KTHO radio takes it local

unedited 2/09 Tahoe Mt. News

By Kathryn Reed

Three of the most distinctive South Shore radio voices are converging at one station to reinvent KTHO-AM 590.
Paul Middlebrook, Bill Kingman and Curtis Fong have signed on to resurrect the radio station as a locals’ broadcast outlet.
For a number of years a 24/7 satellite feed of “timeless favorites” music and ABC news has been on the airwaves. New owner Darrell Wampler of Ventura, a lifelong broadcaster with a background in aerospace, plans to ditch the old ways and bring life back to the station.
“We want to become the radio station that people are afraid to turn off because they might miss something,” Wampler said.
Even though the sale is not expected to be approved by the FCC until later this month or in March, the first noticeable change occurred Feb. 2 with Fong delivering the morning ski report.
He had been a staple at KRLT-FM 93.9 for more than a decade. Fong said his decision to leave KRLT was because management wanted a shorter report, fewer details in it and he disagreed with the philosophy that resorts should buy advertising if they wanted special events mentioned.
Betsy Miller, general manager of KRLT and sister station KOWL-AM 1490, said Fong was not an employee, that he did the ski report as trade for advertising for his cycling events and that “his reports were getting too lengthy for us. Most people just need the facts.” KRLT is now using onthesnow.com for ski reports.
Miller said she welcomes the competition, saying it makes every station stronger and better.
“Personally, I believe 120 percent in radio as an entity. There can never too much of it,” Miller said.
No other radio personalities are known to be switching stations.
Kingman still calls himself retired. He is working in a “technical advisory position”. His voice will continue to be heard delivering public service announcements.

Middlebrook takes over

Middlebrook, who was in radio in South Lake for 16 years before leaving in 1997, is essentially the general manager. His company Middlebrook Media will have the contract with Wampler, so he is technically a consultant. Promotional material for the station will come from the business Middlebrook started after leaving Swift Newspapers, the parent company of the now three day a week “daily” paper.
Local will be the focus of KTHO, though specifics remain vague until the license is secure.
“We will do remote broadcasts whether someone is paying us or not. We are going to do local sports,” Middlebrook said.
He wants the station to be at wine tastings, ribbon cuttings and other events. Discussions are under way with a company that specializes in broadcasting local sports.
Jerry Hurwitz, who died last year, used to broadcast South Tahoe High football and basketball games.
Middlebrook and Kingman know even though they are working together again, it won’t be the same without Hurwitz. Kingman called the threesome the “over-the-hill gang.” Their regular gatherings at the Cantina are legendary.
It was only because Wampler’s focus is local that Middlebrook agreed to return to radio. Middlebrook is still dismayed that during the 2007 Angora Fire it was impossible to get radio updates on what was going on because the stations are seldom live.
He wants people to know if they can get to the Y on a Sunday afternoon or if traffic is backed up to Sierra Boulevard. He wants to tell people when schools are closed. He wants to tell people about events, the news and all things Tahoe.
“We will do what we can to get the community back together as much as we can,” Middlebrook said. “We are going to have to work hard to do it.”
He admits the economic climate is dismal, but recognizes radio as a medium hasn’t changed much since he left.

Things to come

Classic rock is being talked about as the music genre. Whittell High coach Dan McLaughlin may be the sports guy. A couple moms are probably going to have a show about life in Tahoe.
Ed Cook, who founded KRLT, remains the one full-time employee. He stays on at KTHO as the operations manager.
Wampler said he received 25 applications for various positions. He interviewed 17 and said he’d like to work with all of them. He won’t say who they are or if they’ll be onboard until he has the FCC license.
He doesn’t anticipate music being a big component. He also doesn’t think talk radio, which he defined as interactive programming, will be prominent.
“A key feature will be working with local interests, local businesses and promote Tahoe again. It will be very community oriented,” Wampler said. “I really want people to add unique programming content.”