Idaho Radio News Etc.

The Boise Weekly is rolling out its annual Best of Boise this week (Ooooooh! Staples!) This will be the last year that allows non-locally-owned stuff to win. Which means, I guess – that the media categories will be vastly different next year, since local ownership is somewhat of a rare thing.

Anyway, on with the picks and winners.

Best Local Radio Station: KRVB/94.9 The River. The station moved up from second place last year – vaulting KBSU… in fact, KBSU won each of the past four years – so this is an accomplishment. Second place was “kbsx Boise State Radio 91.5-FM.” Third – KQXR/100.3 The X.

Best Local DJ honors go to Ken & Tim at The River. Tim won by himself last year, so this year readers added long-time vet Ken Bass to the ballot. Big J at The X takes second, with Mike & Kate at third. Same order as last year.

On the editor’s choice side of the coin, both KSAS and KRVB get mentions… in the context of BW folks appearing on the airwaves. The paper described Hooker and Chad thusly: “If you were to look up “Morning Zoo” in Webster’s dictionary, you’d probably see a picture of these two animals.” Hooker & Chad… Opie and Anthony… cut from the same cloth?

The paper has one more radio note – which I want to save for last, so you’ll have to excuse the odd flow here as we do a quick gloss-over of the other media categories.

Best TV station: KTVB first. IPTV second, KTRV third.
Best TV anchor: Maggie O’Mara takes the prize for the third straight year. Dee Sarton takes second, Carolyn Holly in third.
Best news source: KTVB first, BW second… Idaho Daily Statesman third.
Best weatherperson: Scott Dorval first. Larry Gebert second. Rick Lantz third.

(Let it be noted that I didn’t make a SINGLE snarky TV comment… thank God for the delete key).

“Best infanticide” went to Thrive Magazine. Speaking of snark: “The giant, sclerotic fluffy bunny that was Thrive(!), didn’t. Created in a blatant attempt to sink the mighty dinghy that is the BW, the Idaho Statesman-generated B.S. machine finally went belly up this spring.” I still love the “Thrive, didn’t” line.

Now as promised, circling back to radio:

Chris Kelly and Jon Duane back on the air at KFXD 630-AM

We admit to shamelessly loving the return of radio’s best odd couple, Chris and Jon in the mornings on the new 630-AM. Although we hear the complaints from the fans of classic country music, which used to play on the signal, there’s nothing like having longtime pros behind the mics talking about local doings. OK, here’s our giant conflict of interest, up front: They regularly allow BW folks, from Editor Shea Andersen to Arts and Entertainment Editor Amy Atkins, to come onto the show and talk about what’s going on around town and in the pages of this paper. Now, if we could only stop Jon from accusing Amy of coming in to do the show hung over on Friday mornings, we’d be even more enthusiastic about their show. Until then, all we can say is, watch your back, fellah.

Congrats to all the winners!