Meet J Chapman


In early 2013 J Chapman formed Woof Boom Radio. The new company acquired the Backyard Broadcasting East Central Indiana radio stations. The group is comprised of eight stations and includes: WLBC, BLAKE-FM, WERK, MAX, WXFN, and WHBU. Woof Boom Radio now reaches more people in East Central Indiana than any other media outlet.

A life-long, second generation broadcaster, J Chapman has led radio stations for the last 20 years. Beginning in 1980 he worked at radio and TV in sales and as a sportscaster while attending Hanover College. Reporting and anchoring sports in Indianapolis, Scranton/Wilkes Barre PA, and South Bend, he covered both professional and collegiate athletics; he was known for telling the compelling human interest stories. At age 23 he was promoted to Lead Sports Anchor in a top 50 market (Scranton) for the CBS affiliate. Returning to Indiana, he moved initially into sales and later management with Emmis Broadcasting in 1988. In early 2005, he was named as the Market Manager of a group of stations in Rockford, Illinois.

In June 2013, he began operating the Woof Boom Radio stations. The company is a value-based organization that believes the growth of Woof Boom Radio is in direct correlation to their ability to serve their customers and community. Woof Boom is locally owned and operated. Known for building value-based organizations that achieve results, he has led both turnaround and well-established operations. Both large and small market revenue success has been achieved by building customer focused organizations.

In Rockford, the stations he managed were recognized as the community voice in times of emergency and in times of turmoil. Within the first 18 months, a continual five year revenue decline was reversed. Prior to that, as the Emmis Director of Sales, his group grew sales from 3rd to 1st in local revenue. That success came after building up the market’s perennial last place revenue producer, WTLC to 4th in total market sales in a three year period. With each organization, Chapman has worked to build up the culture of the organization so that there is a true sense of service to others. He is a community leader who focuses on growing the economic base in the cities and towns where he operates. He has served on various non-profit boards. Today as a broadcaster, he advocates for the industry, serving on the Executive Committee of Indiana Broadcasters Association Board.

He and his wife, Mary Claire, are parents of three children.