founded in 2016, with its main goal to inspire, empower, support, and fundraise for different organizations that are helping individuals who are less fortunate than most people. “The Jax Foundation means everything to me because helping others with opportunities that I didn’t have when I was younger, is a huge check mark where I grew up.”
stepj39@mail.broward.edu