Idaho Radio News Etc.

While it is hard to get a full fix on the state of Peak Broadcasting — we have little ways to judge the health of the company. Things like employee morale, programming — and usually the most telling aspect: staffing.

In March, 2005 – just before Peak took over the operations of six Boise Clear Channel stations, I noted here how many on-air staffers each station in the group. CC had been derided for its staffing practices in markets like Boise. Stations that used to be live 24/7 had been cut, cut and cut again. Across the group, just nine shifts had live and local talent.

Here’s how it broke down:

KCIX: Two shifts, three personalities
KSAS: Two shifts, three personalities
KTMY (now KAWO): One shift, one personality
KXLT: Three shifts, four personalities
KFXD: One shift, one personality *
KIDO: One shift, three personalities

That’s fourteen staffers total (KFXD laid off Mitch Pruitte just before Peak took over and switched the shift to a VTer).

The picture now?

KCIX: One shift, two personalities (-1)
KSAS: Three shifts, four personalities (+1)
KAWO: Four shifts, four personalities (+3)
KXLT: One shift, one personality (-3)
KFXD: None. (-1)
KIDO: One shift, two personalities (-1)

Old total – 14. New total – 13. Neither total includes part-timers, news anchors or production personnel who don’t hold air shifts.

This weekend, Peak Broadcasting has been using its airwaves to promote a member of a competing group’s on air staff. Big KCIX/Mix 106 advertiser Bull’s Head Pub featured Ryan Wingfield as its main act on the comedy stage. Wingfield of course is the afternoon news anchor for KBOI/News Talk 670. So if you’ve tuned into Mix, you’ve heard a promo for the comedy stylings of Ryan Wingfield.

Peak Broadcasting continues to drop people from its roster – this time letting go of long-time employee Tom Collins. Tommy is one of the nicest guys in the business — and this news frankly comes as a surprise. He worked in production for the group, made appearances with Mike & Kate on KCIX/Mix 106 and held down the mid-day fort with the station.

A note to employees says his layoff “was not a performance issue, but a necessity as we continue to work our way thru the changes that 2009 keeps hitting us with.” I guess that means the economy – but it could mean something else. More on that in a moment.

He has been part of the KCIX fabric for more than a decade – he’s been paired in the mornings with Russ Novacs, Steve & Steph and Mike & Kate. He gained the nickname “Tommy the Stunt Boy,” but his always genial attitude and positive outlook made him a fast friend to many. He even anchored weekend morning weather at KTVB for several years.

Just six months ago, KCIX was a fully staffed station – with live talent in the morning, Tommy mid-day, and live jocks in the afternoon and evening – six on-air employees. Now? Now the station is left with its live morning show and voicetrackers.

There’s more to this story. Just this week, Peak hired Miggy Santos from Citadel and KZMG/Magic 93.1. Rumors continue to swirl – and the official line is he is headed for the group’s Fresno stations. However, Santos was seen in the Peak Boise building yesterday, leaving lots of people to speculate. Peak does not own a CHR or urban station in the Fresno market — instead it has news/talk, oldies, country and a hot AC station. That station – Y101 – is currently well staffed… making you wonder…

KZMG/Magic 93.1 afternoon host Miggy Santos will be holding his PM party somewhere else from now on. Santos is no longer on the air, and told his Facebook friends about his departure:

Just to let everyone know ! I am moving on to the next chapter in my life and Leaving Magic 93.1 and Boise. It has been a great 3 years and I love everyone who I worked with and all of the Listeners of Magic 93.1 The Best Radio Station in Boise ! I will be moving to my new station in California really soon so get a hold of me so we can chill :) Thanks Boise for a great 3 Years Miggy

Miggy’s move leaves Magic with just two on-air staffers: MJ and DJ Dickman.

A Facebook group sprang up in the last couple of months with a simple mission: bring back Jon Duane and Chris Kelly. Mission:

Jon and Chris have long been staples of our community, and it’s time they are back on the airwaves! Let’s help our friends get back to their mics, and report on our community, the nation and the world as only they can do!

Duane and Kelly have been off the air since November, when Peak Broadcasting let them go in a round of economy-driven layoffs.

UPDATE: I think I’m losing my mind. I posted this news EXACTLY one year ago… with the EXACT same headline. I could delete it, but instead you can laugh at what a spaz I am.

You likely have heard about KTHI/107.1 K Hits morning host Margo Vaughn, and her public (and winning) battle against breast cancer. But she’s not the only member of the K-Hits staff to stare down cancer. In a preview story for this week’s Main Street Mile, The Idaho Statesman talks to Larry Doss — who was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The MSM event is a way to promote awareness – and hopefully screenings for – prostate cancer. Doss has been cancer-free for two years now — which deserves a big CONGRATS!

Conservative leader Bryan Fischer is leaving Idaho to helm a two-hour talk show on American Family Radio in Tupelo, MS. Despite the Valley’s heavy dose of Christian broadcasters, AFR doesn’t have a Boise affiliate – or one anywhere in Idaho for that matter.

Former voice of the Idaho Steelheads Joe O’Donnell is enjoying his stint in Houston, TX with the Aeros, according to the Houston Chronicle. “I didn’t want to leave Boise for the sake of leaving Boise,” he told the paper. “I wanted to be sure it was the right job with an organization that is well-run in a city that you want to spend time.” O’Donnell, 29, says his goal is to announce for an NHL team.

KBOI/News-Talk 670 afternoon host Nate Shelman is huge these days.  Like, towering over Boise huge.  No, he hasn’t gained a ton of weight – in fact, it’s the opposite.  No, Nate has his likeness plastered on a billboard on the I-184 Connector as part of an ad for a weight loss program. I won’t turn this into an ad for that company (they’re already all over radio TV and outdoor media) – but check out Nate’s before and after shots:

Fellow Citadel citizen Steve Shannon has also lost a ton on the same program (or therabouts):

(Minor disclosure – my firm, DayPower Media did some freelance web work for Steve earlier this year)

Dave Tester, once the general manager of Impact Radio (formerly Tester Broadcasting) is no longer with the group in any capacity.  After leaving the GM role for the group as a whole, he went to work at the group’s AM station serving the Ontario area — KSRV.  He was the station manager for KSRV-AM, but late last week he was dismissed.

Program director Dale Jeffries steps up as <interim station manageroperations manager – with Wayne Dzuback overseeing the BSU sports programming sales effort on the station (part of Peak’s Bronco Sports Network) and sales manager Mark Broz taking a more active role as well.

Peak Broadcasting

Rick says he’s thankful to Peak managers for the chance to work at Wow – and names Todd Lawley, Kevin Godwin and Bill Figenshu. You can reach Rick at rick@therickstewart.com, and read his full message after the jump.

Since the first of November, Peak has cut at least seven full-time programming-side staff positions by my unofficial count.

Read the rest of this entry »

Former KZMG night/morning host “Big Boy” made another move up the ladder — he’s now doing nights at 92.3 Now FM in New York City.

Big Boy left Boise for Memphis – then Detroit – now NYC. He is now going by Chunky on the air.

He’s had a few bumps along the way… and even a pop song.

And I hear he beeps when he backs up.

Peak’s Jason Wilmot is now overseeing the AC stations as well – both KCIX/Mix 106 and KXLT/107.9 Lite FM. This is in addition to his duties over KIDO/580 AM and KFXD/63 KIDO.

Former KIVI anchor and City of Boise PR flack Elizabeth Duncan is coming back to Boise – as the new news director of Boise State Radio.

Elizabeth is the former spokesperson for the City of Boise Office of the Mayor and Public Works. She has more than 12 years’ experience as a journalist in diverse news markets around the country, including experience with public television in Columbia, South Carolina, as a news anchor at KIVI in Nampa, and as news director for KVII in Amarillo, Texas. She began her career as a writer and researcher for CNN’s Larry King Live. She earned a bachelor of science in journalism at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas.

Voiceover talent Brian James died last week at 48 of a heart attack. James did stations all over the United States and the UK — and several here in Idaho. He is the voice of KZDX/99.9 The Buzz, KIDO/580 and 63, the former voice of KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM and more.

“Of all the voiceover artists I’ve ever worked with, he was by far the greatest,” KZDX’s Broc Johnson said. “Incredible personality… great sense of humor… and truly irreplaceable. He’s been the voice of KZDX/99.9 The Buzz for well over a decade. He will, not only as a master of the microphone and the voice of hundreds of TV and radio stations, but also as an incredible person and friend, forever be missed. “

Paul Harvey died today. He was 90.

USA Today has… the rest of the story.

The Idaho Press-Tribune has a great backstage look at Margo Vaughn’s battle with cancer.  The best news? She tells the paper that there are no signs of cancer right now — though she stops short of declaring her cancer in remission.

Despite that on-the-air cheeriness, Vaughn and her co-workers say it was a tough road:

“When the mic was off she would be sprawled out on the floor,” station program director KJ Mac said.

KZMG/Magic 93.1 morning host Melissa Dawn has left Citadel.  She came to the group from KXLT/107.9 Lite FM and anchored news for KBOI for the better part of a year. After Citadel parted ways with Dan Tooker, Dawn moved over to Magic and was paired with Matt Johnson.

Melissa’s departure was penciled out before today’s pay cut was announced.

KCIX/ Mix 106 program director Brent Carrey and APD Lucas are leaving Peak Broadcasting.

The news comes less than a week after managers told staff they will be taking a 10% pay cut.

Carrey was also PD for Lite FM, which is now left without any jocks, a live morning show, an MD, or a PD.

Bob Behler will have a new partner in year two of KIDO’s broadcasts of Boise State University Football.  Jadon Daley has left Peak Broadcasting Boise.  Multiple sources (basically anyone I’ve asked) say he liked doing the play-by-play but was frustrated with the other parts of the gig – selling ad time for Peak.

The Idaho radio industry lost several of its brightest lights this year.

- Dar Dodds. One of the first on-air talent at KDSH/KBOI – Dar was a legend in the formative days of Boise radio. Beyond his many radio accomplishments – Dar was known for something else: being a civilian prisoner of war during WWII. Dar served for MK on Wake Island and was taken hostage by the Japaneses. Dodds was profiled on Fox News in 2005. Dodds was 89.

- Lou Burden. Burden was a major part of Mountain Home life – including the local radio station and as owner of Flicks Unlimited. He was born in Nebraska and moved to Mountain Home in 1972 after his service in the Army. Burden was 67.

- Gordon Capps. Another small town pioneer, Capps founded KSRV-AM in Ontario in 1946, and eventually owned stations in Baker, LaGrande and Twin Falls. He was also the co-owner of the nation’s second-ever cable system in LaGrande and Baker. Capps was 95.

- Lee Schafer. One of the last local owners in the state, Schafer ran KBXL and KSPD in Boise and KDZY in McCall right up until his September death. His memorial service was a who’s who of Boise radio – and the outpouring of support on this site was unprecedented. Schafer was 62.

- Wayne Richards. The popular KLCE/Classy 97 host died in a snorkeling in September while vacationing in Hawai’i. Richards was a fixture in Eastern Idaho, and had been on the air for decades – and also hosted the popular “sounds of Sunday” program on the station. He was 54.

KWYD/Wild 101 is no longer bumping through 15,000 songs in a row – now commercial breaks are in place, as well as a smattering of on-air talent.  Mornings on the new rhythmic CHR station are hosted by “C-K” (just don’t get in an argument with him and yell “F-U”), while a mid-day mix show is hemmed by DJ Complex, and nights are hosted by DJ Class1c.

The new talent floated into place several weeks ago and are still getting their collecitve feet wet.

This from Elliot over at Impact:

Impact Radio Group as several openings. We view people as an asset not as liabilities. The time to gain market share in an economic down turn is better now than in the last 10 years. Any recently let go professional radio people in the market, please contact us for openings in sales, programming and promotions. 208-465-9966 Impact Radio Group is an EOE.

Another round of cutbacks in the Boise media world – this time at Journal.  The group cut several, including sales staff, a web producer and KJOT/J-105 program director Dave Sparks.

UPDATE: Not a fun few weeks folks. In the last two months, Journal, Citadel, Peak, Idaho Business Review and the Idaho Statesman have all made cuts. As far as I’m aware, KBCI, KTVB and the Idaho Press-Tribune have not – but who knows what the future holds.

If any of the laid off folks wants to get a message out – whether it be a goodbye or pitch for future employment, e-mail me at idahoradio@gmail.com and I’ll post it on the home page.

Looks like we know a little bit more about what Peak is doing with the Jon & Chris timeslot – which is being filled by Fox Sports for now:

The big question still remains what KIDO/580 plans to do with the 10am-1pm slot… Peak said in a news release on October 7th that Rush’s slot would be filled with something live and local…

In its place, beginning January 1st, 2009, 580 KIDO will debut a new LIVE and LOCAL radio show aimed directly at residents of Idaho and the growing Treasure Valley.