Idaho Radio News Etc.

KEZQ, KADQ & KLCE are 24-hour Ho Ho Ho’ing. Z103 & KORR are also sliding in a few holly jolly hits.

(OK, I’m officially out of ways to phrase that — and thanks Ben).

The station that was X94 (KADQ/Rexburg) put on a big fireworks display at an RV dealer in Poky over the Thanksgiving holiday. The stunt was timed to music played on the station.

This mimics a similar event put on for the past several years by KZBQ up the road in Idaho Falls.

(Thanks, Ben)

KLTB is dashing in 4-6 holiday cuts an hour, mixed in with its normal playlist.

OK, so I’m blitzed out on Turkey… and pie… and all that other stuff.

Today, a radio spot said to “join (them) this Wednesday for the night before Thanksgiving at [bar name here]!”

Since when did they make Thanksgiving a two-week deal??

KXLT/Boise flipped to all holiday all the time. KCIX is also sprinkling in some holiday cheer.

Former KZFN (“Z-Fun”) talent Paul Gray is out of a job today — after his station got hit with a $4,000 fine.

FMQB reports that the FCC fined KZMN (Kalispell, MT) after Gray aired a phone call without the other party’s OK.

KZMN dumped Gray – and strengthened station policy on the airing of phone calls. The original fine for the Flathead Valley broadcaster was $6,000, but the government cut it down because the station did not have a previous record of problems.

KCIX’s Mike Kasper and Kate McGwire are releasing a “best of” CD — to hit the streets in the next week or so.

A CD release party is set for this Wednesday at Montego Bay (during the usual “Working Women’s Wednesday” promotion). After that, listeners can pick up the disc at any Valley Moxie Java.

Kasper tells Idaho Radio News the CD includes about 70 minutes of material – 26 cuts.

“(It includes) bits, funny songs, conversations, and interviews, including some comedians from the Funny Bone, some of whom have gone on to bigger and better things.”

Mike & Kate currently produce a “best of” show that runs Saturday morning — and this gives listeners a way to hear some of those bits again.

It only costs $6 – and a portion of the proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity.

Former KQXR mid-day queen Jaclyn Brandt trades weekends at the X for weekends at KSAS, so says R&R (Thanks, Cale).

Brandt will also pick up the music director role left behind when Troy Devries left Kiss earlier this fall.

Just don’t call her Smooch.

This is what I get when I dial up 895ktsy.org tonight:

KTHI (and KRVB) are giving away a trip to Bellevue, WA to stay in a swanky hotel — and spend 200 bucks at the Bellevue Square mall. You also get $75 at McCormick & Schmick’s (that’ll cover an appetizer).

My favorite (and most random) part — you get $250 to spend at the Container Store.

That’s a lot of Tupperware.

I warned you: The “Jared: Galleria of Jewelers” radio spots have begun rotation.

They were often one of the top 10 radio advertisers in the Seattle market. And you get REALLY sick of hearing the jingle refrain (“That’s JARED!!!”)

Some good AE should tell the jeweler’s ad agency to revoice the spot with the proper pronunciation of Boise (it is boy-see, not boy-zee). They said “boizzzzeee” at least 10 times by my count.

Update: I heard it again (surprise): it’s actually 6 mispronunciations…

A friend told me yesterday that she saw/met a fairly well-known radio personality. She always pictured this DJ as a the skinny, scrawny type.

Instead, he was “big” — with “strange bleached-blond curly hair. It’s not what I pictured.”

Not newsy really… just sort of a testament to the disconnect between someone’s pipes and their look.

Boise Traffic’s reports will disappear from the airwaves of Citadel’s Boise stations on January 1st. Citadel is currently working to develop and in-house traffic reporting system to replace the barter-backed IdaWest traffic hits.

This would mark the parting of Bill Bailey’s company and his two longest-running clients: KIZN & KZMG.

IdaWest will continue to provide reports to Clear Channel, Journal and KIVI and KBCI.

A friend of Idaho Radio pointed us to an MTV.com piece on the decline/end/downfall/whatever of rock radio.

This is the vast vault of evidence put forth:

Sirius, reggaeton, XM, Free FM, FM talk. “Jack,” “Hurban,” HD.

It does make a decent point: New York City will soon only have one traditonal rock station. Little old Boise has… four (KJOT, KKGL, KQXR & KRVB). But if those stations make money — who cares? Do you really see Hurban catching on here? Or FM Talk?

I love when radio stations put their power to good use (in case you couldn’t tell).

That’s why KRVB’s “Concert for the Cause” is one of my favorite annual traditions. The station throws a concert, books a band or two — snags a venue, then gives the proceeds from an associated live & silent auctions.

But instead of station management picking the “Cause,” it’s thrown over to listeners. People hit up riverinteractive.com and nominate a few charities — then the River narrows it down to four and lets folks vote.

Localism, democracy and philanthropy.

Updated with corrected information.

Supposedly, Bonneville International is set to unload its Eastern Idaho stations. We first got that word in early September — now two months later, and no news.

What’s the deal?

NPR is averaging 800,000 podcast downloads every two weeks.

…that has the bumper that says “Thanks for making us Boise’s #1 radio station,” are you kidding?

You aren’t #1 in your demo, you aren’t number one overall — you aren’t number one in Boise. Come on!

It escaped my notice until last week — but KZDX, 99.9 The Buzz had an on-air talent with the original moniker of “Scooter B.”

Imagine my confusion. After digging around, I found this picture.

Maybe this guy (who is no longer with KZDX) should thank Mike Kasper for his nickname too.

A good friend of IRN tells me that K-Santa is well packaged — “complete with sweepers and everything.”

Liner classics like… “If you’re hearing what I’m hearing, it must be K-Santa.â€?

Woo.

So the Pokey/IF market is loaded with country — and apparantely Alternative is a bit crowded. What will KADQ be when it grows up?

KQXR’s Ian took a little (toungue in cheek I’m sure) jab at his co-hort Big J tonight.

He talked about how everyone he knew named “JEREMY” loved the song Jeremy by Pearl Jam. ‘They’re idiots. The song’s about a guy who KILLED HIMSELF!!! At least they don’t have a song called Ian. Who wants a song with that name anyway?’

True. True.

…from X943.com

You expect some stations to do the Christmas tunes thang. AC… Lite AC — etc.

But one Idaho station is chucking it’s Alternative format out the window and going all Christmas all the time.

KADQ-FM Rexburg (formerly X94) is now K-Santa. The request lines are currently ringing busy. And the sleighbells are ringing… oh never mind.

No word on what the station will sound like after the holiday season.