Utah's newest radio station, KEGA ("The Eagle," FM-101.5) has hired its on-air talent.
Headlining the list is Paul Koffy, one of the most popular country radio DJs in the country, who will lead the morning team from 5 to 10 a.m. Jim Mickelson, a k a "Gentleman Jim" on KKAT, will be on the air midday. The station went on the air in mid-October.
Koffy was the afternoon host for country station WSSL in Greenville, S.C. He also worked for FM-99.5, "The Wolf," in Dallas and set ratings records at WXBM in Pensacola, Fla.
He was named Country Music Awards Personality of the Year and was nominated by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Radio Broadcasters for Personality of the Year.
His morning show co-host is Emmy Award winner Sue Cook. She has been a television news anchor in Phoenix and Seattle and also worked in the Iowa TV market.
Mickelson, who has 20 years' experience, will be on the air from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mickelson, who worked at KKAT for many years as a DJ, music director and program director, graduated from Weber State University. He was also the primary organizer of the "We Are the World" global radio simulcast broadcast on April 5, 1985.
The afternoon drive from 3-7 p.m. will be handled by Danny Ryan. He left Idaho's top country station, KIZN in Boise, to move to Utah. He is originally from Eureka, Calif.
The 7 p.m.-midnight shift is being handled by Kenny Ostin, who also worked at "The Wolf" in Dallas.
TOO MUCH EVENING VOICE TRACKING? — It seems like many of the places you stop at on the FM dial after 7 p.m. features voice tracking. This practice has helped stations cut corners and stay profitable.
However, there are still DJs doing live weekday evening shows, including Pat Clark, the new host at KUUU/KTCE (FM-92.1). He comes to Utah from Chicago, where he worked for Big City Radio's WKIE-FM until it became a Spanish station.
"It's been a lot of fun so far," he said of Salt Lake City, explaining that program director Brian Michel has given him a free hand on his 7 p.m.-midnight show. "I've been able to incorporate a lot of new features that really involve the audience. I think in today's music radio the listeners really get lost in the shuffle, with voice tracking and all, it's fun to give the airwaves back."
HOLIDAY MUSIC EARLIER THAN EVER? I recall hearing holiday music on the radio two weeks or more before Thanksgiving. That follows a national trend among radio programmers who know holiday tunes are a ratings winner.
E-MAIL: lynn@desnews.com