Kansas City Radio & Television

11.17.2009
KSHB morning anchor Jeff Vaughn is leaving for an anchor gig at KENS-TV, the CBS affiliate in San Antonio. In fact, they've already put him on the station website. Meanwhile, weekend meteorologist Jeremy Nelson is also leaving KSHB for family reasons.
Vaughn story link

11.6.2009
WDAF (106.5) has signed Blake Powers for mornings on the Wolf. Powers comes from Denver, where he was doing late afternoons on a CHR station there.

11.6.2009
KQTP (102.9) in Topeka will change call letters to KTOP-FM, bringing some heritage call letters back to the FM dial. Cumulus doesn't plan any format change, just the call letter change.

11.2.2009
Happy November! KCKC (Star 102) is already playing Christmas music. Some stations around the country started before Halloween this year. KUDL imported their Christmas playlist about 90 minutes after KCKC.

10.31.2009
You probably noticed KSHB using new graphics and music this week. Scripps went to a centralized graphics hub model, so the graphics will be uniform across their stations. These graphics are based on Scripps' Phoenix station, which is why you see so much orange and yellow. I anticipate they will be tweaked to match KSHB's set more closely.

10.23.2009
Longtime Kansas City radio personality Kelly Urich, who had been running his own internet radio station this year, will return to the FM band for the midday shift at KKSN. Urich would be the only local talent, as Kiss FM airs syndicated shows in the morning, afternoon drive and at night.

10.19.2009
I ran across an interesting story out of Michigan in which the Meredith-owned station in Saginaw is running its own obituary site, and running obituaries on the air for a fee. Meredith says they plan to roll out the same thing at their other stations, which would include KCTV.
>>Link

10.15.2009
This week KCHZ began adding more mainstream pop hits to their playlist. They're also using the slogan "All the Hits," which has been the operating procedure for Cumulus CHR stations lately. There's no indication of changing names to match new Cumulus CHR stations i93.3 in Dallas and i106.7 in Nashville. Furthermore, the station dismissed morning show husband and wife team Shorty and Mike Savage.

10.8.2009
KMXN flipped to country "92.9 the Bull" at noon today. The syndicated Big D & Bubba show will air in the mornings. Topeka now has four country stations, all with different owners.

10.7.2009
Former KCMO and KMBZ host Russ Johnson passed away this week in suburban Denver. KC Confidential reports Johnson might've killed himself.

10.7.2009
Meredith Broadcasting has named Robert Totsch the new General Manager of KCTV and KSMO, replacing Kirk Black. Totsch has been at Belo's KMOV in St. Louis for 21 years; he's also the president of the CBS Sales Advisory Committee.

10.7.2009
KMXN (92.9) in Topeka is stunting with television theme songs. If a format change is occurring, it would be the fifth in the last six years. I heard a rumor about a flip to country a while back, but I was skeptical at the time. RadioInsight is now tweeting about Great Plains Media registering bull929.com back on September 18th, so perhaps Topeka is about to get its fourth country station. I've also heard the syndicated Big D and Bubba show might be signed up for morning drive.

10.6.2009
WDAF-TV celebrates 60 years on the air October 16th. That night former anchor Cynthia Smith will return to the station to anchor the 6:00 news with Phil Witt, and possibly the 10:00 show. A 9:30 retrospective will also air on Thursday the 15th. Friday's 10pm show is approximate, because I think the 16th is game 1 of the ALCS. The first pitch of the ALCS and World Series games have moved up to 6:57 Central time, but that doesn't mean the games won't run long.

10.4.2009
The Mid-America Regional Emmys took place in St. Louis Saturday night. These are the awards you generally see promoted on the air. Scanning the list, it appears the main four Kansas City TV stations each won in at least four categories, and almost every station in Missouri won something. However, KMBC did win for news excellence, best newscast and weather coverage.

10.1.2009
Paul Marshall (NeanderPaul) has left KQRC. A few days later, Jason Nivens returned to the station to take his spot.

9.24.2009
I've returned from vacation (and what the hell is going on with my Jayhawks??). Anyway, WDAF-TV reshuffled their weekend lineup, naming Kim Byrnes morning weekend anchor, and Stephanie Hockridge and Dave Froehlich evening weekend anchors. Previously, anchors like Tom Lawrence and Paul Herdtner were pulling the suicidal morning-evening shift all weekend.

9.24.2009
KLRQ in Clinton, which airs the K-Love network, has been off the air for much of the past month due to transmitter trouble. They anticipate returning to full power soon.

9.24.2009
KCXL and KCTO hope to have their upgraded transmitters in place by mid-October.

9.24.2009
Last week, Kansas City joined the list of markets using PPMs, or "people meters" to measure radio listening habits. The meters are not without controversy; minority broadcast groups believe it will hurt their ratings, and therefore their sales. One Spanish language radio group has challenged the PPMs in court.

9.8.2009
KCTO (1160 kHz) will reportedly start stunting with Christmas music in October 1st as they prepare for a new format separate from KCXL. Both stations were recently approved for facility upgrades.

9.6.2009
Cumulus is buying translator K225AW (originally licensed to 92.9 mHz, but moved to 92.7) from Horizon Christian Fellowship. K225AW is licensed to Independence.

8.31.2009
Perhaps you saw KMBC morning anchor Dion Lim's story about the mad dash for a wedding dress in Boston (for which she was a part). The Boston Herald captured a side of Lim not shown in her original story. FTVLive.com put it on their front page.
>>Link

8.31.2009
This was the last day for SkyFox at WDAF-TV. Local TV LLC. ordered the grounding of the chopper, which will be stripped of its equipment. WDAF is working on alternative methods for covering breaking news from the air.

8.27.2009
KSFT has changed call letters to KESJ.

8.22.2009
Larry Moffitt is back on the air. He has an afternoon radio show on KDKD-FM (95.3) in Clinton, Missouri. KDKD is generally not receivable around the Kansas City area.

8.22.2009
Traffic reporter Rhiannon Ally is leaving KCTV to host a show for Meredith-owned Better TV, which is a TV version of the magazine Better Homes and Gardens. I believe Meredith produces Better TV in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, where Meredith-owned CBS affiliate WFSB is also located. In the meantime, Chuck Harmon (aka Chuck Nasty, aka Nine Finger Charlie), will give traffic reports until KCTV hires someone new.

8.19.2009
There will be a change at the top at KCTV. General Manager Kirk Black is leaving to take the same job with Meredith's WGCL in Atlanta. Black came to KCTV eight years ago, helping change the station's news philosophy and overseeing a huge turnover in the on-air staff.

8.18.2009
The FCC granted KCXL (1140 kHz) a construction permit to increase daytime power to 4kw. The station still needs to buy the equipment for the upgrade. After the power increase, it appears sister station KCTO (1160 kHz) will be programmed more independently, with the possibility of adult standards at least part of the time.

8.17.2009
KSFT in St. Joseph will flip from satellite-fed oldies to ESPN sports on August 25th. KSFT carries St. Louis Cardinals baseball and Missouri Tiger sports.

8.17.2009
KKSN has named Dan Persigehl as their new PD. He comes from Entercom's Portland cluster.

8.17.2009
KCTV's new weekend morning meteorologist made her debut this weekend. Iris Hermosillo comes from KSNF in Joplin.

8.5.2009
KCTV signed a one-year contract with radio station WHB to provide local sports segments for the TV station, though not the traditional nightly sports roundup. KCTV dropped its own sports department several years ago, previously outsourcing to Metro Sports. Metro Sports currently only provides a Chiefs pregame show.

8.5.2009
A judge ruled a lawsuit filed by three KMBC personalities is eligible for arbitration. That's a blow to Kelly Eckerman, Maria Antonia and Peggy Breit, who sought to bring their age discrimination lawsuit to trial. Earlier this summer, a judge removed KMBC General Manager Wayne Godsey from the list of defendants.

7.30.2009
Weekend anchor Paul Herdtner is leaving WDAF-TV to become the public relations director for the Mutual Fund Store in Overland Park. Herdtner originally arrived as a morning show anchor.

7.18.2009
Former CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite passed away yesterday at the age of 92. His fading health had been speculated widely for the past month. Cronkite was born in St. Joseph. He also worked briefly as a sports reporter at KCMO in the 1930s.

7.14.2009
This is going to be a busy week for bankruptcy courts and the TV world. New Vision Television, owner of KSNT in Topeka and KSNW in Wichita, filed for Chapter 11 protection today. Sinclair Broadcasting, a one time owner in KC, is expected to be next after reporting $11 million in cash and $1.4 billion in debt. The courts also canceled the planned auction of Young Broadcasting, but it does not appear Local TV LLC., owner of WDAF-TV, will be taking over those assets (the hot rumour is HIG Capital of Miami taking over).

7.11.2009
Liana Joyce is leaving KCTV after 39 years in Kansas City media. Joyce started at KCMO radio in 1970.

7.7.2009
KSHB recently laid off sports reporter/anchor Leon Liebl. However, they have rehired Lisa Holbrook to cover sports on a per diem basis. You might've noticed her on the air tonight.

7.7.2009
President Obama has nominated KCUR General Manager Patricia Cahill to serve on the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

6.29.2009
Local TV LLC. recently offered a second round of buyouts at Fox 4. Sports Director Frank Boal is one of the people taking a buyout. Boal started working at the station in 1981. His last day is June 30th.
>>More information

6.29.2009
Former KCTV and radio traffic reporter Ally Francis received three months probation for pleading guilty to money laundering. Francis was part of a scheme to overbill a wholseale grocer for cleaning services. She pleaded guilty in exchange for testimony against other defendants.

6.23.2009
Silver Point Finance has taken over KUKC-LP, as Equity Media Holdings was unable to find a buyer. Silver Point was a major financer of Equity Media and pushed for liquidation after Equity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Equity put KUKC up for auction in April, but then withdrew it.

6.23.2009
KKSN's only local weekday host, Michelle Nichols, is leaving after three months on the midday shift.

6.14.2009
The FCC has approved KCTO's (1160 kHz) application to increase daytime power to 5kw. That would greatly improve coverage in Johnson and Jackson counties. KCXL (1140 kHz) will resubmit an application to increase daytime power to 4kw.

6.13.2009
The time has come and gone for the digital TV switch, and as far as I know, the sun came up behind those clouds. All Kansas City full powered stations dropped their analog signals at 9:00 a.m., with the exception of KMBC, which will run a DTV infomercial for the next month. KCWE and KTAJ had actually shut off their analog signals months ahead of schedule. Stations will have the option of using a TV or DT suffix, or no suffix at all if possible. I will work on updating those files when I have the chance. The tower heights will not be accurate since many stations have not removed their analog transmitters from the tops of towers yet.

6.10.2009
After four years with WDAF-TV, Anchor Shelli Lockhart is leaving to return to Boston. Her last day is June 19.

6.6.2009
According to the Pitch, a former KCTV Operations Manager is suing over a supposed hostile atmosphere at the station, generally running from 2002 to her termination in 2008. Why she is filing the lawsuit now is unclear.
>>Article

5.26.2009
KSHB named Peggy Phillip the new News Director, replacing Rick Iler. Phillip spent the last year at co-owned WMAR in Baltimore.

5.14.2009
KCFX let morning host Doug Medlock go, reducing them to, at the moment, one live voice during the week.

5.12.2009
After a decade, program director Thom McGinty is out at KUDL. Mark Hamlin will be the new PD, coming from South Carolina.

5.1.2009
KLZR quietly signed a contract with the syndicated Bob and Sheri morning show; it started airing this week.

5.1.2009
With the failure of Equity Broadcasting, KUKC-LP, the Kansas City Univision affiliate, is up for sale. Other Equity stations have already been sold.

4.26.2009
Nivens is no longer at KQRC. You can watch a YouTube message from him below.
>>Video

4.16.2009
The Jayhawk TV network will move to KSMO starting in this fall. That covers Kansas Jayhawk football and basketball coaches shows, plus some men's basketball games. That depends on how many games ESPN/ABC and CBS want, and ESPN takes a lot of them. KSMO had the network in the 1990s and early 2000s as well, before KMCI claimed it.

4.15.2009
KTAJ will shut off its analog signal Thursday, April 16th.

4.5.2009
The Kansas City Star ran an article chronicling the financial struggle of KKFI. Regardless of what one might think of the station's politics, it would be a shame to see another local voice silenced.
>>Article

4.3.2009
KMXN is now airing the syndicated "Free Beer and Hot Wings" morning show, which is based out of WGRD in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They were unable to negotiate a new contract with the Bob and Tom show.

3.26.2009
Well, it appears Sound Lantern will cease to exist March 31. The sound files will obviously stop working for a while until I find another host.

3.24.2009
Cumulus laid off more people Monday at its Kansas City stations (mostly behind the scenes). Between here and Topeka there aren't many live voices left at its properties.

3.23.2009
Morris Communications employees will have wages cut between 5 and 10%. Morris is also reportedly shopping around WIBW and WIBW-FM.

3.16.2009
An update on KMBC - Len Dawson is not fully retiring. He is cutting back his schedule to vacation relief plus a regular Chiefs segments during the season on Sundays.

3.13.2009
KMBC is exepcted to announce a major retirement next week. The buzz is sports anchor Len Dawson will announce his departure, but so far, no confirmation. Promos are advertising a major announcement Monday night at 10:00. There had been rumours earlier in the year about KMBC negotiating a deal with Metro Sports, which recently parted ways with KCTV. It could also bring Dave Stewart back on the air at KMBC, where he once worked.

3.13.2009
Some of you wrote asking why WDAF-TV is not on Cox Cable in Topeka anymore. KTMJ/Topeka exercised their option to block us from cable systems in the Topeka market. Previously, NewsCorp negotiated deals to extend WDAF to cable systems outside its DMA. New owner Local TV LLC. is not doing that.

3.13.2009
A new translator, K273BF, signed on at 102.5 mHz in St. Joseph. It is retransmitting KGNM's programming.

3.10.2009
KSHB News Director Rick Iler resigned today over a personnel matter at the station. A producer was briefly suspended over the same matter.

3.8.2009
Voiceover artist Brian James died last week from a heart attack at age 48. He wasn't local, but you probably knew his voice. James provided voiceovers for 101 the Fox and previously 98.9 the Rock. KDWB in Minneapolis set up a tribute page with some of his work.
>>Link

3.7.2009
Due to departures, Fox 4 is shuffling the deck again. Mark Alford and Loren Halifax will anchor the noon show in addition to the morning show. Paul Herdtner will solo anchor the weekends. Dave Froehlich, Stephanie Hockridge, Leslie Carto and Megan Cloherty are back in the reporting mix five days per week.

2.28.2009
KCPT names Kliff Kuehl its new president. Kuehl comes from KNPB in Reno, NV.

2.28.2009
ThisTV will actually debut March 3 on a KCWE subchannel. Thanks to Joey Phillips for the screencap.

2.26.2009
Steve Forman of KMAJ is the latest Cumulus casualty. The station will pipe in a syndicated show from Philadelphia in his place. Rumours are now circulating Cumulus will eliminate all of its Topeka on-air staff in favor of syndication and voice tracking from other markets.

Site Update
I changed the layout of the site. Hopefully there are no issues with the way it looks on your computer. I ditched the frames and the arduous mapping and created a simple new logo. The menu requires Javascript. The featured media will usually be in the green Sound Lantern player. I'm still working out some kinks and uploading sound files, so please be patient.

2.18.2009
WIBW-TV, KTWU and KTKA all ceased analog broadcasting yesterday. KSNT is acting as the Topeka market's "night light" station, continuing analog transmission until June 12. Remember that Topeka stations changed DTV allocations (now using their old analog assignments), so rescan the TV. And if you have a UHF-only setup, you will need to add a VHF antenna to receive WIBW and KTWU.

2.15.2009
KCWE will add ThisTV as a digital subchannel on March 1. ThisTV shows MGM and United Artist movies.

2.13.2009
Cumulus has been laying off a lot of people lately. KDVV's Derek Wolf, KMAJ-FM's Rose Diehl and KMAJ's Deb Goodrich are among the Topeka personalities let go. KMAJ will pick up Dave Ramsey's syndicated show.

2.12.2009
DTV update: All Kansas City stations have relented, and decided to keep their analog transmitters on to June 12. Topeka and Wichita were set for February 17. However, the FCC won't let everyone shut off early. KSNT drew the short straw in Topeka, and they will stay on until June 12.
>>FCC list of station deadlines

2.4.2009
After 19 years, morning show host Dan Hurst is out at KUDL.

2.2.2009
This clip is from WFSB in Hartford, Connecticut. I think a graphic artist is looking for a new job.

Site Update
I'm shutting off my analog transmission too. No, not really, but I hope to ditch the current site design around February 17. Let's face it, I'm not a professional graphic designer for a reason. But I will eliminate the frames, and hopefully, make the site a little easier to read. As always, if you have something to contribute, contact me. So look for the new layout in a few weeks.

2.1.2009
Despite the likely delay in the DTV deadline, don't look for many, if any, Kansas City analog signals to stay on the air. Local TV, LLC. has told all their stations, including WDAF, that analog broadcasting will cease on Feb. 17 regardless of Congressional action. Stations are not budgeted for dual transmissions beyond that date. If you know of any stations that will potentially keep their analog signals on the air to June 12, let me know.

2.1.2009
Hearst-Argyle has reached a new deal with Sunflower Broadband, putting KMBC and KCWE back on the cable lineup.

1.26.2009
WDAF-TV's new website launched on Tuesday afternoon. The new URL is http://www.fox4kc.com. Fox 4 lost their old URL in the sale to Local TV, LLC., though it will continue to redirect for another three months.

1.26.2009
KCTV is losing most of their weekend morning show. Anchor/weekday reporter Surae Chinn and husband meteorologist Devon Lucie are leaving for Washington, D.C., where Chinn has landed a reporting job at Gannett-owned WUSA (hopefully they get the furloughs out of the way before she arrives).

1.20.2009
Along with a new program director arriving from Wisconsin, KCSP will reportedly make some on-air changes. Chris and the Cowboy move to morning drive. Dan Patrick's syndicated show will air from 9-11 in the morning. Roger Twibell moves to afternoon drive. Those changes take effect next month.

1.13.2009
99.7 the Boulevard reached a sudden dead end today, when Entercom flipped the station to Hot AC "99.7 Kiss FM." The Boulevard, which had morphed from something resembling adult alternative to your standard classic rock, lasted one year and two days. The new station is entirely syndicated at this point, with Kidd Kraddick in the morning, Ryan Seacrest during afternoon drive and Kim Iverson at night. The new call letters are KKSN. If you could hear the station (don't know the deal behind the audio problems over the last 36 hours), the format began at 3:00 with an hour of American Idol songs, leading up to Seacrest.

1.4.2009
Weekend anchor Jere Gish will leave KMBC; he is returning to his old station in Pennsylvania. Jim Flink will move back to weekends. Kris Ketz and Donna Pittman will alternate co-anchoring the last two hours of the morning show with Dion Lim.

1.1.2009
Time Warner and Viacom resolved their differences, but a few local channels did not. Sunflower Broadband dropped KMBC and KCWE from the lineup as compensation negotiations stalled. Dish Network dropped Topeka's KTKA for the same reason.

1.1.2009
On January 19th, KQTV in St. Joseph will lower their tower 200 feet and reduce analog power in preparation to move their digital signal to channel 7.

12.22.2008
You might've noticed the featured sound is being hosted by Sound Lantern. I hope to move some audio clips onto that site, which seems to maintain the sound quality much better than YouTube. You can see a couple of embedded sounds on the 104.3 page, 105.9 page and 106.5 page.

12.22.2008
With the demise of NBC Weather Plus, KSHB is transitioning to its own weather channel on its digital subchannel (42.2 digitally, 41.2 on your TV).

12.22.2008
Former KUDL and WHB morning co-host and longtime production man Chuck Hayes died earlier this month from cancer.

12.15.2008
As announced earlier, KCWE shut off its analog signal this morning. The switch occurred at the end of KMBC's morning newscast. KMBC will move its digital signal to channel 29, hence the need for an early shutdown at KCWE.

12.9.2008
Sports is not on a good streak in Kansas City. KCTV will drop Metro Sports from its nightly newscasts. Metro will continue to provide a Chiefs pregame and postgame show. KCTV does not have any plans to restart sports on their own.

12.9.2008
KMRN (1360 kHz) in Cameron, Missouri, has switched from talk to country.

12.3.2008
Longtime television news anchor Stan Carmack died last week at the age of 71. Carmack worked at KCMO-TV/KCTV for 21 years. He also had a four-year stint at KMBC, as seen in this video.
>>Video

11.24.2008
The game is over for the 38 Sports Spot. KSHB and KMCI canceled the show after five years, citing economic reasons.

11.18.2008
KCWE won't wait until February. The CW affiliate will turn off its analog signal on December 15th, becoming the first DTV-only station in Kansas City (for a couple of months, anyway).

11.14.2008
27 years after the Christine Craft lawsuit, KMBC watches history repeat itself. Kelly Eckerman, Peggy Breit and Maria Antonia sued KMBC and Hearst-Argyle for age and gender discrimination. Eckerman is 48, Antonia is 49 and Breit is 54. They all cited changes to their schedules in deference to the younger females to the station, and different standards for the older males on the air.
>>lawsuit (.pdf)

11.12.2008
Kelly Urich is leaving KMXV after more than ten years with the station. Urich will record a show for Sirius-XM satellite radio.

11.7.2008
Christmas music? You bet. KCKC and KUDL both flipped the switch within hours of each other.

11.7.2008
KTKA laid off several employees, including anchor Sophia (Wharton) Spencer. It appears they will cancel their morning and noon news.

11.3.2008
I updated KKWK's status to show they have changed from adult contemporary to classic hits.

10.27.2008
This is not the best time to be in radio. On the heels of Entercom's job cuts, Cumulus issued its own layoffs at the Kansas City and Topeka clusters recently. That includes Rich and Luann at KQTP, Chris Gallagher at KMAJ, Charlie Knight and Don Daniels from KCMO-FM, Moffitt and Frankie from KCFX and Dell Rice from KMJK. When Wilks Broadcasting took over the CBS/Infinity stations, they made some job cuts... could they do it again? In the newspaper world, KC Star reporters are very worried about their job security post-election. And in television, we're always worried!

10.27.2008
KMBC is broadcasting on a second digital subchannel now. The first one is weather. The second one appears to just show full screen versions of programming.

10.20.2008
KCTV transitioned to high definition newscasts this week. That leaves WDAF as the only newscast not in HD.

10.17.2008
Entercom swings the axe repeatedly at their Kansas City-area offices. Market Manager Herndon Hasty, PD Greg Bergen, sports reporter Rhonda Moss and several others are all out. The company also stopped matching 401(k) funds.

10.5.2008
Jim Welch passed away a couple of weeks ago in Phoenix. He worked in Kansas City under his real name at KMBR/KLTH, and earlier at WHB under the name Greg Austin.
>>Article

10.5.2008
Admittedly, I whiffed on KSNT's owner buying KTMJ, the FOX affiliate in Topeka. That happened some time ago. Now the two stations have combined forces. KTMJ will begin a 7:00 a.m. newscast at the end of the month. Also in Topeka, KTKA has been up for sale since the summer, but so far, no buyer has come forward.

10.5.2008
I've already seen Christmas decorations sharing space with Halloween decorations. Not surprisingly, Christmas music is already on the air too. KCXL (1140 kHz) and KCTO (1160 kHz) are airing Christmas music on the weekends. KCTO also plays an hour of it at 11:00 in the morning during the week. 10.4.2008
One more change at Fox 4: Laura Thornquist has resigned. The morning-turned-weekend anchor leaves the station on October 17th.

9.30.2008
KCTV has moved to a temporary set while they install a new set for their HD broadcasts.

9.25.2008
There are changes afoot at Fox 4. Starting October 6, Mark Alford and Loren Halifax will anchor all four hours of the morning show. Paul Herdtner and Laura Thornquist move to all of the weekend shows. Dave Froehlich and Stephanie Hockridge team up to anchor the noon show. Rob Low and Heather Claybrook go back to full-time reporting.

9.22.2008
I'm experimenting with uploading clips from my aircheck collection to YouTube. Between Windows Movie Maker and YouTube itself, I'm not happy with the file compression and audio quality. But if there's interest, I'll upload more files.

9.19.2008
KCMO-FM signs up for the Tom Kent classic hits radio feed for weekends.

8.28.2008
KCTV secures the rights for the Plaza light ceremony over the next three years.

8.28.2008
KSHB's Keith King appears to be moving off the weekend anchor desk for investigative reporting duties during the week.

8.23.2008
As a journalist, you freak out momentarily when a competitor beats you to a story. I'm sure a lot of journalists felt that way as KMBC interrupted Oprah Friday afternoon to show us a Barack Obama/Evan Bayh bumper sticker printed in Lenexa. Drudge picked up on it. So did the L.A. Times. Unfortunately for KMBC, they didn't scoop the nation, instead receiving a vigorous wedgie once it became clear Joe Biden was the running mate. Remember, they interrupted a high profile program to bring us the story originally. Aaron Barnhardt had the best line: sticker shock. Around 5:00, we remembered John Kerry did the same thing in 2004. He printed stickers with multiple combinations, including Dick Gephardt. The New York Post got burned back then. We examined the font: it wasn't the same. Then medaline.com reported seeing Obama/Biden stickers in Springfield, Illinois. MSNBC started reporting Tim Kaine and Evan Bayh were out. By 6:30, the story had unraveled, and we were left with Laura Ingraham telling us the sticker looked like something a kid printed in his garage. I doubt anyone will lose their job over this, but credibility decreased dramatically.

8.17.2008
KCPT will discontinue its auctions, apparently for not generating enough revenue. The interim CEO of the public television station made this decision.

8.17.2008
As expected, both Afentra and Lazlo return to KRBZ for separate shows starting next week.

8.9.2008
KSHB debuted its new set after the Olympic opening ceremony last night. The set is from the FX group design team; it looks fairly sharp. I'm still not a fan of the thick block-lettered lower-thirds. In case you're wondering, my favorite set design is at WFXT in Boston. KCTV will reportedly start broadcasting its news in high definition in September, though these things have a way of getting pushed back into a sweeps period (November). With WDAF's new owner paying $66 million in interest each month as part of the loan they took out to buy all those FOX stations, don't look for HD anytime this decade.

7.26.2008
A new cp for 91.1 in St. Joseph takes the call letters KSJI. Good News Ministries, owner of KGNM (1270 kHz), owns this construction permit.