Idaho Radio News Etc.

A smattering of Idaho stations earned Eward R. Murrow awards from the Radio-Television News Directors Association.

KBSU won three awards in the Region I Small Market division: Feature Reporting (“Fisher Poets”), Feature: Hard News (“Bountiful: The Women of Polygamy Speak Out”) and Writing (Hemmingway House).

KUPI/Idaho Falls won a Sports Reporting Award (“A World Away From Home”).

KAID-TV’s excellent Outdoor Idaho series won a Murrow for “Silver Valley Rising.”

For the third straight year, KTVB.COM has been named the best NW region website. :)

Purrrdy.

I’m hoping to begin a series of Idaho Radio Q&A features in coming weeks. I have one lined up that I think you will find interesting, but I hope to make this a semi-regular feature.

Here’s your part: Who would you like to hear from? I can’t promise that I will have some magic power to get the person to agree to an interview, but I’ll give it a shot.

Also, one caveat – since this is a BLOG, I won’t be trying to pitch any fast balls, and if an interview subject doesn’t want to answer a question – I’m not going to go all Mike Wallace on them.

Leave your suggestions in comments – or e-mail me at the usual spot: idahoradio@gmail.com.

Word has it that Boise’s CC stations will be leaving the Boise Traffic fold in the next few weeks, bringing the traffic reports in house.

We’ve been on this carousel before of course, when Citadel was reportedly very close to dropping the services at the first of the year.

70/30.

On the glass-is-more-than-half-full front: a new Jacobs Media survey says that 70% of Howard Stern’s audience has stuck with Terrestrial Radio (just not Adam Carolla or the other yay-hoos Infinity replaced him with).

Random question of the week: Does anyone know what happened to all the way cool signatures that were on the wall of the KFXJ Amity Studios in Meridian? Did they get painted over? Are they still there? Did anyone take pictures?

Hmm. My’s… there is a word I never thought I’d use.

Anyway, KTMY/My Country 104.3 is airing a slick new radio spot featuring lots of local scenes and local talent. Oh, wait… sorry, that’s KTHI’s spot. The KTMY spot is pretty basic stuff – lots of country artists and music video clips… and the My Country flag waves. Pretty.

Rumors are flying that Sunny 94.3 on the east side of the state isn’t long for this world. Is ANOTHER format flip on the way?

Today is former KZMG program director Beau Richards’ last day at Country KDAM in Fargo, ND. He’s heading back to Melbourne, FL. Richards continues to voicetrack for several Clear Channel stations — and is available to do more, according to R&R. Find his demo here.

We’re better than two years in to the KTRV/KBOI simulcast experiment. I watched today for the first time in quite a while – and two things popped out. One, the first two minutes of the top of the hour had great pacing and a high story count — the crew flew through 7 or eight stories – and featured three separate “reporters” in addition to Chris Walton and Ken Weaver.

Once upon a time the show was pitched as a “local” Imus in the Morning (with that program’s MSNBC simulcast). Idaho Talks Live/First Morning News though doesn’t “look” like television. It looks like radio… in all its visual glory. The preferred shot gives you the back of a head, the top of a head, and the side of a face. The shots lack chroma (meaning they don’t look bright and realistic, but instead just a few steps above black and white). There really isn’t much advantage to seeing the program — why not just listen to the radio?

Former KZMG morning co-host Baylie and former KZMG morning intern JD (aka Heartbreaker) are getting married! The pair are leaving Memphis, TN — headed to Charleston, SC. Baylie will be joining the morning crew at WIHB/B92 FM.

Congrats!

It’s three days in to the official on-sale for the KSAS Spring Jam show. I went through the IdahoTickets.com system to see how ticket sales are doing… I was able to secure tickets in the center, row FF.

Former KLTB PD Big Jack dropped us a note to share. Of course, we’ll keep you posted…

I’ve gone back and looked at all the messages of support that have been posted here. I can’t say “Thank You” enough. Specifically to Ken Bass and Dave Arthur for your kind words. 2 real true pros in the business.

After working very successfully at Kool 104.3 for 13 years as PD and afternoon guy and some mornings, I was kicked out December 30th to make room for the new country format. My family and I have been taking the high road on this and have kept to ourselves …… for now! However, I’m very close to announcing something big. Actually, VERY BIG. I’m a firm believer of GO BIG OR STAY HOME. Well, I’ve been home enough, it’s time to get the show going.

Let me see, he who laughs last, laughs the hardest. I thought I had the last laugh when the ratings came out and Kool 104.3 beat K-Hits, biggest gainer of all the Clear Channel stations and #1 women 35-64 and #2 women 25-54 6a-7p M-F. That’s the much coveted office listeners …. #2! Hellooooooooo!!!

Well, the actual last laugh is just days away. Big Jack is Back … this is going to be fun, fun, fun!

I would also like to mention the 4th annual Northwest Motorfest, July 1 and 2 at Expo Idaho. My company RPM! Productions produces this signature event. It was been my full time job since getting blown out Dec 30th. It’s a 2 day hot rod show on the grass at the fairgrounds. We anticipate 1,000 vehicles and nearly 18,000 spectators for the weekend. Part of that success will be because of the official radio company of ‘Motorfest … Citadel Broadcasting. All 6 stations have embraced this huge event and have thrown their support towards it. Thanks to GM Kevin Godwin and Ops Manager Rich Summers seeing the vision. Wait till you see what happens Saturday night July 1 downtown Boise with the Capitol City Cruise. Citadel is going to be a MAJOR player is this event.

Again, thanks to all for your kind words. It has simply amazed us and our close friends at the outpouring of support. When this BIG THING happens, I’ll post it here and each of you will have an invite to come by and say “Hi”!

“Big Jack” Armstrong

In addition to the earlier award nom – Boise’s 89.5 FM has been nominated for the NAB Crystal Radio Award for commitment to community service. The Boise station is one of 50 finalists nationwide (and the only one in Idaho). Winners announced April 26th.

We’ve been hard at work in the ol’ KTVB building the last few months. In just the last twelve days, we’ve launched five new online products. So when I don’t blog for five or six days at a stretch… that’s why.

Anyway, we’ve relaunched ZIdaho.com. It’s a big improvement over what was there — and there’s a lot of cool new stuff to come.

Friend and colleague David Augusto has joined the AM Idaho crew as anchor of morning sports. This, of course, is on top of his KTVB anchoring/play-by-play duties.

Auggie is one of a number of TV folks on local radio. KTRV’s Vin Crosby does weather for KIZN/KBOI, Maggie O’Mara does news for KTMY/My Country 104.3, Tom Scott anchors local sports reports for KTIK, Scott Dorval & Mellisa Paul provide weather updates for various Journal stations, and the KIVI anchors provide news hits for a number Journal sisters.

This escaped my notice — but KTHI is now double-pumpnig “The 70’s with Steve Goddard.” The show now not only airs Saturday nights, but is now repeated Sunday mornings from 9am to Noon.

KSAS/103.3 KISS-FM will host a listener concert at the Taco-Balerina. Spring Jam 2006 takes off April 14th, and features Ne-Yo, Paul Wall, Bubba Sparxxx, Lil Rob and local-yokel Arcturus of Mad Ro, among others. Tix at Select-a-Seat.

KTSY is nominated for medium market station of the year by the Gospel Music Association & Christian Music Broadcasters. Boise’s 89.5 FM is nominated with KBIQ/Colorado Springs and WMHK/Columbia, SC in the medium market division.

Winners will be announced later this month.

Lots of horse trading in Twin Falls in recent months.

Among the personell changes:
- Broc Johnson joins Gina Jameson for mornings on KZDX (99.9 The Buzz)
- JT Powers left KTPZ (Music Monster 99) to head back to KZDX for afternoons
- Calli Brooks, left KTPZ/KISY drops in to KZDX for nights
- Bob Adams left KZDX for KKMV (Kat Kountry 106)
- Kris Fox moved from mornings to nights at KKMV.
- One-time market mainstay Jeff Edwards is back – holding down mornings at KMVX (Mix 103)
- KIKX now runs the syndicated Mark & Brian in the AM

Deep breath in…

Four of XM Satellite Radio’s music channels will begin featuring a new component: commercials.

The “Less is More” folks at Clear Channel have decided that more is in fact more. The four channels the radio conglomerate controls will begin pumping out spots. That comes after a long arbitration process — with the panel saying that “Clear Channel is entitled to include commercials on the music programming it provides XM.”

CC’s XM channels are Kiss, Mix, Nashville & Sunny.

To combat the new ad-loaded channels, XM will launch four new stations in the next few months (to be called Hiss, Pix, Mashville and Runny. OK, I made that last part up.)

Oh no. No no no.

KTIK is launching “Idaho Sports Talk Idol.” Yes, you could co-host a sports radio talk show on The Ticket. Details

As we reported earlier this winter, Byl & Doug will join up for a new afternoon show on KKGL starting next month. The pair used to entertain audiences each morning on KQXR. Doug went to J105, Byl stayed at the X — then a few bumps along the way left them both without jobs.

It appears Journal Broadcast Group rocker KJOT/J105 is getting ready to fight back. The station has re-posted the long vacant program director gig, but it has a shiny new title that might pique your interest: Program Director/Afternoon Co-Host. That, along with a new morning show may show that the veteran rocker is getting some support – and cash.