Idaho Radio News Etc.

CMT Insider’s weekly Hit List feature this week shined the spotlight on KAWO/Wow Country 104.3 – and afternoon guy Tarzan Dan.

KAWO/WOW Country 104.3 began to see its numbers rise – to a 3.7 in the fall, versus a 2.0 last spring. The Peak-owned station is still the country caboose, with KIZN/Kissin’ 92.3 topping the chart with a 6.3 and KQFC at a 5.4.

When Peak Broadcasting purchased the Boise Clear Channel group last year – one of their first moves was to flip KTMY/My Country 104.3 to KAWO/Wow Country 104.3

The My Country incarnation of the station was helmed by former CC OM Jeff Cochran – who now has the same title with Clear Channel in Salt Lake.

Cochran launched My Country 105.7 on the former KXRV — and even grabbed the “KTMY” call letters that Peak shed in 2007.

The tagline and logo are also similar (KTMY’s Boise version used Idaho’s Best Country)

(Thanks, Ben for the lead!)

I threw out the “10 questions” poll the other day not having any idea if anyone would take the time to vote. To my delight, about 90 of you took a few moments.

You think KIZN/Kissin’ 92.3 had the strongest performance in the fall – and will wind up on top of the country roost yet again in the results later this month. Quite a few of you think KAWO/Wow Country 104.3 will not make it to the end of the year as a country station – but a plurality think KTMB/99.1 The Man is the most likely station to flip formats.

The conventional wisdom also seems to indicate KBOI & Citadel will again keep the Boise State Athletics radio contract – in fact, a majority think the station will hang on.

The chattering class overwhelmingly thinks Bob FM will be a niche player.

The smart money appears to be on Peak and Citadel settling their lawsuit out of court.

A whopping 93% of voters say Spanish-language radio will stay at its current level or grow. Almost no one thinks it will shrink.

Even with strong support for Citadel’s position in many questions – many of you think Citadel is most likely to leave the market this year. Most of the questions I asked will have a definitive answer by the end of the year – however it’s entirely possible no group will sell out this year. In hindsight, I should have provide that voting option.

A large majority thinks the Boise Community Radio Project will continue to have trouble getting a broadcast license.

And finally, a plurality thinks KDJQ will be reclaimed by the bank. More on that point soon.

The radio dial is sounding quite festive this Christmas eve. As I headed to services this evening – I was pleasantly surprised at the number of stations that dropped their normal formats to get in the spirit – with 100% Christmas music:

KTSY/89.5 FM
KIZN/Kissin’ 92.3
KZMG/Magic 93.1
KRVB/Idaho’s 94.9 The River
KAYN/Boomer 100.7
KAWO/WOW Country 104.3
KBOI/News-Talk 670
KTHI/107.1 K-Hits

These stations join KXLT/107.9 Lite FM which went all-Holiday on Thanksgiving, and KDJQ-AM which went all Christmas last week.

KKGL, KCIX, KJOT, KQFC, KWEI, KDBI, KSAS are all playing some Christmas cuts along with their normal format. That’s 17 total stations from ‘AWO to ‘ZMG. They should all conspire to play Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer at the same time. Now THAT would be funny.

About the only stations I could find that hadn’t adjusted formats were KSRV/96.1 Bob FM and The X.

KAWO/Wow Country 104.3 made one more adjustment to its schedule after the firing of morning co-host “Panama Jack” AKA Brett Connelly earlier this month. Robin Scott has been moved from evenings to middays. Scott held down that same shift on the station before it flipped from KTMY/My Country 104.3 to the WOW name.

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…

After a day of closed-door meetings, KAWO/Wow Country 104.3 and morning man Panama Jack are parting ways, Idaho Radio News has learned. This is the second staff change on the KAWO morning show in the past two weeks – producer Brian Bird was cut from the Peak roster in November. The change is effective immediately.

Jack joined Peak Broadcasting this spring to head up Wow’s morning effort. He was hired when the former My Country 104.3 was rebranded and reworked as Wow Country just after Peak took over the frequency from Clear Channel Communications.

For now, Jack will be replaced in the morning drive by “The Outlaw” Don Jarrett, who will leave his afternoon post to take the early wake up call. He will team with Jack’s former partner Amber Lee.

Tarzan Dan will slide from mid-days to afternoons to cover the gap.

This is the fourth on-air cut at Peak Broadcasting in the last 14 days.

More talent changes at Peak Broadcasting Boise – as Brian “the Bird” exits KAWO/Wow Country 104.3. Brian started with KAWO as evening host before sliding into the AM show producer job. (He also did weekends on KTMY before the station was rebranded under the Wow Country name).

This is the third on-air staff cut at Peak in the past week.

A memo obtained by Idaho Radio News written by Peak Boise SVP Kevin Godwin says the decision to let go Melissa Dawn and Greg Williamson the day before Thanksgiving was made after “months of thought and consideration.” Godwin’s note says Dawn and Williamson are “both terrific people and this was a very difficult decision.” He also said that if “given the opportunity, would hope to have them back at Peak Broadcasting.”

KXLT’s morning show will remain in place, but the station will focus on “more music at work.” Wether this means voice trackers or no jocks at all is unknown.

Also: Along with the move to morning traffic anchor, Tobin Jeffries will no longer hold the title of program director for KXLT/107.9 Lite FM. Current KCIX/Mix 106 program director Brent Carey will take over that role, with Jeffries acting as assistant program director for Lite, as well as network operations manager for the traffic group.

KIZN’s Rattlesnake Jake…

KAWO’s Tarzan Dan…