Here are some of the highs and lows of Salt Lake-area radio stations and personalities during 2005.
My opinions are listed first, followed by the most popular selection(s), as polled for on the forum of the www.saltlakeradio.com Web site. One of the most significant outcomes in that online voting is how diverse the votes were on the talents of individual DJs.
Best overall morning show: (tie) "Dain and Jill," KSFI, and "Johnson and Johnson," KUBL; 1. "Radio From Hell," KXRK; 2. "Chunga and Mister," KENZ.
Most entertaining morning show: "Z-Morning Zoo," with Frankie, Dangerboy and Jessica, KZHT; 1. "Radio From Hell," KXRK; 2. "Chunga and Mister," KENZ.
Best news show:"Grant and Amanda," KSL; 1. Grant and Amanda, KSL; 2. Doug Wright, KSL.
Friendliest morning radio show: Dickie and Angel Shannon, KODJ; 1. Former "Star 102: morning show with Mikey; 2. (tie) Jon Carter on KRSP and "Mancow (syndicated) on KFMS.
Best midday DJ: (tie) Shawn Stevens, KBEE and Helen Powers, KBER; (five-way tie) Helen Powers, KBER; "TJ," KUBL; Sue Kelley, KRSP; Todd Nuke'em, KXRK; and "Monroe," KZHT.
Best afternoon DJ : Rob Boshard, KODJ; 1. "Mick and Allen," KBER; 2. Artie Fufkin, KXRK.
Best evening DJ : Michael Kane, KBZN; 1. Darby," KBER; 2. (tie) Pat Clark, formerly of KUUU and "Rexxx" Loper, formerly of KHTB.
Best weekend DJ: Rick Shane, KBEE; 1. Helmet Von Schmidt, KBER.
Best talk-show host: Doug Wright, KSL; 1. Tom Barberi, KFMS; 2. (tie) Doug Wright, KSL and Doug Fabrizio, KUER.
Best traffic reporter : "General Gridlock," on KUBL; 1. J.T. MacKenzie, KXRK and KZNS; 2. "General Gridlock," KUBL.
Best newscaster(s): Dan Bammes of KUER and Peggy Ijams of KEGA; 1. (tie) Jonathan Brown of NPR on KCPW and "Big Buddha" on Fox 13.
Best local radio sports show:"Steve and Booner," KFNZ; 1. Ian Fitzsimmons on KFNZ.
Best overall voice(s): Doug Wright and Amanda Dickson, KSL; Bob Nelson, KSFI, and Steve Carlson of KXRV;1. Twelve different DJs each received one vote each.
Sexiest male voice(s): 1. Mick Martin, KBER.
Sexiest female voice(s): Sue Kelley, KRSP, and Erica Hansen, KOSY; 1. "Porsche" of KXRK's "Live and Local" Sunday night bands show; 2. (tie) "Marci" on KHTB and J.T. MacKenzie on KXRK and KZNS.
Most distinctive voice— Erin Brady of KXRV; 1. Artie Fufkin, KXRK; 2. Mick Martin, KBER.
Best regular stunts: "Johnson and Johnson," KUBL; 1. Former "Fisher and Laura" show on FM-107.9.
Best single stunt: (tie) Tom Barberi and Holly of KFMS with their eBay sale of a BYU Cougar statue/photo, and "Z Morning Zoo" on KZHT with their Santa Claus impersonations to scare kids into being good. 1. Pat Clark on KUUU with his "Hurban" format on April Fool's Day.
Most risque radio show, syndicated or local : "Mancow Madhouse," KFMS; 1. "Mancow Madhouse," KFMS.
Best radio change of the year: KSL simulcasting on FM-102.7; 1. (tie) KFMS, new talk station and the revised format of KUDD, FM-107.9.
Worst radio change of the year : KSFI altering its musical format; 1. Death of "Star 102.7" in favor of KSL simulcast; 2. Premiere of KUTR, AM-820.
Best single performance: "Chunga and Mister" with their transition chatter on FM-107.5, as they moved to FM-101.9; 1. KBER staff.
Best new station: KJMY, "My 99.5."; 1. KFMS; 2. Revised KUDD.
Most underrated DJ: Erica Hansen, KOSY; 1. (tie) Helmet Von Schmidt, KBER, and Carter, KZHT.
Most underrated station: KBZN. 1. (tie) KFMS, KUDD, KBZN, KENZ, KLO and KRCL.
Best regular contests: "Johnson and Johnson," KUBL;1. KHTB's blackjack 2. "Darby," KBER.
Best contest of the year: KXRK sponsoring "Kaboom Days" twice during the year in rural Central Utah, where you can take a rifle shot at a can loaded with dynamite; 1. (tie) KBZN's "trip a day"; KEGA's "General Lee" deal' and "X Amounts of Cash," KXRK.
Best program director: Mark Christiansen of KJMY ("My-99.5"); 1. "Todd Nuke'em," KXRK; 2. Rob Boshard, KODJ.
Nicest DJ: Danny Kramer of KDYL; 1. "County Joe" on FM-107.5, formerly on KSOP; 2. Ten DJs had one vote each.
Most improved station in 2005 : KBER; 1. KUDD; 2. KCPW.
Most surprising change of 2005: KQMB dying and KSL simulcasting on its FM frequency instead; 1. KQMB dying and KSL simulcasting on its FM frequency instead; 2. Pat Clark leaving KUUU.
Single most irritating thing in local radio: Long blocks of commercials; 1. Voice tracking; 2. Long blocks of commercials.
Hardest-working DJ(s): Doug Wright and Amanda Dickson, KSL;1. Seven DJs received one vote each.
King/queen of voice-tracking: Rob Boshard, KODJ; 1. (tie) KJMY and KUDD.
King/queen of radio remotes: Casey, KENZ, sidekick of "Chunga and Mister"; 1. Five DJs received one vote each.
Biggest loss(es) of 2005: Len Allen of KLO dies and Dave Blackwell, Utah Jazz radio, passes away; 1. Phil Hendrie being taken off the air in S.L.; 2. (tie) Len Allen of KLO passing away; "Star 102.7" vanishing and Park Clark of KUUU leaving.
Best talent not on the air: Dan Jessop, Scott Fisher and Tom Bock; 1. (tie) Scott Fisher and "Chet, Cousin Brad."
DJ(s) who should talk more: "Country Joe" on FM-107.5.1. All the KZHT DJs.
DJ(s) who should talk less: Kerry, Bill and Gina of "Radio From Hell Show" on KXRK; 1. (tie) "Radio From Hell, KXRK and Artie Fufkin, KXRK.
Best radio commercial on TV: KJMY, "My-99.5" ads; 1. KXRV's "I have a radio in my finger" ad; 2. KJMY ads.
Worst radio commercial on TV: KXRV's "I have a radio in my finger" ad; 1. Six stations received one vote each: KODJ, KXRV, KBEE, "Old "Pop FM," KUBL and KSFI.
Best radio billboard: KBZN's bus billboard, highlighting smooth; 1. (tie) KRSP, KZHT and KXRK.
Worst radio billboard: (tie) "Ugly Kids" by KZHT and upside-down Todd and Erin, KBEE; 1. KODJ, upside-down billboard; 2. "Ugly Kids," KZHT.
The Deseret Morning News and KSL Newsradio 1160 are involved in an ongoing news-gathering partnership.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com