Al Smith
        
           
 

       
           
  Not too many people know that AL SMITH was the all-night jock at KBOX in Dallas. That was 1960. Intense followers of The Radio Show know that about a decade later, Bob Whitney sent Bob Todd off to Louisville to interview with the GM of WAKY. Here he is, folks, that very same former WAKY GM. In the last forty years since KBOX, Al has managed just about everything. And now - our rock 'n roll all night jock is a mogul. He runs seven stations for CBS/Infinity in Fresno, CA. And all seven stations are on the same floor of the same building. In seven minutes you can visit and hear all seven. If you want to change jobs, you don't walk "across the street" - you walk across the hall! Al says that he's got the biggest challenge ever - how to make these 7 stations harmonize in something called consolidation to the pleasure of the listeners, his staff, and his multi-national employer. He says radio is more exciting, challenging and fun then ever. So if you're nervous and irritable because the big guys have bought up all the stations, go see big Al Smith. He's our expert management jock in the middle of consolidation.        
 

  ...and now
        
           
 

Al Smith's Tour of the
Seven Fresno Radio Stations
        

 
        
 

RADIO CITY - a small intimate place...38,000 square feet of consolidated radio. Seven stations, a separate Infinity Promotion Group and Metro Traffic as well. "Yes," says Al, "we take up the whole building. Everybody asks that."

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 The sign listing the wonders inside the building
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VP/GM Al Smith with KMJ PD John Broeske.
Al belted him one and broke his arm when
the ratings slipped below a 10 share

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Smith checking the electronic brains that tie it all together.. "What do
it do? Al learned a long time ago that you should be nice to engineers.

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 John Garabo - Morning host on Kiss Country
        
       
           

 
        
 

 Kiss Country mid-day host, Greg Lane

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Fresno loves country.
So Greg Lane... mixes those Kiss Country hits real good!

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The Programming Code They Live By!!

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Resident historian and Engineer for
Infinity Broadcasting/Fresno: Rych Withers

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Mega 97.9 Afternoon drive host Victor Vagas...a.k.a.
Humpty Hump. (What does that mean?)

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Al Smith with midday host and music
director, Jason Hurst of Star 101

        

 
        
 

 360 degrees around the building - seven stations in seven minutes.
Al gives us a generous video interview and our day at
Infinity/Fresno is over.
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 Bob and Al had not seen each other in 30 years. Heck of a long time.
        
 

 (We both still love the radio biz.)
        
         
 

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