Alternative rock radio station 91X (XETRA 91.1-FM), owned by Local Media San Diego, has named Hilary Chambers as its new music director.
Chambers, who uses her first name on the air, also is hosting a midday shift from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. She spent the past eight years at KBZT-FM 94/9. She also worked at 91X for nearly 10 years beginning in 1997, after previously working in Denver (1995-1997) and Los Angeles (1993-1995) and graduating from the University of California Irvine in 1995.
“I am so stoked, so grateful and so fired up to get this party started and to come full circle back to the station that has my heart,” Chambers said.
“We wish Hilary the best and understand her fondness for returning to a station from earlier in her career,” said Bob Bolinger, Entercom San Diego market manager. Entercom San Diego operates KBZT, branded as FM 94/9. Bolinger said it will be several weeks before announcing Chamber’s replacement at FM 94/9.
Entercom recently signed a five-year agreement to air Padres baseball games starting in 2017. Some local radio watchers are expecting the Padres deal will result in FM 94/9 becoming San Diego’s first all-sports FM station when spring training games start in 2017.
“It’s an uniformed rumor that won’t go away fueled mainly by our competitors, but, no, we have no plans to switch to an all-sports format,” Bolinger said. “We’re excited about the innovative possibilities of a station with both alternative rock and Major League Baseball.”
In addition to FM 94/9, Entercom Communications Corp. operates two other stations in San Diego, including KSON 97.3-FM and 92.1-FM and KIFM-FM Sunny 98.1-FM.
In addition to 91X, Local Media San Diego operates XHTZ-FM Z-90.3 and XHRM-FM Magic 92.5. Local Media is backed by a Thoma Bravo LLC, a private equity firm.
Morning TV Anchor Switching Stations
After 12 years with KNSD/NBC 7 San Diego, Jason Austell has left as weekday morning news anchor to join XETV/CW6 as anchor of the 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts, paired with Neda Iranpour. His last day at KNSD was Friday, July 1. His first telecast at Channel 6 will be Monday, July 11.
Austell spent four years (2004-2008) flying in a helicopter as a traffic and news reporter for KNSD. Then, in 2008, when Bill Menish left as morning anchor to become a professional auctioneer, Austell asked for a tryout and got the job.
“It’s been a terrific eight years as morning anchor,” Austell said. “Several weeks ago, management came to me and said a change on the morning show was needed, and that I was the change.”
“I was shocked, but I totally understand that business is business,” he said. “I have no bitterness and animosity, only gratitude for the opportunity to work at NBC 7, as well as excitement about my new opportunity at CW6.”
“When I heard Jason was leaving, I immediately called him to set up a meeting,” said Jon Brady, news director at CW6. “We talked for over an hour that first day and it was clear he would be a great fit at CW6. He’s a smart, engaged guy who genuinely cares about this community. And he shares our belief that local news should be more than just a carnival of carnage rushing to the latest car accident or stabbing. Jason and Neda are going to be a great team.”
The son of a Naval aviator, Austell attended high schools in Virginia and New Orleans before graduating from San Pasqual High School in Escondido (class of 1984). After attending Palomar College, Austell moved to Whitefish, Montana to work in radio. He returned to San Diego to work as a traffic reporter for local radio stations (1990-1997). He then spent the next six years (1997-2003) as a traffic reporter for KFMB-TV/Channel 8, before joining KNSD in 2004.
Austell and wife Moji live in La Jolla, where she operates a Pilates studio. “I will now have a new sleeping schedule. I won’t be waking up in the middle of the night to go to work,” Austell said.
Officials said NBC 7 San Diego said a permanent replacement has not yet been named. Greg Bledsoe is currently scheduled to fill Austell’s anchor role on the “NBC 7 News Today” morning show.
Mike Vasquez Named Assistant Program Director at KFM-BFM
Radio station 100.7 KFM-BFM has named Mike Vasquez as the station’s assistant program director. Vasquez also is hosting the evening show from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Vasquez began his radio career in Fresno in the mid-1980s before spending 16 years at KIFM 98.1-FM (1998-2014), now known as KXSN San Diego’s Sunny 98.1. Under his leadership, KIFM received in 2015 a Marconi Radio Award as “Smooth Jazz Station of the Year” award from the National Association of Broadcasters.
“I’m so pumped to be joining the KFM-BFM team” said Vasquez. “There’s a winner’s mentality here and everybody brings their A-game on a daily basis. I thrive in this type of environment and look forward to contributing to our team’s success.”
KFM-BFM Program Director Garett Michaels said, “With Mike’s deep knowledge of the San Diego market, his strong record of ratings success, and his unbridled passion for rock-n-roll, he is the outstanding choice to join KFM-BFM as our APD. I’m stoked to have him as a collaborator and teammate.”
Owned by Midwest Television Inc., KFM-BFM 100.7 features a variety rock format. Midwest also operates KFMB 760-AM and KFMB-TV CBS 8.
Health Care Communicators Seeking Entries for Finest Awards
Health Care Communicators of San Diego County is seeking entries for its annual Finest Awards program. Award categories include advertising, PR, writing, collateral, video, special events, analytics and digital marketing. Entries are expected from health care providers, marketing firms, public health agencies and industry vendors in the health, wellness, biotech, pharma and other healthcare-related fields. Nominations also are sought for the Communicator of the Year award, presented annually to an individual who demonstrates excellence in health care communications.
Deadline for entries is Aug. 1. Entry information is available at www.hccsdfinest.org. Winners will be announced Sept. 29 at a dinner at Stone Brewery at Liberty Station. The organization is a professional networking group for communicators who work in the health care, wellness, biotech, medical device, health IT and pharmaceutical industries.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
