Idaho Radio News Etc.

Idaho Radio News is five years old today.  Who would have thought?

Idaho Daily Statesman entertainment writer Michael Deeds featured KQXR/100.3 The X’s changes in his weekly column.  Not much new there, so this link is mostly as a courtesy…  but there’s this line: “I can now name half a dozen FM stations that play Led Zeppelin in the Treasure Valley.”  Well, there’s five at least – KSRV/96.1 Bob FM, KKGL/96.9 The Eagle, KQXR/100.3 The X, KRVB/94.9 The River and KJOT/J-105… so 5/12ths of a dozen… or something.

The Boise Weekly’s annual poll of all the things that are known as the “best” around these parts is out.

In the media categories, KRVB/Idaho’s 94.9 The River snagged the top spot for both best personality and best radio station.  Tim Johnstone and Ken Bass took top honors and got a nice big pic of themselves in the local alt-weekly.  KCIX/Mix 106 hosts Mike Kasper and Kate McGwire took second place, with Big J from KQXR/100.3 The X in third.

Back to the station category, KBSU-FM/NPR News 91 took second place, and KSRV/96.1 Bob FM took third place (too bad my headline couldn’t have been Bob wins BOB!…)

Oddly enough, Boise State Radio took out a nice full apge ad thanking folks for “voting Boise State Radio for Best of Boise.”  I suppose the ad still works – since it is technically thanking those who voted… not for the act of voting them tops…

Elsewhere, KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM program director KeKe Luv took an editor’s pick honor for “Best Breaking a World Record for a Good Cause.”  The props came after Luv’s “Live for 175″ stay-awake-athon last spring.

The love for Kiss continues in the Arts and Entertainment section, as morning host “Hooker” is named “Best Hooker.”  There’s a nice little bit of irony in this: “If you’ve ever been to a function sponsored by KISS 103.3 FM, then you know they have a buttload of promotional material.  If they ever change their point on the dial, they’ll have to spend a fortune on Sharpies.”  Of course, KSAS is moving – to 103.5. It’s part of that weird station swap that will take place… eventually.  Maybe we should start a Sharpie fund for the Kiss kids.

Jon & Chris were named editor’s pick for “Best Talk Soup.” The veteran pair are called “insightful, often irascible, somtimes irritating and occasionally incredible.”

KXLT/107.9 Lite FM star Claire Day was all over the dial today… not only holding down her usual slot as the only talent on Lite FM, but also anchoring traffic for the rest of the Peak stations. Byl was heard on KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM…. so perhaps he’s landed back in his role as producer for Hooker in the Morning.

An ad on AllAccess hinted at Peak’s need for a KXLT morning host – which raises lots of questions that I don’t have answers for. Claire was front and center at the Women’s Fitness Celebration 5k with Kate McGwire – so it’s anyone’s guess as the what is going on.

Peak seems to be pushing resource toward Kiss FM after its strong book and big morning numbers – but doesn’t appear to know what to do with KXLT.

Dropped in on KQXR/100.3 The X lately? You might think you accidentally locked on to sister station KJOT/J-105.  The station has changed its playlist and jettisoned the “New Rock & 90s” tag. New liners, secondary voice and liners touting that “the X rocks.”

I tuned in after 11am and heard Runnin’ With the Devil by Van Halen – the song is just one of a flood of classic hits on the new active rock-sounding station.

New music isn’t gone, but the blend is what a lot of people have been saying one of the Journal stations should do. It could be the way to effectively attack KKGL/96.9 The Eagle, but it looks to spell trouble for J-105. It makes you wonder if more shoes will be dropping from the second floor of 5257 Fairview…

KLCE/Classy 97 morning co-host Wayne Richards died yesterday.  Richards was vacationing in Hawai’i with his family and participating in a snorkeling excursion outside of Oahu according to KPVI. The accident happened Saturday and medics performed CPR and transported him to a local hospital. He remained on life support until Sunday.

Richards is one of the best-known voices in Eastern Idaho, and has been on the air with KLCE for decades.  He was 54.

“He will be greatly missed, not only by all of us here at Riverbend Communications, but by the many friends he has made over the years. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time,” a statement on KLCE.com reads.

More coverage: KIFI KIDK

KIZN/Kissin 92.3 morning hosts Kevin & Brenda spent last week crusing from Seattle to Alaska for their sixth annual Mee at Sea event.  Listeners and the popular morning duo blogged about their cruising adventures – including pictures with Brenda Mee dressed up in her Mrs. Idaho crown and sash, and Kevin Mee sporting a tux.

We had a little flare up with an out-of-bounds comment.  That institutes a new comment rule:  You may not post a comment in a language other than English.  This is just a ridiculous thing to have to do – but since I don’t speak or read any other language, people think it is cool to lay down a nasty tirade in Spanish to sneak it by.  Unless it’s a simple “adios,” your non-English comment will be nuked on the spot. Period.

This is important: I will have ZERO tolerance for inflammatory comments from here on out.  Some of you know the public pasting I was given on a message board found elsewhere recently.  It wasn’t fun, and knowing that some of the comments came from people I know and even work with stung, frankly.

I’m a firm believer in karma, so whatever you think of me – I don’t go after people on a personal basis here.  From now on, I won’t allow those who comment to either.

I’d rather this site die than for one more person to feel poorly because some anonymous loser decided to show an act of cowardice and try to take them down by typing letters on a keyboard.  I don’t like getting a phone call that indicates someone is hurt because some idiot wrote trash on this site.  You’ve noticed I haven’t posted here just three times in the last twenty days – mostly because I needed some time to think.  Having people demean you because they are jealous, petty, immature, insecure or just plain bored is not fun.  I won’t tolerate it here.

Here are the other comment guidelines you agree to post under:

• You cannot defame, libel or mischaracterize another person. Keep it civil
• Avoid profanity. This is one of those rules that bends a bit – because there are times when coarse language has a place
• If at all possible, use your real name. If you can’t or won’t – that’s fine – but rules are generally going to be more strictly enforced for people who use a pseudonym
• Do not change your nickname
• As a spam and troll prevention measure – each user’s first comment must be approved, and that right can be revoked at any time.
• If your comment gets held in moderation for whatever reason, I usually will approve it within 24 hours.

Art Gregory wrote the post below about KBXL/KSPD/KZDY’s Lee Schafer – and I thought I’d share his virtual eulogy here on the front page.

I first met Lee Schafer in 1969 or 1970 when I was still in High School, and wanting to get into radio! Lee was in charge of KBXL-FM in Caldwell and they had just taken little KBGN-FM to stereo at 7,600 watts from the Caldwell Chicago Street tower, and they had brand new Gates equipment. The station’s format was “easy listening” and they sounded fabulous. I did a PSA for a Boise High School Theatrical Musical I was in – and not only did Lee run the taped PSA on KBXL, he came to musical!

I soon got hired at KEST (now KSPD, the AM station Lee would eventually own) and got started running the 1961 Gates Yard control board Dave Arthur learned on too. I now own that board (thanks to Lee selling to me for a nominal fee) and will soon donate it to The History of Idaho Broadcasting. We also have the Gates Studioette Production Board, which Lee donated to us! BTW, Doug Raper and I both worked at KEST in 1970…when I was still in high school! Doug was pretty young too and had long hair, and great pipes (as he still has – the pipes not the hair)!

After stops at KBOI AM-FM-TV, KUTV-TV in Salt Lake City, and KEEP-AM (this time working FOR Doug Raper!) I too ended up at KBXL-FM as Production Director and then Operations Director. It was 1972 and Lee had left KBXL at that time and was at KCID…but he and I remaimed friends and he “cheered me on” in my radio career.

Lee then returned to KBXL as Sales Manager working for the Shaws (Dick Shaw was GM, and they were truly wonderful people to work for) but I’d already moved on to KYME in 1974 as Program Director. I always wanted to work with Lee, but never really got the chance. From KBXL, Lee went on to buy KSPD-AM in 1983 and then acquired KBXL in 1989! When I returned to Boise after owning my own station in Casper Wyoming from 1983-1989, I almost went to work for Lee, but again fate would not have it be so. I then became Lee’s competitor first as Sales Manager and soon after as Station Manager of KHEZ-FM, where I ended my radio career in 1992 (Citadel bought us)!

Every year for the past 16 years I have taken Lee PSAs for the State Leadership Prayer Breakfast and he has always helped out and ran them! In November of 2006, The History of Idaho Broadcasting held our November memeting at his stations and we played KEST, KSPD, and KBXL tapes from the 70s! Lee loved it and vowed to have us back! In fact I had lunch with Lee early this summer and we were planning on celebrating the 25th Anniversary of he and Beth owning KSPD (1983-2008). I hope we still can, and I know Lee will be looking down and smiling, as he always was.

I was shocked by the news and my heart goes out to Beth, David, and Leigh Ann, as well as Crystal and all of the staff at Inspirational Family Radio. I sent them an email earlier in the day and called Jim and Faye Zamzow (co-owners of Zamzows, which is where I work now) and they too were saddened by the news and send their best wishes to the family.

We plan on doing atribute to Lee in our next History of Idaho Broadcasting Newsletter…so if you have any pictures or tapes etc. that you would be willing to share, please contact me at pawzup@qwest.net

God Bless you Lee, and thanks for all you did for me every other young broadcaster you helped along the way. We will miss you my friend, but I promise, we will never forget you and all of the good things you did.

Art Gregory

Imapct Radio Group OM/PD Mikey Fuentes has decided his new station – KPDA/La Poderosa 100.7 is one of a kind. Check out this fancy footwork, as told to R&R:

“There’s only one other local station in town and they do more of a variety format, so as far as being regional and local, we’re the only one that fills those shoes.”

The Boise market has five Spanish stations of course.  His line to R&R slices out KQTA, KDBI and KWEI-AM – trying to refer to just KWEI-FM.

There are two other “local” Spanish-language stations – KWEI-AM and KWEI-FM.  Bustos Media fields two stations – KDBQI runs a Spanish AC format and KQTA runs Regional Mexican.  Sure, KPDA is local (except in the mornings), and yes it’s a Regional Mexican format – but it’s about as misleading as a presidential campaign ad to characterize it the way Fuentes did to R&R.

The Idaho Statesman is cutting more people from its staff – and this latest round of cuts will affect the news product you recieve.

Statesman publisher Mi-Ai Parrish told the Boise Weekly that the latest layoffs (including six in the newsroom) will cause her to reevaluate the way the company delivers the news.

Once the Statesman’s bread and butter – classifieds advertising is on the decline, as it is across the newspaper industry. In Boise, the Statesman now has fewer ads on average than two websites – Craigslist and ZIdaho.com.  Since the news product is subsidized by classifieds lineage in many cases, the paper has no choice but to let people go, or risk drowning in its own red ink.

KIDO and KBOI keep battling it out as the BSU season busts past its first road game of the season (and what a road game it was). Here’s a few radio notes from today’s coverage

- That “five eight oh. five eight oh. five eight oh. five eight oh.” promo that KIDO is running is kinda… annoying. It might be effective – I guess we’ll see, but it just serves to irritate right now. Also, I know it’s a pretty simple rhyme – but is there anything better than “Bronco Nation’s new station?” It sounds awfully similar to “the official station for Bronco Nation.”
- Jeff Caves on KBOI was revving up the call-in show, and pitched to the first caller, saying “you’re on the 50-thousand watt northwest, voice of the – um – uh – Boise State.” Yeah… not the Voice of the Broncos so much anymore.
- A weight-loss company is running spots featuring Dave Burnett and Michelle Mahoney – and the identify themselves as being from 5-eighty KIDO. Of course, Mahoney left KIDO earlier this summer.
- The KIDO call-in show had its own issue – with one of the analysts repeatedly saying that the win over “Oregon State” was big.
- KIDO’s text message score alerts were so fast that they beat the station’s audio stream – which was as much as three minutes behind by my watch. Burnett tried to explain it to the audience – but it probably just left some confused.
- Jadon Daley and Bob Behler have a nice chemistry developing – and overall the game call has been impressive. Having Brian Holmes travel with the pair as a sports reporter has been key as well.

Very very busy time – as the late summer often is. Anyone have news to share? Send me a note.

Peak Broadcasting just picked up another media savvy former player for its broadcast team. BSU basketball standout Abe Jackson will join Bob Behler as color analyst for its broadcasts of men’s basketball this season. Jackson is a BK grad and former all-WAC forward (and a nice guy to boot).

“As the excitement of the 2008 BSU Athletic season gets underway, we are proud to welcome Abe to our talented team of broadcast professionals at Peak Broadcasting,” Peak SVP Kevin Godwin said in a statement. “Abe’s in depth knowledge of college basketball, Boise State, and the Treasure Valley, will make tuning in BSU basketball on the Peak/Boise State University Sports Radio Network a truly unique listening experience.”

Abe guest hosted an edition of KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra with Mark Johnson and (soon-to-be Peak colleague) Brian Holmes several years ago, and was always a good media interview. His knowledge of b-ball is encyclopedic and he’s paid close attention to BSU basketball since he graduated several years ago, and should bring an interesting dynamic to the product.

(Disclosure: Abe is a friend)

Lee Schafer, owner of KBXL/94.1 FM, KSPD/790 AM in Boise and KDZY/Heartland Country 98.3 in McCall died today.

Schafer suffered a heart attack yesterday and died this morning at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.  He is survived by Beth, David & LeighAnn – all of whom are involved in the family radio business.

Services have not yet been announced – we’ll post details when they come across.

UPDATE: Lee’s memorial service is Saturday at the Cloverdale Church of God 11 am.

No, it’s not the title of a Three Dog Night song heard on KXLT/107.9 Lite FM… it’s the description of the Lite FM staff. Remember when the station had a full complement of five local DJs?

What’s up with KDJQ? Twice in the last year, owner Rob Combs has had the station sold – but the deal hasn’t gone through. First it was to Churchill Media of Eugene – then to a local Catholic group that planned to call the station Salt and Light Radio

Here’s what we know:
- The FCC authorized the sale in June, but the transfer hasn’t happened
- Salt & Light posted a note on its website on July 28th pointing to a close date of 8/12. That didn’t happen
- The station has been on the air this week (albeit with low power) running some KDJQ liners and oldies music.
- An “authorization to remain silent” has been filed with the FCC, by Combs’ group KDJQ, Inc. The reason is listed as “financial.” The FCC has not yet granted the request.
- There’s lots of scuttlebutt around this sale I can’t confirm. If you know something, hit me at idahoradio@gmail.com

As expected, Impact Radio Group finished its frequency transition – moving KQLZ/True Oldies to the 99.1 dial position. 100.7 becomes KPDA/100.7 La Poderosa. Impact is touting the signal coverage for the new station – which stretches from Twin Falls to Boise and beyond. As we notied, Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo will fill the morning syndication slot.

A broadcast station group seeks a Senior AE or Sales Manager. Position will have an emphasis on new business development and will grow all non-traditional revenue – internet, mobile, promotions, events and all other integrated station offerings. Will work in tandem with the traditional AE’s and Sales Mgrs to idea-generate, develop and sell unique sales programs. Must have a sucessful [sic] track record in selling local TV or radio with an emphasis on integrated revenue/non-traditional revenue development.

Click here to apply

Traffic Assistant – Part Time

Shift:
Part time, 25-29 hours per week.

Education:
High school diploma. College degree a plus.

Skills:
Excellent written and verbal communication skills required; strong problem solving abilities; high work ethics and standards; ability to meet deadlines and detail orientation; must possess working knowledge of broadcast traffic software and computer applications; ability to manage multiple tasks.

Experience:
Broadcast traffic experience required; Marketron RadioTraffic software experience preferred. Wide Orbit TV software experience would be a plus.

Duties:
Working/reconciling daily logs. Managing sports/sports logs. Completing network affidavits. Other duties assigned by management.

Journal Broadcast Group is an equal opportunity employer.

Attention: Paula Jensen
5257 Fairview Avenue
Suite 260
Boise, Idaho 83706

Looking for an internship? Good! We’re looking for interns! Peak Broadcasting is on the hunt for some sharp interns to assist in all aspects of the radio station. This would include promotions, production, video production, website production and graphic design.

Interested? Email Lucas lucas@mix106radio.com or call 275-8159!

* Location: Boise
* Compensation: College Credit
* This is an internship job
* Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
* Please, no phone calls about this job!
* Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.