Quick updates: Jeff Baugh services, a retirement and a sale

 

Jeff Baugh with former KTLA reporter Mark Kono

Services for Jeff Baugh, veteran airborne reporter most recently for KFI, will be held graveside at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills at 9 am on Thursday, June 29th, reports his colleague and friend Will Kohlschriber.

We share some more photos and memories of Jeff Baugh:

Jeff Baugh, Jennifer York, Denise Fondo

Toni Guinyard (ABC7), Josh Haskell (ABC7), Tami Heide, Jeff Baugh

(courtesy SAG-AFTRA)

Donna Dower, Jeff Baugh

(Courtesy KNX)

How do you say farewell to a legend, a hero, a colleague, a friend, a mentor? The great Jeff Baugh died earlier this week, I can't even call him a "fellow" traffic reporter because he was a step above me but he set the standard of #excellence - from his stories of being a #Marine, to driving around in his green #mustang to traffic tips he relayed to me while he flew around as the #kfiinthesky, he will be greatly missed by me, my fellow traffic reporters & by my love @markkonosky5 . This is Jeff & I at a traffic reporter awards luncheon, every time Jeff spoke or won, which was often, the 1st group Jeff always honored were the heroes of the roads, @chp_eastlosangeles @chp_centrallosangeles #chpofficers - he respected their hard work. I called #jeffbaugh after I heard the news to hear his amazing voice one last time... thanks Jeff for "getting us there", I WILL stick with you😇 - Ginger Chan via Instagram

Good fortune: He was never heard on the SoCal radio airwaves, but Pat Sajak did get his start in radio before heading to Los Angeles and forecasting the weather on KNBC-TV. And he does have some connections with L.A. radio personalities -- Sajak got his start by winning a contest to be a teen disc jockey for a day with Dick Biondi on WLS-Chicago before spending time with Armed Forces Radio and WSM-Nashville. Though first denied the opportunity by NBC President Fred Silverman for being "too local," Sajak was eventually hired by Merv Griffin to host Wheel of Fortune in 1981. He has announced his next season will be his last as the host of one of the longest running game shows. Another local radio connection: the show's announcer is former KNX anchor Jim Thornton.

 

No longer a Mickey Mouse operation: AM 1110 (KRDC) has been largely simulcasting 710 / ESPN (KSPN) for the past two years since the shutdown or the Radio Disney networks. Two years ago, Disney had sold 710 as well as sister stations in New York (WEPN AM-FM) and Chicago (WMVP) to Good Karma Brands for $15 million. Back in 2006, Disney sold their ABC radio properties including KABC and KLOS locally to Citadel. AM 1110 was Disney's last radio property anywhere in the US, until this week. Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa has purchased the station along with the Pasadena translator at 99.1 FM. The church, which already owns KWVE (107.9 FM), reportedly purchased AM 1110 for $5 million. 

At one time the station known as the "Wave of Living Water" (not to be confused with urban adult contemporary The WAVE 94.7 [KTWV]) featured daily praise and worship music indispersed with the teaching of then-lead Pastor Chuck Smith. Presently, K-WAVE emphasizes teaching programs during the weekday, with worship music heard at various times throughout the weekend, particularly in the late evenings / overnight.  The 107.9 FM frequency covers South Orange County and the Inland Empire. With the addition of AM 1110, the 50,000 watts day / 20,000 watts night signal night covers most of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, as far north as Oxnard and as far south as San Diego, a significant boost for the station's coverage area.

Calvary Chapel and its founder Smith were recently portrayed in the movie "Jesus Revolution." Considered one of the first of the megachurches, it's estimated over 9,000 people attend services each Sunday. The Costa Mesa church is considered the "mother church," with 1,800 congregations worldwide.

After

No summer Hayes: After days of speculation, it's official. After his second stint with the station for the past ten years, Drew Hayes has resigned as VP / Local Market Manager / PD of Cumulus talker KABC. His first stint took place from 1998-2000.

Between his two stints at KABC, Hayes served in Chicago as Operations Manager and Station Manager at all-news WBBM and 670 "The Score" (WSCR). During his second stint, Hayes helped move the station from their combined studio / transmitter location on La Cienega Boulevard to the present studios in Culver City. He oversaw changes to the station's talent lineup, including the dismissal of Jillian Barberie, Drew Pinsky, Leeann Tweeden, and Peter Tilden in favor of a largely syndicated programming lineup (local hosts remaining include Frank Mottek, John Phillips, and Randy Wang. The station also broadcasts USC football and basketball, with Pete Arbogast providing play-by-play.

A side note: KABC is the lone Cumulus property in Los Angeles. It's reported the company wants to sell the talk station, but there has not been a buyer identified.

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