KTAR-AM and FM sister station, 98.7 The Peak (KPKX) has made the successful move to their palatial new building at 16th St. and Northern Ave. Now it was time to complete the move move this weekend, with KTAR following suit.
All throughout Friday, December 11, KTAR hosts mentioned it being the last day they would be broadcasting from their Central Avenue location of 13 years, and the move was happening– as they spoke. The shows still went on, just about unhitched, despite much behind-the-scenes packing and preparation going on.
Joe Crummey’s show, though hosted from Los Angeles, is fed back into the Central Ave. studio making it officially the last live, locally-oriented radio show to broadcast from the old building. The night was complete with occasional technical errors with soundbytes, audio processing, and once, a “testing” from a studio mic.
Wondering what happened to Chuck Powell on the Peak, and Chris Parker on Mix 96.9? Both have been taken off of their respective station websites most recently and were not on-the-air.
It is learned that Chuck Powell, morning drive personality at Bonneville’s 98.7 The Peak (KPKX), will not be returning to The Peak.
Mix 96.9 morning show host, Chris Parker (hosted with Amy Van Dyken for much of the time), will be moving the morning show to 98.7 The Peak.
Chris and Amy will begin on December 17. It is not known where Chuck Powell will be going at this time.
Tuesday morning power outages in the Valley have not only left an estimated 18,000 people without electricity, according to APS spokeswoman Jenna Henry, but also briefly knocked out several major Phoenix FM radio stations.
Several– if not a majority– of the FM stations went to static around 10:27am. The static lasted for a minute or two before broadcasts returned on-air. A few others, like KOOL-FM, went from static to silence for a few moments more.
A second occurrence reportedly occurred just minutes shy of 11am, that affected Bonneville’s KPKX and KTAR-FM. Since both stations returned just before the noon hour, we presume the hour was used for transmitter work. Both are located on South Mountain, which supports a majority of Phoenix FM radio station transmitters.
KMLE Country 108 morning duo, Tim & Willy, hosted their 18th annual “Christmas Breakfast Show at Night,” Saturday night at the Celebrity Theatre. Proceeds benefit the Tim & Willy Kids FUN-Dation.
Comedian Tim Hawkins was a part, as well as many other special guest appearances. Tim & Willy played with their All Earl Band, which is compiled of the Herndon Brothers– regulars at Scottsdale country bar, Handlebar J.
Below: Opening video to the Tim & Willy Christmas Breakfast Show at Night
Taylor Swift “sings” Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” with background dancing by Tim & Willy.
Tom Peake and Maria Knight return Monday morning from broadcasting Friday from the “Happiest Place on Earth,” Disneyland. It was all a part of the celebration of Tom Peake’s 30 years at KOOL-FM, which reached that milestone in September.
KOOL made an event out of it and invited listeners– some of which won trips to Disneyland on-air and online. Tom and Maria, as well as afternoon personality, Steve Goddard, broadcasted live from Disneyland throughout the day.
Fybush.com’s “Tower Site Calendar 2010″ is hot off the press and ready for the many radio engineers, broadcasters, and enthusiasts alike to adorn their wall with. And many do, as a tradition. The 2010 calendar will make it the ninth year of its existence.
Included in the 2010 calendar will be a nice color photo of the KTAR-AM tower site at — you know, one of the few tower sites to be located in a great big parking lot– aptly named Tower Plaza. We won’t ruin the excitement by reporting what month KTAR-AM’s tower site is designated to, but it will be there.
It will be just one among many other tower sites taken by Scott Fybush in his travels around the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The calendar proves radio towers to be unique, and not only for its surroundings whether they are in an urban area or in beautiful mountains.
Clear Channel country station KNIX re-sign the morning duo, Ben and Matt, who have been with the station since January 2008 after departure of Tim & Willy.
Tim & Willy are fixtures in Phoenix country music radio, and Ben and Matt have been doubted to be a viable replacement. Contrary to those beliefs, they have been doing well, even battling the Tim & Willy morning show on country competitor KMLE.
Ben and Matt were awarded as “Best Country Radio Personalities” by the Phoenix New Times in 2009.
Below: “Meet Ben and Matt” YouTube video circa January 2008
99.9 KEZ (KESZ) has said goodbye to the syndicated nighttime request and dedication Delilah show. KEZ is filling the new opening in the evenings, bringing Lori Bradley on-board for 7pm to midnight, weeknights.
When will we get some Christmas music on the radio? 99.9 KEZ, or how about 94.5 KOOL-FM? You can find the question asked on websites such as Yahoo! Answers.
It’s late November and we had no shortage of Christmas music this time last year. In fact, no shortage of it on Halloween. The season hasn’t seen the light of day so far in 2009.
As of this morning, the Christmas music lovers’ eagerly awaited wish has finally come true. KEZ kicked off all-Christmas this morning at 8am.
KOOL has yet to flip to all-Christmas– as the website hints that it may play Christmas here and there, it also provides a station on KOOLradio.com to be streamed that plays only Christmas music. It could be a holiday race not chosen to venture, unlike last year’s excitement and spirit.
Mark Waters has left the building at CBS Radio Phoenix as Sr. VP/Market Manager, overseeing Country station KMLE, Classic Hits KOOL, and Rhythmic/Top 40 KZON.
In 2006, Waters left Bonneville Phoenix. He joined CBS Radio Phoenix in November 2006, and has held the Sr. VP/Market Manager position of the three station cluster since February 2007, succeeding Marco Camacho.
It is not known at this time who the replacement will be.
When will we get some Christmas music on the radio? 99.9 KEZ, or how about 94.5 KOOL-FM? You can find the question asked on websites such as Yahoo! Answers.
