Radio Waves Podcast #48

I had a chance to speak with Maggie McKay after she helped sign off the format on KFWB (980 AM) that she had been part of for almost a decade.

First off ... a correction. I am not sure how I botched this, but to set the record straight, it was not Michael Shappee with McKay the final night, it was Michael Knight. As McKay explained, “Shappee was on only for a couple minutes talking about his memories but it was actually Michael Knight the last 2 days.”

I then asked McKay if she had any personal memories or reflections that she wanted to share. She obliged:

“The last day at KFWB was of course sad because we were saying goodbye to friends and colleagues (more like family) after spending years together on the air and off, but we tried to make it a celebration more than anything and I think that was achieved,” she said.

“I worked at KFWB for the past nine years, whereas

many others called it home for more than 20 and 30 years."

I am so grateful for the experience and people I got to interview and the many people I worked with. I learned EVERY day how much I didn't know and how much there is to learn. And now, I look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings."

“KFWB was an incredible journey for me. I started there as part time/fill in on air with some news background, but this was a huge learning experience and continued to be until the very end. My favorite part was the interviews with people like Hillary Clinton, John Legend, Billy Crystal, Dick Van Dyke, and so many others, and working alongside people I'd heard on the air for years, such as Pete Demetriou, John Brooks and many more. Breaking news was a wild ride as well, such as when we covered the Malibu Fire, the UCLA flood, earthquakes, etc."

“And finally the past four years were a blast delivering LA's Afternoon News along with Michael Shappee. Reporting the news that affects listeners with a partner and incorporating interviews was fun as well as educational. I'm definitely going to miss it but am so grateful to (current and former KFWB/KNX programmers) Andy Ludlum and David G. Hall for giving me a chance.”

E-Mail of the Week

“All my radios are having trouble picking up KFWB the past week or so. Nothing interesting on the air at all, just gibberish ... must be interference.” -- Kim Ba, Torrance

Where’s Lisa?

“What happened to Lisa Ann Walter on KFI?” -- Scott Friedman

Acting and family, according to KFI assistant programmer Neil Saavedra.

Walter -- who celebrated her birthday just last month on August 3rd -- is an actress, comedian, writer, film producer, and mother of four children. Rumor is that the KFI program, while only on weekends, just became too much.