Roberts OM of KPIG; Changes @ WECK/Buffalo
• We want to send our best wishes to Bay Area radio legend (and Hall of Famer) Laurie Roberts, PD and midday goddess on Mapleton Americana outlet KPIG/Monterey, CA on her elevation to Operations Manager. Roberts will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of KPIG. In a staff memo, Market Manager Jodi Morgan said of Roberts, “With a career in radio spanning almost 40 years, Laurie brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience. She has been an on air jock (Musical Therapist), Assistant Program Director and Program Director across multiple formats during her career. She was inducted into the San Francisco (Bay Area) Radio Hall of Fame in 2011.”
Roberts’ radio career spans nearly 40 years and was spent largely in the San Francisco Bay Area, with stops at former Rock outlets KSJO and KOME/San Jose as well as two stints (under different owners) at Classic Rock KUFX (K-Fox)/San Jose.
Morgan added, “Laurie considers working at KPIG her dream job, and we are thrilled to have her. I can think of no more deserving or talented person to continue the incredible legacy of KPIG. Congratulations, Laurie!”
• Adult Standards WECK (AM 1230 & 102.9FM)/Buffalo, NY is under new, local ownership — Buddy Shula’s Radio One Buffalo, LLC. Under this new banner, the station is moving to a more traditional Full Service direction, highlighted by the hire of Buffalo news icon John Zach as News Director and morning news anchor and the addition of CBS Radio News. Zach has been on the air in Buffalo since 1961, and since 1998 was the morning news anchor at Entercom News-Talk rival WBEN. He is also well known for his many years at WKBW and WGR.
“John Zach is the dean of radio news in Buffalo,” stated Buddy Shula, Owner & President of Radio One Buffalo, LLC. “We are very honored and excited to have John as part of our growing team of broadcasters at Buffalo’s Very Own WECK. His credible and trusted voice has been missed in our community.”
Zach, a 2002 inductee into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame, commented, “I’m looking forward to working with the WECK team to give Buffalo the information needed to start the day. I can’t wait to get back on the air.” Under Zach’s leadership, WECK plans to increase its local news coverage and will be announcing the addition of some well-known Western New York voices in the days ahead.
