Idaho Radio News Etc.

If you’ve been following our comments thread – you know by now that the Boise-area community stepped up in a big way, aided by the organizational initiative of Impact Radio – as well as big media push across the Valley. The group decided to help raise money for Ryan Stockdale – and brought $84,065.70 into coffers – which should be enough for him to get a vitally needed surgery. Bravo!

You’ve likely heard the story of Ryan Stockdale — the Middleton dad of three young children who have a rare blood disorder. The family was feature on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in 2007. More recently, Ryan has developed what are called “suicide headaches” — something his wife described as “giving birth through your eye socket times ten” in an interview with KTVB.

The family has been unable to get its insurance company to pay for a procedure that would help eliminate the headaches – a fact that has garnered significant local media attention.

Impact Radio swung into action, and began a marathon radio broadcast yesterday at 2pm at a local Syringa bank branch. As of 11pm last night, Impact’s Darrell Calton tells me they had raised $6,000 – and that’s well before they hit the morning drive this morning.

KSRV/96.1 Bob FM, KWYD/Wild 101, KPDA/La Poderosa 100.7 and KQLZ/True Oldies 99.1 have been broadcasting live, helping rake in donations for the family.

Calton says he is putting $1,000 toward the cause — and hopes executives at other clusters will join him.

UPDATE: My colleague (and fellow blogger) Maggie O’Mara says she checked with Impact this morning — and the total raised through Impact’s efforts has ballooned to $35,000. WOW!

A couple of stations have launched their Christmas efforts since our update last week.

• KZMG/Magic 93.1 is in the middle of its “Christmas Crusade” – connecting families in need with people who have items and money to give.
• KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM is doing something similar with the “Kissmas Tree of Sharing.”

E.Idaho and Magic Valley folks – send me what you are doing for your community and I’ll round up the items later this wek.

Here’s our annual roundup of some of the great things stations are doing for the community.

• KTSY’s Christmas Wish program is underway. From home repair to a new pair of glasses, the station is looking to find people who need a hand – and will connect as many of them as possible to help.
• KIZN/Kissin 92.3 rolls into another year of the outstanding Keep Kids Warm.  The program started 12 years ago with a call to “Rivers and Valley” – the station’s morning show at the time. A young girl called and asked if there was any way her family could get some heating oil for the holiday – because the wanted to be warm for Christmas.  That year, listeners chipped in $17,000 for that girl and many others – and overall the program has racked up a stunning $650,000. This year’s on-air auction will be held December 15-19.
• KRVB/94.9 The River will hold its previously mentioned Concert for Cause later this month, and is also helping collect items for Toys for Tots.
• KSRV/96.1 Bob FM is directing people to the Boise Rescue Mission to make donations for the season.
• KKGL/96.9 The Eagle is also running a Christmas Wish program, this time in connection with the Idaho Youth Ranch. The station is helping collect a wide range of items for teens who are staying at the ranch – everything from cowboy boots to the Twilight book series.
• Starting Monday, the KQFC/Idaho Country 98 will travel the Treasure Valley stopping at five different Walmart locations – each day focusing on a different family that listeners can adopt. Each family has a different story and a different set of needs – and morning hosts Cory and Debi will introduce listeners to the family in need, and provide them with ways to help.
• KQLZ/99.1 Idaho’s True Oldies Channel just wrapped up a turkey drive – and raised $1380 in cash, plus 118 turkeys for the Idaho Food Bank. They are also pointing people to the Boise Rescue Mission.
• KQXR/100.3 The X is collecting toys for Toys for Tots.
• KAWO/Wow Country 104.3 is collecting toys for Toys for Tots.
• KJOT/J-105 is collecting toys for Toys for Tots.
• KCIX/Mix 106 is stuffing the semi for the Idaho Foodbank
• KTHI/107.1 K-Hits is collecting toys for Toys for Tots.
• KXLT/107.9 Lite FM continues its long Christmas Wish program with Home Federal – which has granted hundreds of wishes over the years and continues to find creative ways to help pepole out. You can nominate someone deserving at liteonline.com.
• KBOI/News Talk 670 is giving a boost to the Make a Wish Stories of Light campaign – helping fund wishes for several local kids with severe medical conditions.

The KCIX/Mix 106 effort to stuff a semi-truck full of 106,000 pounds of foods has been pretty good radio this week.  Kate McGwire’s been sacrificing herself to sit in the cold… on top of a semi truck… all week long.  Many great people in the local radio community have done lots of great things to help the community, and Kate is just the latest in a long line – but every time someone goes above and beyond just making this “a job” to doing something that is beyond themselves, it is impressive.  Moving around all over town to locations throughout the listening area has helped bring the effort closer to listeners – engaging more folks.

KCIX/Mix 106 morning host Kate McGwire is spending the week in a tent… on a semi… all over town.

The station is helping collect canned goods for the Idaho Foodbank. Details over here

KRVB/Idaho’s 94.9 The River is celebrating the sixth edition of the Concert for a Cause. Instead of the traditional “suggest charities/vote for your favorite” routine, the station cut to the chase and named Terry Reilly Health Services as the concert’s sole benefactor.

Ingrid Michaelson will make her third Treasure Valley appearance for the concert – this time as headliner. I saw Michaelson on one of her earlier appearances and became a fan. She was engaging and put on a great show. Tickets are $19.50 for the Knitting Factor show.

Several folks wrote to let me know of some of the other great things going on in honor of the Christmas season.

- KQTA & KDBI have been collecting toys for an in-house toy drive for families around the area.
- The Locally Owned stations in the Magic Valley held a Stuff the Bus event earlier this season, collecting toys, food and clothing for beneficaries of the Magic Valley Salvation Army. KIKX, KIRQ, KYUN and KTPZ participated.

It is of note that the Locally Owned staffer that let me know of his group’s activities also wrote to say that the competing Lee Family Group of stations had a “very successful toy/food/clothing drive.”

Here’s a look at what Boise-area stations are doing to help the community this year. The Idaho State Broadcasters Association notes that in 2005 (the most recent year available), Idaho radio stations took in $2.1 in fundraising donations (along with $20 million in PSA value).

KTSY – The station is holding a Christmas concert at the Nampa Civic Center on December 19th, featuring local artists. Admission is a new, unwrapped toy which will go to Nampa’s Salvation Army. Details

KIZN – The annual Keep Kids Warm event is taking several approaches to help pay for heating costs for area families. Schools are competing to raise funds – with the school that raises the most getting a concert with American Idol star Bucky Covington. The station is also teaming with Intermountain Gas, to make it easy for folks to add money to their bill to donate to those in need. The station will also host an on-air auction that will start December 17th. Last year, Keep Kids Warm raised $50,000. Details

KZMG – Magic 93.1 is taking part in Christmas in the Nighttime Sky (see KBOI)

KRVB – The River’s annual Concert for Cause was held Wednesday night, and featured an all-local bill headed by Curtis Stigers. The event moved to the Morrison Center and benefited the new Interfaith Sanctuary. Details. KRVB is also joining other Journal stations, KIVI, KTVB, KBCI and others in collecting toys for Toys for Tots.

KKGL – 96.9 The Eagle is helping collect gifts for children at the Idaho Youth Ranch. Details

KQFC – All this week, 97.9 KQFC’s Q Wakin’ Crew is helping collect donations for five families. Morning co-host Debi is on location at Wal-Mart and Albertsons locations around the Valley helping collect items for the families selected. Details

KWEI – The Spanish AM/FM combo is helping collect needed items for the Ronald McDonald House. The House – located near St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital – gives families of sick kids a place to stay. Details

KQXR – The X is helping collect Toys for Tots.

KSAS – Hooker in the Morning is taking Christmas wishes during the morning show and helping to fill the needs for a variety of listeners.

KAWO – WOW Country 104.3 is taking suggestions for folks who should get a free Christmas tree this holiday. Details. Also, the station is in the midst of its St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital drive.

KJOT – J-105 is helping collect Toys for Tots.

KCIX – Mix 106 is featuring twelve cute puppies and 12 kittens in need of a home for its “12 Strays of Christmas” promotion. Each of the animals is from the Canyon County Animal Shelter – and two of the ten animals featured so far have found a new home. Details

KTHI – 107.1 K-Hits is helping collect Toys for Tots.

KXLT – 107.9 Lite FM continues a tradition started long ago by KCIX/K-106 with the Home Federal Christmas Wish. Folks can stop into any Home Federal location, nominate a deserving family for a variety of needs – and Home Federal and KXLT will work to fill wishes each day through the holidays. Details

KBOI – KBOI is teaming up with several other Citadel stations for Christmas in the Nighttime Sky. The station is taking toy donations for Toys for Tots during the event this Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in Garden City. The event will feature a fireworks show, hot foods for sale and more. Santa Claus will be on hand – and donations will go to the American Heart Association.

KTIK – KTIK is taking part in Christmas in the Nighttime Sky (see KBOI).

Others? Let me know…

KZDX/99.9 The Buzz held its first Christmas Party — this last Sunday at Nazzkart in Twin Falls. The event doled out 700 presents, 300 meals and a raft of activities for more than 300 children in need from throughout the Magic Valley.

The kids didn’t just get any meal – but a steak feast from Outback Steakhouse – plus a visit with Santa Claus and more. The kids also got goodies bags – and a case of frozen spuds for their family.

“Most of the gifts were purchased with donations made to the event,” said 99.9 The Buzz Program Director Broc Johnson. “Through our fund drives on and off the air, we’ve experienced overwhelming support from our Magic Valley residents and businesses – it makes me proud to live in, work in, and be a part of this community.”

Sending out a radio-related news release? Make sure to add idahoradio@gmail.com to your list.

KMVX/Mix 103 in the Magic Valley’s “60 Hours to Fight Hunger Radiothon” was a huge success. The event brought in 1,432 turkeys that will grace the tables of homes around the area. The Mix 103 folks were joined in the effort by a local car dealer and KMVT-TV.

Former KTSY/89.5 FM program director/operations manager Ty McFarland is coming back to Idaho after about 18-months at WGTS in Washington, DC. McFarland will head up KTFY in Twin Falls. Right now the station is an exact simulcast of KTSY, but will spin off from its big brother and go forth as a separate station sometime after the first of the year.

Also, KTSY launched a new website – and it is very well done. Give it a look at 895ktsy.org. KTSY’s Jerry Woods tells me it is about 90% complete.

And one more note on the KTSY beat – Woods and KTSY chaplain Brian Yeager just wrapped up a 323 mile ride through SW Idaho, raising $14,000 along the way for Project Patch. Brr

Bustos Media and their Boise area stations are helping raise money for victims of recent flooding in the Tabasco region of Mexico. All donations will go to the Mexican Red Cross. Details after the jump
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