Texas TV news and radio job moves January 2025

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DALLAS - FORT WORTH

Executive Editor of The Dallas Morning News Katrice Hardy announced her departure to become the CEO of the Marshall Project.

FOX 4 KDFW morning director Ben Sikes retires after 25 years. 

820 WBAP and 93.3 cut ties with evening host Chris Krok.

Eric Bushman left 820 WBAP as assistant news director in September 2024.

Sportsradio 96.7/1310 The Ticket celebrates 31 Years on the air.

Alice Rios joins the City of Dallas as the official spokesperson for all multicultural media. She is a former journalist who spent 24 years as an anchor / reporter with CBS Newsradio 1080, KRLD.

Zann Fredlund named program director for The New Mix 102.9 KDMX.

Big D Claims Three Of The Top 10 Contemporary Christian Stations.

CRS 2025 honors New Country 96.3 KSCS morning host Mark “Hawkeye” Louis as the recipient of the Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award. 

The Josh Hammer Show joins 660 AM The Answer KSKY on Saturday nights.

Jay Shannon exits iHeartMedia DFW.

Texas Rangers games will be streamed on Victory+.

- "The Musers" reduce "The Ticket" morning show hours
- Cassie Heiter joins WFAA 8 DFW
- FOX 4 KDFW breaks ground on new state-of-the-art studio
- Kyle Roberts leaves WFAA DFW
- Casey Stegall returns to FOX 4 KDFW
- NBC DFW launches morning streaming newscast
- Texas Rangers To broadcast 15 games on over-the-air TV
- Cleo Greene leaves WFAA 8, her position eliminated
- 94.9 KLTY DFW last day on air January 31, 2025

HOUSTON

Bill Ingram celebrates 28 years with 89.3 KSBJ.

Investigative reporter Jeremy Rogalski celebrates 24 years with KHOU 11.

The Matt Thomas Show celebrates 15 years on SportsTalk 790 KBME.

KPRC 2 morning meteorologist Justin Stapleton celebrates 10 years.

KPRC 2 executive producer Robin Freese leaves the TV biz to join Transocean.

Wes Rodda joins KPRC 2 as marketing director from 11Alive WXIA Atlanta where he was director of marketing.

Gerardo Sproet promoted to middays from evenings at 93Q KKBQ.

Long time Houston-based AP reporter Juan Lozano lost his wife to cancer and ran the Houston Marathon in her honor.

KTSU 90.9FM announces the appointment of Devan Wade as its new Coordinator of News, Sports, and Podcasts. 

Laura Dickerson joins Q99.7 WWWQ Atlanta as APD/midday host from 104.1 KRBE where she was Music Director and will continue to voice track nights in Houston. 

Briahn Hawkins joins FOX 26 KRIV as Creative Content Associate Producer.

90.1 KPFT has January schedule changes.

Houston country radio legends are together again (for the first time!)  Former KILT PM Drive personality Rowdy Yates and former KKBQ PM Drive personality “Cactus Jack” Talley joined forces to co-host the Cole Gordon Helping Hand Foundation fundraiser at the Lone Star Flight Museum.  It is still undetermined how much money was raised, but overnight Nielsen ratings indicate that while Jack had an exceedingly large cume, Rowdy converted more TSL and took the lead in overall share for the evening. 

- Liz Roldán joins CW39 Houston
- Rod Ryan addresses Tessa Barrera's replacement
- Frito and Katy Show join 100.3 The Bull Houston
- Rita Garcia reveals baby #2 gender
- Caroline Brown gives pregnancy update
- 100.3 The Bull address listeners concerning morning show
- “Runaway Radio” wins Houston Film Critics Society award!
- Sarah Pepper returns to Houston Life
- Kevin Ozebek joins ABC7 KABC Los Angeles
- Houston and Texas TV crews sled, have snowball fights
- Christine Noël joins FOX 31 Denver
- Amy Davis and KPRC 2 win duPont-Columbia Award 2025
- Colonel St. James remembered by Texas Radio Hall of Fame
- Erica Rico celebrates 15 years with 93Q Houston

SAN ANTONIO

KENS 5 afternoon anchor Sarah Forgany is the cover story for San Antonio Woman Magazine.

KENS 5 morning anchor Audrey Castoreno was inducted into the J. Frank Dobie High School Hall of Honor.

KSAT 12 promotions producer Alyssa Medina shares her postpartum running journey.

 Zora Asberry joins Society with Karen Grace.

- Audrey Castoreno re-joins KENS 5 San Antonio mornings
- Jeannette Calle celebrates 10 years with News 4 San Antonio
- Diana Rocco leaves News 4 San Antonio WOAI
- Fmr. San Antonio TV anchor now in LA talks wildfires
- Shelby Ebertowski joins KSAT 12 San Antonio

AUSTIN

Jessica Priest joins the Texas Tribune as a higher education reporter.

Alex Driggars joins the Austin American-Statesman to cover the Texas Capitol from the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Texas Monthly and Community Impact create partnership.

- Brianna Perez joins KVUE Austin
- Ryan Chandler joins NBC News from KXAN Austin
- Austin Burkes joins KATV ABC 7 Little Rock
- Atiana San Miguel joins FOX 7 Austin
- Live from UT Austin, it's the Saturday Night Live archives
- Avery Travis and Will DuPree promoted to KXAN anchors
- Zack Shields celebrates 25 years with FOX 7 Austin

AROUND TEXAS

25 News Now KAVU Victoria news director/anchor James Munoz celebrates 27 years in the TV news industry.

KRGV 5 RGV engineer Jaime Garcia retires after 45 years with the station.

KIII 3 Corpus Christi director Ricky White retires after more than 30 years running 3NEWS's production and commercial business sides.

KFDX 3 Wichita Falls expands its noon newscast to a full hour.

Melissa Herrera joins KFOX14 El Paso as a morning reporter.

Will Riddell is a new digital multi-skilled journalist for CBS19 KYTX Tyler.

Geoff Haxton leaves 100.7 The Score KTTU Lubbock. 

Mateo Rosiles joins the Lubbock Avalanche Journal as its new Government and Public Policy Reporter.

NewsChannel 10 KFDA Amarillo investigative journalist Alissa Spangler celebrates 5 years.

Texas Broadcast Museum opens working ‘Studio 8’ months after huge equipment salvage

Former KFDM Beaumont news anchor Kerry Andersen was celebrating on Bourbon Street early New Year's Day and missed the attack by a matter of minutes.

Gospel 97.3 1510 KAGC/K247CS Bryan flips formats to Magic 97.3.

Dominique Garcia joins Townsquare Media Midland/Odessa as its new Director of Content.

- Where is Lindsay Liepman?
- Zack Owen to broadcast on Waco mornings again
- Rudy Treviño leaves KIII anchoring, still Domingo Live host
- Suzanne Stevens joins KRIS 6 Corpus Christi
- Texas TV engagements closing out 2024
- Mariah Conduff leaves CBS19 KYTX Tyler
- Victoria Lara and Andrea Valdez leave KLTV and KTRE Tyler
- Zach Brown joins WCHS ABC 8 / Fox 11 in Charleston
- Lexie Walker joins NBC 23 Valley Storm KVEO
- Texas media babies here or on the way!

REMEMBERING

Douglas Ray Frederiksen, iHeart Media Houston engineer, has died. 

Christian Radio veteran (including KSBJ and KJIC Houston) Susan O’Donnell has passed away.

Donald Kyser, a voice recognized throughout the Central Texas area for over 50 years as a radio personality for KWTX and WACO radio, has died. 

- Houston TV lost two legendary photojournalists
- Colonel St. James has died

Rowdy Yates launches podcast talking to Houston radio greats

Rowdy Yates boasts a long radio career, having held on-air positions at various stations across Texas and beyond. Notably, he spent 16 years as a drive-time host at 100.3 KILT in Houston.

Now, he's using his vast industry knowledge to interview his broadcasting friends in a new podcast to hear never-before-heard tales from the radio studio.

"I think in many ways, it was the first (and in many cases) only time that a popular personality in Houston radio could really get the opportunity to express appreciation to their fans, tell their side of how things were, share a bit of the business that not many people were really aware of, and selfishly, to see my friends and get the opportunity to visit with my Houston radio heroes," Yates told mikemcguff.com.

Yates' latest episode is with Cactus Jack, formerly the afternoon DJ on 93Q KKBQ, just a few months after his near-fatal heart attack.

Other episodes include famous names like Dan Gallo, Joe Ladd, Andy Waldrop, and more.

"A few of the 'tales from the street' with veteran Houston news anchor Robert B. McEntire were quite captivating," Yates said.   "Tom Fontaine and I reminiscing (if you can call it that) over the CBS Radio coverage of Hurricane IKE was pretty entertaining.  We actually are going to do a follow-up with a number of folks that were there during that time and in the studios at 24 Greenway during the storm. I'm looking forward to that."

Yates tells me Paul Christy will be one of the next episodes.

"I think people will enjoy this because it is unscripted, unvarnished, and reveals a side of their favorite media types like they have never heard," Yates told me.   "There are no rules, no restrictions, and no frills.  It is about as raw, real and revealing as it can be."

Yates' passion for radio began at a young age.  In fact, his dad, the legendary Texas radio newsman Joe Holstead, was a respected Dallas-Fort Worth journalist for nearly 30 years at the likes of 820 WBAP and was a backup for ABC Radio's Paul Harvey. 

His start in radio at age 15 in Denton led to a career at stations such as 95.7 KIKK Houston, 98.5 KVOO Tulsa, and 101.9 The Twister KTST. 

He currently hosts "The Original Country Gold" and "The Rowdy Ride Home," nationally syndicated by SuiteRadio.

Yates is a recipient of numerous accolades, including three nominations for Disc Jockey of the Year, a 2013 Academy of Country Music Award win, and the distinction of being the youngest inductee into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

RELATED
Tuttle and Kline reunite on new podcast

Rowdy Yates · "Cactus Jack" Talley a/k/a Jack Da Wack

Texas Radio Hall Of Fame 2021 class

The Texas Radio Hall of Fame has announced the names of the 20 broadcasters joining its Class of 2021 inductees.  

The inductees are (in alphabetical order):

Randy Carroll, KAJA/San Antonio

Mac Daniels, KBOX/Dallas, KPLX/Dallas, KASE/Austin, KSCS/Dallas

Don Day, WBAP/Dallas, KSCS/Dallas, KTFW/Fort Worth

Joel Folger

Ron Foster, KIKK/Houston, KSCS/Dallas

Roger Gray

Dale Hansen WFAA 8

Jamie Hildreth

Judy Lakin, KOKE/Austin, KKBQ/Houston

Rich Lord

Johnny Marks

Bill Mayne, KASE/Austin, KSCS/Dallas, WBAP/Dallas

Charlie Ochs, KIKK/Houston

Jammin’ Jimmy Olson

Greg “Grego” Onofrio 101 KLOL and KKHH Houston

Ronnie Renfrow

Randy Schell, KKBQ/Houston

Marc Sherman

"Cactus Jack" Talley, KKBQ/Houston

Bill Zak

"After a spirited season of balloting, our voting members have selected twenty broadcast professionals to join the group of Lone Star veterans who have distinguished themselves in the radio industry," said Doug Harris, Executive Director of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. "This list of inductees represents award-winning sellers, programmers, on-air talent, and production aces along with masterful ratings and revenue generators across the industry, representing a variety of formats."

Theinduction ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at the Texas Museum of Broadcasting and Communications in Kilgore, Texas.

Tickets for the event go on sale on August 23 at www.trhof.net.

Caitlin “CJ” Johnson joins The New 93Q KKBQ

KKBQ-FM The New 93Q Hires New Afternoon Drive On-Air Personality Caitlin “CJ” Johnson

Award-winning, country music radio station, KKBQ-FM, The New 93Q, welcomes industry standout, Caitlin “CJ” Johnson, to its on-air talent lineup.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022
Caitlin "CJ" Johnson leaves  

Johnson will make her Houston radio debut on Monday, November 11 th , hosting afternoon drive weekdays from 3p to 7p. She succeeds legendary host, Cactus Jack, who retired in August.

“I’m so excited to have CJ join the 93Q family,” says Johnny Chiang, Director of Operations for Cox Media Group (CMG) Houston. “Her enthusiasm, energy, and love of life make her the perfect fit for our strong on-air team. I can’t wait to introduce her to our listeners.”

Johnson hails from Florida where she completes a four-year on-air stint with CMG Jacksonville, most recently hosting afternoon drive for WAPE-FM, a top-40s format.

“I couldn’t be more honored to have the opportunity to join one of the best radio stations in the country,” states Johnson. “And I can’t wait to become a Houstonian!”

(This post was taken from a release sent to me by Cox Media Group Houston)

Texas TV news and radio job moves August 2019

RELATED
Best TV News Bloopers August 2019

DALLAS - FORT WORTH

40-year DFW TV-radio host Jody Dean to leave 98.7 FM KLUV weekend shows: ‘I’m not retiring.’

WFAA promoted Leslie McCardel to executive news director. She succeeds Carolyn Mungo who was promoted VP-station manager.

Demetria Obilor’s tenure as traffic reporter for WFAA8’s Daybreak will be ending after October.

NBC 5 KXAS consumer investigative reporter Samantha Chatman joins WLS 7 Chicago to cover consumer issues for the station's weekday morning newscasts.

NBC 5 KXAS reporter Alice Barr joins NBC News Channel as a Correspondent based in DC.
- nwtgroup

Reporter Yona Gavino is no longer with CBS11 KTVT.

CBS11 KTVT has hired Brooke Katz as the station’s Saturday evening/late night news anchor and reporter.

Terrance Friday joins KDFW-TV/FOX 4 on Sept. 3 as a reporter/anchor from WJTV Jackson, Miss. He will anchor Good Day Saturday and Sunday and report for Good Day three days a week.

ALT 103.7 KVIL has parted ways with morning host JENN MARINO.

KVUE Reporter Jay Wallis joins WFAA as a reporter.

Victor "Tito" Caballero promoted to Program Director for KZEP 104.5 FM Latino Hits.

Kidd Kraddick Co-Host Kellie Rasberry Receives 2019 MIW Airblazer Award.

Nexstar Names Susan Tully local Content SVP.



HOUSTON

Community Liaison for the city of Houston's Mayor's Office, Jack Valinski, has been named the Interim General Manager of 90.1 FM KPFT.

MIX 96.5 KHMX morning host Sarah Pepper returns to Evansville, Indiana to WSTO Hot96.

Houston Chronicle reporter Mike Glenn joins the Natonial Security Team at The Washington Times.

Longtime 93Q KKBQ DJ Cactus Jack has reportedly left the station according to social media posts from current and former co-workers.

San Francisco Chronicle breaking news reporter Gwendolyn Wu joins the Houston Chronicle.

FOX 26 KRIV Assignment Editor Henry Howell joins Lone Star College as Communications Manager.

Houston History Bus tours founder starts The Houston Hour with Mister McKinney and Catherine Anspon on KPFT 90.1 FM every Thursday afternoon from 3 to 4 pm.

Former KXXV 25 Waco, Temple Killeen news director Charlie Haldeman joins abc13 KTRK as Senior Manager of Digital Content.

KHOU's Brandon Scott leaves to become SportsRadio 610 KILT's Houston Digital Content Coordinator.

Samantha Olivo Given joins the 104.1 KRBE Roula and Ryan show as a producer.

- Katherine Whaley has her baby
- Deneige Broom leaves FOX 26 KRIV
- 104 KRBE's Freddy Cruz authors "When America Fell Silent"
- Josh Marshall to leave KHOU 11
- Wendy Granato named KTRK President and General Manager
- Art Rascon hospitalized
- Ryan Korsgard joins Million Air Austin
- Daniel Gotera encounters shooting scene
- Lisa Vaughn has her baby
- Natasha Geigel OK after medical procedure
- Janet Shamlian joins CBS News as Houston-based correspondent
- Cathy Hernandez baby gender reveal
- Samica Knight returns to work
- Xavier Walton joins KHOU as morning anchor; Lisa Hernandez moves
- Dominique Sachse shows how to pose for the camera
- Lee Meier named FOX 26 KRIV assistant news director
- Lainie Fritz to leave KPRC 2
- TX Radio Hall of Famer on new Houston online station
- Chris Costa joins KHOU 11
- 2019 Lone Star SPORTS EMMY Awards Show winners
- Leslie Adami named KIII Corpus Christi evening anchor
- "Red, White & Blue" and "Party Politics" return with new co-hosts
- Anoushah Rasta gets married
- John Donnelly to leave FOX 26
- Six degrees of separation Houston TV style
- Shelley Childers baby gender reveal
- Tommy Tutone dials up 867-5309 sing along on FOX 26
- Natasha Barrett joins the Memorial Hermann Health System
- Courtney Zavala experiences one "extreme" weather forecast
- TV anchors named "Top 30 Influential Women of Houston"
- Roxann Fisher joins KAVU Victoria as news director
- Why In-N-Out Burger has been slow to open in Houston
- Matt Dougherty is a dogged reporter
- KStar Country 99.7 FM
- 'Jeopardy' is moving on abc13 KTRK



SAN ANTONIO

Max Massey has been promoted to KSAT 12 "Good Morning San Antonio Weekend" co-anchor alongside Stephanie Serna and meteorologist Sarah Spivey.

Rob Roberts to program KONO-FM, KSMG.

Patty Santos renews her contract with KSAT in San Antonio as a lead night side Reporter and fill-in Anchor.
- nwtgroup




AUSTIN

John-Carlos Estrada joins KEYE as weekday morning news anchor from WINK News Fort Myers/Naples.

KTHV Little Rock morning meteorologist Mariel Ruiz joins KVUE in the same position.

WNCN CBS 17 Raleigh, Durham sport anchor/reporter Jeff Jones joins KVUE.

Programming staff shuffle at KUTX/Austin.

Dave Froehlich signs a new agreement at KTBC, the Fox O & O in Austin, Texas where he is a Morning Anchor.
- nwtgroup



AROUND TEXAS

Telemundo 48 San Jose adds sports anchor Carlos Yustis from Telemundo 40 McAllen.

Estephany Escobar joins as a Reporter/MMJ at Spectrum Charlotte from a Reporter/MMJ at KXXV in Waco, TX.
- nwtgroup

Newscenter 25's Sports Director Don Brubaker celebrates 35 years at KAVU.

Hunter Sowards jumps 80 markets joining KUSI in San Diego from KTRE in Tyler, Texas.
- nwtgroup



REMEMBERING

Former KTSA-A & KTFM/San Antonio PD And Radio Consultant Lee Randall Passes On.

Luke Raphael Laufenberg, youngest son of Babe and Joan Laufenberg, died on Thursday, Aug. 22nd, of cancer.

Dave Ward leads celebration for Mickey Gilley

Dave Ward creates Honky Tonk Memories with Mickey Gilley

Kim Padgett, Mickey Gilley, Vicki Garcia and Dave Ward (Photo credit: Roswitha Vogler)

Dave Ward, longtime anchor of abc13 KTRK, was the Master of Ceremonies to honor a Houston-area legend. It was “a room full of roses,” yellow roses that is, as over 350 guests gathered for the Galleria Chamber of Commerce’s 11th Annual Texas Legends Gala honoring Texas country entertainer and recording artist Mickey Gilley on March 25, 2013 at the Omni Hotel at Riverway.

Attendees dressed in their Texas best mixed and mingled during the cocktail hour, which included a book signing with Mickey Gilley and JD Davis, author of Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart and Mickey Gilley and a big board live auction featuring a trip to Branson to visit Mickey at his namesake theater, a weekend stay at Deer Lake Lodge Spa and Resort and luxury car rentals from Platinum Motor Cars. Part of the proceeds from the evening benefited the Galleria Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund.

Chamber board members and gala co-chairs Kim Padgett and Vicki Garcia-Lehner welcomed Ward, who along with Pasadena Mayor Johnny Isbell, presented the guest of honor with a proclamation on behalf of both the City of Houston and Pasadena, officially naming March 25th as “Mickey Gilley Day.” Longtime fellow country stars and friends Neal McCoy and The Gatlin Brothers stopped by to congratulate Gilley on his evening via video projection.

Next on stage was the Texas Legend himself, Mickey Gilley, who regaled an audience of admiring fans with stories from his life as a recording artist, entertainer and business man. Guests seated at tables draped in red and black décor, highlighted by gorgeous Yellow Rose of Texas arrangements by Lexis Florist sang along with Gilley as he performed the classics “You Don’t Know Me,” “Stand By Me,” “Solitary Man,” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”

The surprise moment of the evening came when a giant, three-dimensional piano cake from For Heavens Cake was presented to Gilley in honor of his 77th birthday, celebrated earlier this month.

Guests for the evening included Galleria Chamber of Commerce Honorary Co-chairs Tony and Donna Vallone with Gala Auction Co-Chairs Brenda Cheney and Rhonda Schroeder, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner “Cactus" Jack Cagle, Chief of Staff of Mayor of Pasadena Johnny Isabel Richard Scott and Sandra Scott, City of Houston Council Members Helena Brown and Jack Christie, Honorable Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, Chamber Board Members Arthur Mooradian, Brett Binkley, Fred Stumpf, Lee and Corrine Vela, Mary Grace Gray, JD Busch, Kathryn Mumaw and Gabriele Merrill. Also, seen swaying to the music Sidney Evans, sportscaster Bob Allen, Bruce Padilla, Edward Sanchez, Sonia Soto, KTRK Miya Shay, Catarina Cron, Roland Maldonado, Sue Habib, Tracy Orolin and her steady Harry Faulkner.

Kim Padgett, Dave Ward and Vicki Garcia (Photo credit: Roswitha Vogler)

David Sadof talks to the Mike McGuff Blog

David Sadof is one of Houston's last true radio DJs. I say that because this man is a musical force. In the early 90s when I (and everyone else apparently) was growing tired of glam metal, Sadof introduced me to the world of 'alternative' music on his Sunday night show Exposure which aired on Rock 101 KLOL. He's hosted similar shows on 94.5 The Buzz KTBZ and 97.5 KFNC.

A year ago I sent David 'The Last DJ' Sadof a list of questions about his radio life as we was leaving KFNC. He got the answers to me just in time for the launch of his new blog! READ THAT HERE.


Mike McGuff: Where did your amazing grasp and knowledge of music come from?

David Sadof: I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life and like a sponge, I absorbed everything. My Mom would stack 3 or 4 records on the phonograph and I would sit there and listen while looking at the record jackets and reading the liner notes. The first record I bought with my own money was a 45 of “American Pie” by Don McLean for a dollar. Well, actually, I got my sister to pay half. As a young teenager, I would ride my bicycle to the Cactus Records location that was on Post Oak across from where the A.J. Foyt Chevrolet was located. It was about about 3 miles from my house and I would make the trip about every two or three weeks. I would spend at least an hour in the store flipping through every record in the Rock/Pop section, memorizing all the album covers. I read all the liner notes on the albums I bought and I read all the music magazines I could get my hands on: Hit Parader, Songwriter, Musician, Cream, Circus, Grooves and a few others.

MM: Do you see yourself as the John Cusack character in "High Fidelity?"

DS: We do have some similar traits, but if I were to compare myself to movie/television characters, I would break it down like this:

30% Billy Crudup in “Almost Famous”
25% John Cusack in “High Fidelity”
14% Minnie Driver in “Grosse Pointe Blank”
7% Clint Eastwood in “Play Misty For Me”
6% Howard Hesseman in “WKRP In Cincinnati”
5% Tim Reid in “WKRP in Cincinnati”
4% Jake Gyllenhaal in “Donnie Darko”
3% John Cusack in “Say Anything”
3% Christian Slater in “Pump Up The Volume”
3% Jack Black in “High Fidelity”

MM: When you're at home, do you actually listen to the music you play on your shows?


DS: I do. I also listen to other music that doesn’t fit the overall feel and concept of my shows. I have a computer program called iTunes Statistician and it gathers information from iTunes about what you listen to on your computer. This may be more info than you want, but here are some Top Ten Lists for you based on what I listen to on my computer:

Top Ten Artists Listened To At Home
1. The Beatles
2. Bruce Springsteen
3. Tori Amos
4. Elvis Costello
5. Ani Difranco
6. The Clash
7. David Bowie
8. The Rolling Stones
9. Robyn Hitchcock
10. Echo & The Bunnymen

Top Ten Songs Listened To At Home
1. Candy by Morphine
2. Monkey Gone To Heaven by The Pixies
3. I Gotta Move by Ben Kweller
4. Eye Of Fatima (parts 1&2) by Camper Van Beethoven
5. Do It Clean by Echo & The Bunnymen
6. Ocean by Sebadoh
7. Teen Age Riot by Sonic Youth
8. Time Baby III by Medicine
9. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais by The Clash
10. Chapell Hill by Sonic Youth

Top Ten Albums Listened To At Home
1. London Calling by The Clash
2. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
3. Pleased To Meet Me by The Replacements
4. Crocodiles by Echo & The Bunnymen
5. The Beatles (aka The White Album) by The Beatles
6. The Pretenders (self-titled debut)
7. Doolittle by The Pixies
8. My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello
9. All Mod Cons by The Jam
10. Blondie (self-titled debut )

MM: Essentially you are a dying breed. Are there many other DJs out there who still select their own music and know about it as extensively as you?

DS: I don’t know how many there are, but DJ’s who do this kind of radio tend to find each other and stick together. I have friends in other markets who still choose their own music and each of their shows is unique in it’s own way.

MM: The name David Sadof is more synonymous with alternative and cutting edge music, how was it working as music director at 101.1 KLOL in the heyday of metal and hair bands?

DS: It was great fun, all the time. My talent was being able to find the best songs on an album regardless of what sub-genre of rock the music was classified as. Getting The Cure or Echo & The Bunnymen added to the regular playlist of KLOL was just as satisfying as being the one of the first stations in the country to play Joe Satriani or “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns & Roses. I was always passionate about getting great songs played on the station.

MM: You must have a good story or two from working there...

DS: There are a ton of great stories. Give me the name of an artist and I probably have a story about them. Now that I’m writing a blog at http://commons.chron.com/davidsadof/blog, I’ll be sharing as many as I can remember.

MM: How did you get a show like Exposure on the air at a rock station?

DS: Ahhh, I thought you would never ask. I suppose it was by accident. KLOL had been running a one-hour syndicated show on Sunday nights called, “The Dr. Ruth Westheimer Sex Talk Show” and it was about to end. Our Program Director was asking for suggestions on what to do for that hour. I had only been there for a couple months and had the title of Music Assistant. I submitted a proposal based on the show I did in college called, “Explosions In The Glass Palace”. (The name comes from an EP by The Rain Parade, a band that begat Opal and later, Mazzy Star). “Explosions” was a Neo-Psychedlic show featuring Echo & The Bunnymen, The Psychedelic Furs, Siouxsie & The Banshees and others. I was told that Houston wasn’t ready for it and they went with a show that had been submitted by Dr K. who was the Music Director at the time. He actually came up with the name, “Exposure” and the original concept was to play songs from new releases. I still have the playlists from every show and some of the earliest shows highlighted new albums by Foreigner, Whitesnake and well, you get the idea. I started to submit a list of suggestions for the show every week and Dr. K would include some of them. Eventually, more and more of my suggestions were being used until I was programming the entire show. Eventually, I began hosting the show and before anyone at the station realized what the show had become, it was a successful program with great ratings and there was no reason to change it back. Unknowingly, I had a very distinctive way of saying the word, “Exposure”, and people would often stop me in places (being stopped in the middle of a grocery store comes to mind) and ask me to say it.

MM: KLOL was a big part of the Houston community for many years,
were you surprised by the public's reaction to its demise?

DS: Certainly, it was sad to see KLOL go away because of it’s history and those
of us who have worked there are like family. A dysfunctional family (lol), but
family none the less. Having said that, I was not surprised when it happened.
For me, the writing on the wall came in 1991 when I was hosting Exposure, but
was no longer working as Music Director. On a Saturday morning, I interviewed
two members of a band that had just released their debut album a month or so
earlier. With the help of my friend, Doug Ray, we produced the interview into
a one-hour radio special and played it on my show. When I the gave the Program
Director a copy of the program to listen to, he wasn’t interested. It would
be at least another 3 months before the band was played as part of the regular
format. The two people I interviewed were Stone Gossard and Eddie Vedder and
the band was called Pearl Jam.

MM: 94.5 The Buzz KTBZ was a very different station musically from the time you worked there to present day. What happened?

DS: I wonder that very same thing whenever I hear the current incarnation. Part of the answer would be that I’m not there, but of course, that’s not the whole story. If you look at other stations around the country who report to the same industry charts, they’re all playing the same music. The record labels realized that even if they had a song played in heavy rotation on a Rock station (ie: KLOL) it didn’t even come close to generating the kind of album sales they could reap by being playing in medium rotation on an Alternative station. The labels started pushing harder for acts like Kid Rock, Korn, Linkin Park and (does anyone remember) Brother Cane. I had always thought of Alternative as a format whose core artists would include The Pixies, Sonic Youth, The Replacements and Echo & The Bunnymen. Not only had this not become a reality, but now things were changing for the worst.

MM: Talk about the shows you developed while at 94.5 The Buzz. One I'd love to hear about is where you brought in rock bands like Green Day to play music. How did you pull that off?

DS: The show you’re referring to was What The Hell Is This? The concept was to do something completely different every week for one hour immediately after my Sunday night show, Lunar Rotation. All of the DJ’s at the station were encouraged to come up with a idea and host one of the episodes. One week it might be an entire hour of Punk Rock songs that were under 2 minutes long. Another week it could be a Goth show, covers of KISS songs, or a celebrity guest DJ.

We always had artists stopping by the station and when we asked if they’d like to host a What The Hell Is This? episode, they were thrilled to do it. No one had ever given them that opportunity before. We told the artists they could play any music they wanted regardless of what genre it was. There were no restrictions. If we didn’t have it, we’d get it. The artists recorded their voice tracks for the show and we would put it together with the music. Some of the artists that did this were Ani Difranco, Self, Soul Coughing, The Flaming Lips, No Doubt and a few others. More than any of the other guests, The Flaming Lips just couldn’t believe we were letting them do this.

I don’t believe Green Day did a What The Hell Is This?, but they did the nationally syndicated show, Modern Rock Live, from our studios following their concert at The Astro Arena.

MM: When you started at 97.5 KFNC how had things musically and
in the radio world changed? Any surprises?

DS: The biggest change was the fact that computers were being used to play the music, the commercials and automate the radio station. When I left The Buzz, those changes had not taken place yet, although they were on the horizon. Of course, the music for my show was never in the computer. I would plan my show in advance and bring my music with me.

MM: What's next for you? What do you want to do?

DS: I would love to return to the airwaves again and do another show. The thing I would enjoy most is programming a Classic Alternative station.

MM: You actually dj clubs too, right?

DS: I’ve dj’d some shows at Rudyard’s, The Proletariat, and The Mink spinning between local bands. In the early 90’s there was a club called The Magic Bus and I dj’d there once a week for several months. My dj night was called Music For The Somnambulistic. Some of the artists I played were Mazzy Star, Sisters Of Mercy, Peter Murphy, and Siouxsie And The Banshees. My regulars included a lot of the people from the Goth scene.

MM: Anything else you want to add?

DS: I just want to thank you for this opportunity. You’ve asked some really great questions and it’s my pleasure to participate. Actually, I think you’ve gotten me to tell some of the stories I was planning on using in my blog, so don’t be surprised if you see them again in the future.

(interview end)

I want to thank David Sadof for stopping by and make sure to check out his blog. Now excuse me as I go hit the iTunes Store after reading over his lists of music.