Rick Griffin
After a 44-year radio broadcasting career, Sam Bass, 69, has decided to hang-up the headphones.
“One of my heroes is (the late TV legend) Johnny Carson who walked away from The Tonight Show after 20 years (1962-1992) and never looked back. Now, I’m doing the same thing,” said Bass, who has worked for the past 40 years at KyXy 96.5-FM in San Diego.
For the foreseeable future, Bass is likely to retain the longevity record for longest continuous employment at a single radio station in the San Diego market.
Bass’ first radio job was in 1973 in Miami. “The music format was something called ‘Beautiful Music,’ and we played a lot of songs by the 101 Strings Orchestra,” Bass said. In 1977, he then moved to San Diego to work for after about eight months at KyXy. “It was the same format as Miami and our ratings were terrible. I was making $650 a month and the general manager wanted my air name to be Alan Jones,” recalled Bass.
Bass then moved to Providence, RI, only to return to KyXy on March 24, 1978, the first day for the station’s format switch from “beautiful music” to “soft rock.” “There was a blizzard in Providence and I got a phone call from San Diego and they said it was 85 degrees and the palm trees were swaying. So, I moved out two weeks later and I’ve never left,” Bass said.
“I arrived in San Diego at the right time, at the right radio station. It was a perfect fit. When my daughter was in high school, one of her boyfriends said, ‘It’s not that you’re good, you’re just lucky,’ and he was right. Sometimes in broadcasting, luck is more important than talent and I consider myself a very lucky man.”
Last year, Bass stepped away from his weekday midday show at KyXy to host only on Saturdays and Sundays. “KyXy has been really good to me, and I’m really grateful for all their support over the years,” he said.
Bass grew up in Schenectady, NY. After World War II, his father worked as an engineer at WRBG-TV and WGY radio. “Broadcasting has been part of my life for a long time,” Bass said. “But, it’s time to start writing a new chapter. I want to get my health back on track and spend more time with my kids and grandkids. It’s been a great run, but it’s time to walk away, just like Johnny.”
Dave Mason, a close friend who has worked in broadcasting for five decades, said, “I’ve never met anyone who has had more fun on the radio than Sam Bass. His kindness and good nature have gotten San Diegans through the day for four decades.”
Chris Patyk, KyXy program director, said, “Sam Bass has had a relationship with San Diegans for four decades. Sam is one of the premiere personalities in America serving San Diego listeners and advertisers. His dedication, integrity and class are unparalleled.”
Red Door Interactive’s Offers App on Domo Appstore
Red Door Interactive, a San Diego-based marketing and advertising agency, has announced its app, called the Competitor Customer Journey, is now available on the Domo Appstore.
According to Red Door, the app leverages data from social listening platforms and allows marketers to better understand how their brand measures up against key competitors. The agency said its app helps brands determine where their social voice ranks among competitors at each phase of the customer journey.
“We orient our clients around their customer’s journey through the marketing funnel, so a tool like this can help marketers quickly spot areas to focus their efforts in order to increase their effectiveness and ultimately drive more sales,” said Reid Carr, CEO of Red Door. “We frequently help clients identify how their marketing tactics perform related to their competitive set, so we are glad we could respond with this type of ‘always-on’ customer journey app for other Domo customers.”
“Domo’s Business Cloud empowers our customers to make data-driven business decisions in a highly scalable, easy-to-use platform,” said Chris Harrington, president of Domo. “Red Door Interactive is an integral solution partner that is unleashing new value and innovation to their customers leveraging our platform.”
Red Door clients include Titleist, Astroglide, Bosch & Thermador, Shea Homes and ASICS.
Rogov Design Wins Awards from Lux Magazine
Rogov Design, a San Diego-based design and brand development company, reports it recently received two designer awards from Lux, a global luxury lifestyle magazine.
According to Vladymir Rogov, CEO and design director, the awards from the magazine were based on performance and merit over the past 12 months, including drive and dedication to clients and the work. “Our aim is to help amplify the force of energy going forward, expand our clients’ brand reach and boost their influence as respected industry leaders,” he said.
PRSA to Host January Mixer
The Public Relations Society of America’s San Diego-Imperial Counties chapter will host its first networking mixer of the year from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at Fireside By The Patio at Liberty Station, 2855 Perry Road. Cost to attend is $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers. For information and to RSVP, visit prsasdic.org.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
