This afternoon, for the first time in at least 10, but perhaps as much as nearly 20 years, I did a live and local air shift complete with AC music(Kinda sounded like KLOG before....oh, never mind!), local news and sports AND back timing into network news and other live network elements. Gawd, was it ever FUN!!!! It was a bit rough around the edges, but no one got killed and the station didn't burn down, so overall, it was a success.

What a week it's been. A good prognosis for my wife and her health problems, no signs of any recurrance of the colon cancer I had last summer and now a shift on a live and local radio station. Life, all of a sudden, is REALLY good!!!!

Woo Hoo!! Just like riding a bike!

Sounds like fun!

Perspective is an amazing thing. We should all have a major shift once in a while to remember the simple things in life.

I don't know you, but I'm happy for you.

Thanks. I am happy for me too!

Where was this at?

I too am a stranger, but very happy for you! Don't keep the fun all to yourself, tell us where to find you on the dial. :0)

Way to go bud! I'm sure I you will do just fine!

outsider...... Hats off to ya... I did that same thing once so I know the feeling!

Standing O

The last time I "did it" was 1977-1999.

The station is 1230AM KHAS in Hastings, Nebraska. It's owned by a group called Platte River Radio, who owns 3 am and 2 fm stations in the Kearney/Grand Island/Hastings Nebraska area known as the Tri-Cities. (I think they might have some properties elsewhere, but I'm not sure.) This is small group, with the "mom and pop" feel to it. KHAS has the most live and local of any of their stations in this area. Unfortunately, the air signal isn't streamed.

What's really cool, is that this is the second group that I am on the air here with. The first, NRG Media, owns KROR Radio, a/k/a Rock 101.5FM, the station that carries Tri-City Storm hockey, a team in the USHL that I did play-by-play for this past season. In fact, the G.M. at NRG called the G.M. at Platte River and hooked me up with them. That's certainly something you normally wouldn't expect these days. (Like, oh, say, Clear Channel sending one of their employees over to Cumulus to pick up some hours.) It's nice to know that, even though these two outfits are "groups," they still care about the individuals who work for them. Certainly, a pretty refreshing experience.

Hey Outsider,

that's excellent news! And, also re; the wife's health & the no-cancer colon. Everybody wins!

Congratulations!!!!!! But now you have to change your name to "Insider".

Oh my. The pressure is getting to be too much! Anyone want my autograph?

No more shifts scheduled yet, but when I emailed my availability to the P.D. the other day, the first line in his response was: "Glad to have you aboard." I'll take that as a good sign!

Hey there! It's been awhile since I popped onto this board, but seeing somebody actually making radio in some way other than hitting the "next" icon really brings out the memories. One of my first and most fun gigs was down the road from you, in Salina, Kansas, and they definitely got their $520/month worth. The owner/GM--former WHB "Good Guy" Sam Bradley--was a Craig Walker-caliber air talent, and a tough-love teacher. He made our station a vital part of the community, and instilled in his staff the joy of doing a great job. Good luck in Hastings, and keep an eye on the sky.

...."He made our station a vital part of the community, and instilled in his staff the joy of doing a great job."

What a novel idea. The big boys ought to try that just for fun sometime to see if it works

Roger...That's a pretty novel concept. I hope and pray for the day some of these small market stations start adding more live voices. Not only to give some of us more opportunities to actually do what we enjoy, but so the station can reconnect to the community.

John...thanks for your post. I have admired your work ever since the days you teamed with Murdock on KGW. Even after 27 years in the "biz," I still get a kick out of being on the air. My wife and I live in Kearney, but we'll have to go down to Salina and drop your name. Maybe it'll get us a free cup of coffee. Say hi to the Cafeteria Lady for me!

KEARNEY.... A great place to break down on the road. First class people all the way. Tell em I said so!

Will do.

When were you here?

And when are you returning?

Salina is a great little city, lived there a year, when i finally really retire, its on my list of places to live, land very cheap, when compared to Washington, and the people are the best.

Outsider...Congrats on everything! It's always nice to hear some good news.

Nearly 4 years ago, I stumbled onto a job at a small station in Montana where I've been doing a live, local morning show and loving it - so I think I can relate to the excitement you feel. Each morning at five when I unlock the doors and get down to the daily business, I feel grateful that there's still a place where I can choose my own music, put together my own features, and be interactive with the community. Yeah, I do one of those dreaded buy-sell-trade shows, but I have to admit, as hokey as it is, I don't mind.

The money, admittedly, isn't great (I'm considering taking a part time job) but the satisfaction is. I was making twice the money I am now as a baker for a major supermarket chain - and I pray I never have to go back...I enjoy my work so much.

I hope this opportunity work out for you - best of luck. There's nothing like doing real, live, local radio...even if it is small market.

Oh...I have to agree with Average_joe on the name.

Cafeteria Lady sez "hi" right back, Outsider!

Yep, dropping my name, plus $2.50, will get you the Hash Brown Special at Gus's Ag and Gag cafe on Santa Fe in Salina.

I spent a year at KLSI there (now KINA). It was a 500 watt top-40 daytimer with a very busy news presence. Did afternoon news, then jocked till signoff. I'd been a board op and sometimes all-night anchor for an all-newser in Denver while in high school, but really needed a station where I could get in a ton of air work. KLSI was perfect, and NWokie, so was Salina. Great town.

there 1980.......
Back?

"Suh Lie Nuh", right?

Well, come on back anytime Roger. We have eletricity and indoor plumbing now!

Let the good times roll!

Love the small town radio the sound is a very local feel. swap and sell hog market reports, prizes for the lady of the day. Maybe the march around the breakfast table.The big guns don't do that. Small town American lives.

March around the breakfast table? That was a feature of Bob Anderson's Scandinavian Hour!

Almost as good as Bruce Murdock's "Salute to last Fall."

For those who never heard it, it was a brief intro, followed by the sound of a guy falling down a flight of stairs.

Classic stuff.

Salute to last fall....

OMG! a "bit" with SFX?!?!?

ooooh no, no, no, that will never do.

here. just read these cards and talk about the music. People don't want to hear that other stuff.
(actually said to me by a PD who now isn't)

Now in seriousness, I wasn't a fan of KLSY playlist, but I DID enjoy Murdock and tuned in for him. I would love to know how many others pushed buttons to hear what the jocks were doing. The music, I could hear anywhere. I can't believe that station managers/PDs find an occasional bit, drop, or SFX disrupts the format. Billshirt!

Outsider, anytime I make the drive here to there and back, I make sure I stop and spend some money in Kearney. On the other hand, Buffalo/Gilette Wyoming, and Gold Beach Oregon will never see another nickel from me...........

I, like Mr. Erickson, haven't posted in some time. But, when I saw the subject was "Nebraska radio", I couldn't resist. I uttered my first on-air words in Nebraska. My dad helped put KRGI on the air in Grand Island in 1953 or 54. He needed a kid voice for a spot and I got the call. The talent fee was non-existant, but the experience was invaluable. Dad also put KMAN on the air in Manhattan, Kansas. He had good friends in radio in Hastings, too.
Radio without a mouse.....what must that be like?

I can't imagine radio without mice. Hey your dad's KMAN was kind of a big deal--that was the station the guys at Ft. Riley listened to as they awaited deployment to 'Nam.

Craig didja know I spent two months doing Nebraska radio too? Morning "drive" news on WOW in Omaha, before I tricked KGW into hiring me.

I know about those nonexistent talent fees. That was my rate for the Channel 8 off-camera stuff I did in the 70's. Worth every cent.

Craig: Had the pleasure of meeting your Dad around 1980 at KCYX. He was visiting the station at the time promoting the Dairy Farmers of Oregon. I member Deane Johnson KCYX Owner, who was another Nebraska broadcaster, swapping old radio stores with your Dad. What I remember most, how proud he was of You.

Dad was a great broadcaster. He was on the air the morning Pearl Harbor was attacked and he was pulling an air shift the day peace was announced. In between, he was an Intelligence and Public Information Officer in the Army. He also MC'ed Army talent shows and anything else he could find that included a microphone. I think he knew every broadcaster in the state.
I know he got a lot of enjoyment out of my career. He was always telling people that I was his son. I haven't a clue how he worked it into their conversation!!
Oh, John. Needless to say, WOW's loss was one of the best things that ever happened to the Big 62.

Much green grass, CW!

WOW was a pretty cool station for its time and place. The ND who hired me was Paul Fredericks, who later did morning news on KFRC. Jimmy O'Neil from Hootenany or Shindig or something was the morning jock. Some of Johnny Carson's old pals were still around. I would've stayed, but I'd been pounding on KGW's door for more than a year. Had to pay back WOW for the move, $500, which KGW advanced me out of my big (barely) 5-figure salary--and that reduction followed me my entire ten years with King Broadcasting...

I haven't looked it up yet but am pretty sure I've heard Jimmy O'Neil associated with Shindig.

Jimmy O'Neilstone hosted "Shinrock" on an episode of the Flintstones, which featured the Beau Brummelstones singing "Laugh Laugh." That was absolute favorite episode! The Beau Brummelstones totally blow "Charlie & Irving" out of the water.

Yes, but Charlie & Irving's 'hit' was pretty catchy!

"Here we come, on the run, with a burger on a bun..."

Thenks for the memory, Randy!

Craig,
I wish I could say my day(with more to come in the future) at KHAS was radio without mice, but it wasn't quite that retro. Most of the music was on hard drive, a bunch of cd's. The only thing missing were turntables and vinyl. But, still, to be live and local, having to backtime and all, was a wonderful experience that I can't wait to repeat.

What frequency was KRGI?

KRGI Grand Island, Nebraska began operation on April 1, 1953 on 1430kc with 1KW directional nights. Day power was increased to 5KW in the 1960's. KRGI also has an FM sister KRGI-FM.

I spent some time listening to KRGI the other day. Couldn't tell for sure if they are satellite-fed, voice tracked or live. But their music sounds exactly the same as KHAS.

Well, it took long enough, but I got back on the air yesterday. Had my notes from the first time around, only one real screw up. No one was killed and the station didn't burn down, so all is well. And I get to go back again next Thursday too.

WOO HOO!

Hooray For you.

I applied for a UW opening at the old KTOY now KXOT on my birthday as my last gasp... found out today that my application was considered, but not selected. At least I was considered. Most of the time I wasn't.

Hooray for me!

Knock em dead Outsider........

Knockin' 'em dead is what I'm doing at this very moment Rog. So far, I consider the day a success, since the station hasn't burned down and no one's been killed. The only thing coming up that is streamed on the www is the 5p.m. (CDT) news block. I think there is a link on www.hastingslink.com. Good luck on finding it though.

That's all for now. Up next, Eddie Rabbit and Crstal Gayle, You and I on 1230, KHAS.

1230 is a bad frequency.

Bad? How so?

I've settled into the Sunday morning shift, 6a.m. to noon. Music, news, sports and church.

It's worth the hour drive each way.

Hey Craig Adams: The hockey broadcasts I do are now on KLIQ FM. (www.kliqfm.com) What a small world. I worked at KLIQ (at Oaks Park) in 1985 and now, halfway across the country at 22 years later, I'm on KLIQ again. Amazing, isn't it?!?!

Outsider: Tell your PD to use "Click Radio" as a slogan. Tell him "The Breeze" blows!

It's better than "lick"!

Unless you're "pitching woo" with the wife!

Hmmmmmm...Click Radio, eh? Couldn't be any worse than Kwik 136 when KUIK last played music a bazillion years ago.

I can suggest, but, then again, I'll probably forget.

Hey Craig, that would be an interesting project for you: How many former Portland-area call letters are alive in other markets.

Careful, "click" is the sound the radio makes when someone is shutting it off...

Outsider: I have all the former calls but it would take to much time entering them all into the "recnet" site. That time I need to finish the KXL History for which I spent 6 hours on just yesterday.

Wow. Busy boy, huh? If there's any way I can help, I'd be glad to.

Ron, "click" is also the sound the radio makes when someone turns it on.

In scanning through this thread it was interesting to be reminded again of Craig and his dad and their ties to Nebraska radio.

Sadly, Journal Broadcasting of Milwaukee, current owner of WOW dropped the WOW call letters several years ago and has had several nondescript sets on it since. The station is totally in the dumper through Journal's extremely bad management decisions.

These kinds of happenings are extremely sad.

That's such a shame when something like that happens. There was such a time when stations didn't appreciate the heritage of 3 letter calls. With that lack of understand also comes an inability to connect with the market.

Even my shot working for you years ago didn't work out Deane, I'd still like to see the opportunity for people like you to be back in the bosses chair once again.

>>>"Even my shot working for you years ago didn't work out Deane"

Refresh me on these circumstances.

Check your email.