Last year we got an early Christmas music battle between 99.9 KEZ and 94.5 KOOL-FM.

KEZ, the “Holiday Station” of many years, has yet to flip to all-Christmas music this season. Rumor had it that the flip was to occur November 1, but word got out too early on the Phoenix Radio-Info.com boards. The date also drew national attention in Radio-Info’s newsletter by Tom Taylor. Several days later, a new date was disclosed by the same anonymous informant on the Phoenix Radio-Info board as being November 16, which is today.

During the weekend, new all-Christmas competitor, KOOL (since flipping to all-Christmas last year on Halloween before the doorbells even rang), began advertising Christmas to happen, and to listen Monday (today) at noon.

Considering the KEZ Christmas rumor to be true, and imagining the KOOL Christmas date for today as being a reaction to it, today is a potential day for an all-Christmas music showdown, balk, or tease– and what better day than on a Monday?

We should soon witness which Phoenix radio station sits on Santa’s lap first.

We reported here at the end of August that Ruben S. (formerly of KZON, KKFR, and KZZP), landed a gig at Sierra H rhythmic oldies Mega 104.3 (KAJM) doing Friday nights’ “Mega House Party.”

Beginning Monday, Ruben will be spending afternoons on KAJM, and nights on sister station, KNRJ “The Beat.”

Rumor sparked earlier in the week on the radio industry message board of Radio-Info.com about former Power 98.3 (KKFR) DJ, “Melissa the Midnight Mamacita” getting the midday spot at competing station, 101.5 Jamz (KZON). Melissa had fallen victim at KKFR to cutbacks, along with several others at the station and sister station KEDJ.

It is confirmed that since Monday, November 9, Melissa is back on the radio at competing station, 101.5 Jamz (KZON) doing middays. You can call her: “Melissa the Music Mamacita.”

Former Valley talker Charles Goyette appeared last night as a guest on nationally syndicated radio show, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.

Goyette, who has been a talk show host on such stations as KFYI, KTAR, KXXT, and most recent, KFNX, spoke about his views on a looming financial crisis yet to come for America and viable investments to deal with it– topics all of which are included in his new book, The Dollar Meltdown.

Since the guest appearance, The Dollar Meltdown spent its first day in Amazon.com’s top 100 Bestsellers at 18th place.

Goyette is now set to hold a discussion and book signing in Scottsdale Thursday. It begins at 7pm at the Barnes & Noble on 90th St. south of Shea.

Click here to check out the website and purchase.

Nicole Franks joins KFYI as afternoon news anchor. She comes from Clear Channel sister station WTVN-AM in Columbus, OH.

Franks, a Phoenix native, is no stranger to Phoenix radio. She has been with KTAR-AM in the past, first as an intern while attending Arizona State University, and later as an associate editor of the morning news show.

Bonneville Phoenix, with Valley radio stations Sports 620 KTAR (AM), News/Talk 92.3 KTAR (FM), and 98.7 The Peak (KPKX), are currently in the process of moving studios and offices to another building.

The current building, located on the southwest corner of Central and Georgia avenues (just north of Camelback), will move four miles to the northeast near 16th St. and Northern at 7740 N. 16th St. The new location is said to be an upgrade from the cramped quarters of the Central Ave. location.

Old location at 5300 N. Central Ave. Photo courtesy: Google

Click here for Phoenix Business Journal’s story.

This year’s VA Veterans Day Parade in Phoenix will include longtime Valley morning radio host, Dave Pratt, as Celebrity Grand Marshal. The parade is set to begin at 11am from Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center on Wednesday November 11.

Pratt, who has been on the radio in Phoenix for nearly thirty years (KUPD, KZON, KMLE), was let go from CBS Radio/KMLE in late 2008 due to budget cuts. His support and dedication for the Phoenix community continues on. You can catch him at the upcoming parade.

Click here for more parade information.

The month of October brought trouble to CBS Radio Phoenix, with the suspensions and departures of both on and off-air employees.

We begin with the KMLE Country 108 morning duo, Tim and Willy. Sources state the reason for their three day absence during the last week of the month was due to a suspension without pay on charges of plugola. Another CBS Radio Phoenix staffer(s) lost their job on the same charge.

101.5 Jamz (KZON) morning guy, Strawberry, was apparently charged of the same, suspended then fired. You can now hear him during the weekend on San Francisco’s MOViN 99.7.

Tim and Willy returned after their three day suspension; Jamz is in the process of searching for a brand-new morning show. No information is known on the replacement of the other position(s).

PhoenixAirchecks.com Trick or Treat Tournament!

Rush to be one of the top five people to comment on this, and in your comment, take your pick: Trick or Treat?

A Trick involves one tricky Phoenix radio question. The correct answer gets you two free airchecks (listed here), total!*

A Treat involves one free aircheck (listed here) of your choice.*

So what’ll it be? TRICK or TREAT?

(Make sure to enter correct email address! Email addresses will only be visible to site administration. Contest expires Nov. 1, 4pm PST.)

.

*All chosen airchecks from this tournament can be no longer than 45 minutes. They will be in .mp3 format and sent via SendSpace.com.

If you’ve tuned-in to KTAR-FM tonight for Phil Hendrie, chances are you made an additional glance at where your radio’s dial is. Starting today, Dave Ramsey is now in-place for KTAR-FM’s evening time slot.

Rather than the news, talk, and comedy mix of Hendrie’s show, the topic of money will broadcast instead.

The move comes five days after the All Access story of Phil Hendrie bringing back his large cast of characters.