Phoenix Airchecks » KFYI

KFYI turns 25

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:27:40 +0000

Valley news-talk station KFYI turns 25 years old with a staff and listener celebration planned for tomorrow, Tuesday afternoon, at the Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. The celebration, scheduled to run from 4-7pm, will include KFYI staff from past and present, and listeners who went online to print their tickets.

Complimentary hors d’ oeuvres are available and dinners are for reservation, including several named after the KFYI team like “Jim Sharpe’s Root Beer braised Short Ribs,” and “Barry’s Vegetable Fettuccine Alfredo.”

WestStar TalkRadio Network staffer, jogger save Valley woman’s life

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:03:43 +0000

Michael James, Technical Director for WestStar TalkRadio Network’s Kim Komando show was on his way to work Saturday morning when he was flagged down by a jogger and directed to a vehicle submerged in a water canal running near the road. That was where he saw a 77-year-old Valley woman struggling to escape her vehicle.

James removed some clothing and rushed into the water. The woman was close to being swept away by a current, according to James, but before it would occur, James got a hold of the woman. The jogger got to a grate and was able to pull the woman up by her arms, saving her life.

Rush Limbaugh returns from honeymoon

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:04:50 +0000

Rush Limbaugh returned to his show today after a week and a half long leave of absence. Limbaugh married girlfriend of three years, Kathryn Rogers, on Saturday, June 5 at The Breakers luxury resort in Palm Beach.

He devoted a part of his show to “relive” it rather than begin talking about the usual politics and recent events.

Limbaugh opened up to his audience about how he met Kathryn six years ago, the wedding, and shared the story of the challenge for he and Kathryn to get to Elton John to ask him to sing at their wedding. He did not mention any of this prior because he tries to keep his life private, but that he currently has never been happier.

Limbaugh had known 33 year old Kathryn Rogers for six years, who was a local party-planner that happened to be working at some golf events Limbaugh would attend.

“I met Kathryn when she was running the foundation for Gary Player, and part of that job was to put together celebrity golf tournaments for Gary Player at various places,” Limbaugh explained.

They began dating in 2007 and got engaged on October 3 of last year in Pittsburgh– a city which Limbaugh said had significance for the both of them.

Limbaugh credits Kathryn for getting Elton John’s attention as they worked to get him to play at their wedding. She wrote him a letter when they found out several months ago that they were staying in the same hotel.

Limbaugh had high praises for Elton on-stage in front of their 400 guests as well as off-stage.

“We met Elton backstage prior to the performance. He walked in, gave me a hug, gave Kathryn a big hug, invited us to dinner at his home in London. He was dead serious about it, and we had just the greatest chat with him backstage,” Limbaugh said. “He told Kathryn that she reminded him of somebody in his life that was very beautiful, and we just had the greatest time.”

The honeymoon took place in Las Vegas, with a stop in Detroit on the way home to get their second sheepdog, Wellesley. They returned last night and have not yet seen their wedding photos, Limbaugh said, although he is being asked about them.

Video showing fifteen minutes of Rush’s show, here.

Politicians receive audiobook of SB 1070 from Jim Sharpe

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Fri, 21 May 2010 22:15:05 +0000

by Lauren Polanski—

KFYI morning host, Jim Sharpe, thought he would help the politicians who say they have not read Senate Bill 1070– the anti-illegal immigration bill passed into law that has sparked outrage and boycotts of Arizona. This morning, Sharpe announced in a live press conference on his show that he has compiled an audiobook of his reading of SB 1070 and has sent them to a handful of politicians.

The idea came from the Arizona Republican Party.

“[Politicians] are so busy in Washington DC trying to get the business of the people done that they don’t seem to have the time to read these bills,” chairman Randy Pullen said during the press conference. “I thought we could turn them into an .mp3 and mail it out to them.”

Sharpe sees the necessity of SB 1070 being heard.

“The problem is… [Secretary of Homeland Security] Janet Napolitano, who admitted in front of Congress that she has not read the bill– Eric Holder, Attorney General of the United States who has admitted he has not read SB 1070, yet was criticizing it– the President [Barack Obama], who has not necessarily admitted he hasn’t read the bill, but he’s a very busy guy,” Sharpe said.

Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, was also sent the audiobook.

Although the audiobook was made for politicians, it is not available solely to politicians. It can be found uploaded as a podcast on KFYI.com, linked from Jim Sharpe’s page or linked straight to the audio below.

SB 1070 Audiobook – Voiced by Jim Sharpe of 550 KFYI

Austin Hill gets WMAL in DC

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:51:35 +0000

Valley veteran talker Austin Hill lands two hours in the morning on AM 630 WMAL as the station searches for a permanent talk show host. He can be heard filling in for the Midday Show, weekdays from 10am to noon.

Hill has been a go-to host for fill-ins, as he has most recently in Phoenix filling-in frequently for Darrell Ankarlo on 92.3 KTAR-FM.

Nearly Famous Barry Young show celebrates

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:29:23 +0000

Today the Nearly Famous Barry Young show celebrates their 23rd anniversary.

A battle of Phoenix morning radio

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:31:16 +0000

AZCentral.com’s 4th annual Best Of poll is out, asking readers for their best choices around the Valley, from food, to entertainment, resorts, hotels, and the best of in radio.

One question asks,
“WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE MORNING DJ(s)?”

Options (and percentages as of 5:45 this evening):
Ankarlo (Darrell Ankarlo), KTAR
2%
Barry Young, KFYI talk radio
2%
Ben and Matt , KNIX
30%
Beth and Bill, KEZ
5%
Dave Pratt, formerly of KMLE
31%
Doug & Wolf, KTAR
1%
Holmberg’s Morning Sickness, KUPD
4%
Howard Stern, Sirius Satellite Radio
2%
Johnjay and Rich, KISS
21%
Tim and Willie, KMLE
2%

You can place your vote here.

PhoenixAirchecks.com Analysis:
- Where’s everybody else? Surprised to not see Chris & Amy. What about JR & Mary? And why not Tom & Maria? Dave Pratt is still an option, yet it’s been fifteen months since he’s been on the radio. (Yeah, but he also blogs for AZCentral.)

- Speaking of Dave Pratt, Pratt is beating Holmberg’s Morning Sickness over septuple! (that means times seven)

- Johnjay and Rich seem to be the ones most pushing for their followers on Twitter to vote for them on this one. So far it’s gotten them to 21%.

- Why can AZCentral never spell Willy’s name right?

Jim Sharpe will enter the building

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:42:59 +0000

News leaked out today on the radio industry online boards, Radio-Info.com, about NewsTalk 550 KFYI naming Jim Sharpe as their full-time morning replacement. The decision comes after staff maneuvers and a couple of months of Terry Gilberg handling KFYI mornings.

Jim Sharpe would most currently be known as a frequent fill-in on News/Talk 92.3 KTAR-FM and is no stranger to Valley radio, including having been a talk show host, reporter and news anchor on KFYI in the past.

Sharpe will begin Monday.

Nearly Famous Rockin’ Barry Young

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:25:37 +0000

There. Almost as long as Cruella Michella Buffy Lee Larson… almost.

KFYI’s Barry Young announces tomorrow (Friday) to be “classic rock rejoiner day” for his show’s music.

Bruce Jacobs to the other side

PhoenixAirchecks.com — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:13:35 +0000

Bruce Jacobs (former KFYI morning guy) will be filling in for Darrell Ankarlo today, 9am-Noon.