More local radio stations bought out.

For 2 years in the 70/80’s, I closed radio news broadcasts: Nina Brown, KCOB News. Station owner, John Carl, gave me (a total newbie) a shot! I was bitten by the bug at 18 in Missouri at college radio station which interestingly was anagram KOBC. My career at KCOB was short because of low wages and unpaid attendance required for evening school board and city council meetings which didn’t fair well for a brand new mother. Later KCOB’s TC Mason who did morning drive moved to Colorado and Sports Director, Mick Trier moved to the Des Moines radio market. Being a small town local radio station, owner John Carl, allowed an opportunity for several county high school students with dreams of a radio career to serve as interns at the stations. KCOB AM and KLVN FM. One of those interns was Iowa’s own Joel McCrea who was just inducted to the Iowa Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

This story is not just a Newton, Iowa loss but a loss to a way of being…small towns who rely on their radio stations for local news, weather and sports… the important hometown play by play broadcasts for the high school teams. Small town radio stations being bought up by mega media corporations stifles the opportunity for many who dream of their voice being heard in cars, homes and earbuds….and it’s a loss to the way we live our lives giving up to large corporations while pushing out Americana! 

On a personal note, a besties’ daughter received her chance and found her dream on the beloved local morning show on KCOB’s sister station KRTI Energy 106.7. I weep for our loss, Sarah!

and so it is…..