2014 Hall of Fame Inductees
Jean Ruth Hay
Thirteen year old Jean Ruth moved from Philadelphia to Boulder with her mother and brother in 1930. She attended the University of Colorado but transferred to the University of Michigan which offered a course in radio broadcasting after a teacher told her she had “a voice for stage or radio.”
When she returned to Colorado, according to the Associated Press, she “heard soldiers at Fort Logan complain of starting their days to the blast of a bugle”. She approached management at KFEL Radio and offered to create a “painless reveille” for the troops, calling herself Beverly because the name “sort of rhymed” with reveille. On October 20, 1941 “Reveille with Beverly” debuted and was immediately a hit.
One of the first female disc jockeys, “Beverly” read from listener letters and played the swing music of the day. She was paid seven dollars a week to the 5:30-6:30am show Monday-Saturday.
In January 1942, Time magazine pictured her at the KFEL microphone and called her “dawn’s early lightener,” LIFE Magazine featured Jean Ruth and she became a nation-wide celebrity. She flew to Hollywood in the summer of 1942 to talk to producers about a movie loosely based on her story. She served as technical advisor on “Reveille with Beverly” which starred Ann Miller, featured a young Frank Sinatra, as well as band leader Freddie Slack (who would become her first husband). She moved her show to Los Angeles and for remainder of the war broadcast to millions of servicemen in 54 countries via Armed Forces Radio Service.
At the end of the war she returned to Boulder and hosted an evening show on KBOL radio. Jean Ruth moved back to California and was a radio DJ and TV host in Santa Barbara. She starred in commercials for Pillsbury and other products. She married John Hay in 1952.
In May 2004 Jean Ruth Hay was honored by the Smithsonian Institution at the unveiling of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. She died later that year at the age of 87.
Steve Keeney
In 1959, teenage Steve Keeney won a music trivia contest on Tampa Bay’s WDAE AM. After picking up his prize, Keeney called the DJ on the air and told him he needed to clean his office. “Why don’t you come down and clean it up” was the only invitation Steve needed to start hanging out at the radio station. A radio career was born.
Soon the family, led by his career Marine father, moved to Okinawa, Japan. He secured a weekly show called “Teenage Review” on KSBK radio which he hosted for two years. After graduating high school in 1961, Steve enrolled at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He worked at a 250 watt daytime station to earn extra money, eventually becoming Program Director.
Following college, Steve enlisted in the U.S Air Force and was stationed in New Mexico, moonlighting at a station in Alamogordo while off-duty. After his service in the Air Force, Steve decided that he enjoyed radio and could make a living at it. His young family moved to Denver where he pursued a Master’s degree at DU while working part time as a fill-in announcer at KOSI.
Steve loved radio, but figured he’d be a better salesman than personality. He started as a salesman at KDEN and moved to KIMN sales in 1973. Three years later, he was appointed General Manager. He revitalized the news department and sought out strong talent. He helped make the KIMN Chicken one of the most popular mascots around and, with his team, created signature community events and promotions. Keeney led KIMN back to a second golden era.
A songwriter, he wrote original jingles for KIMN (“The Best Show In Denver”) that were repurposed for stations across the country. He made the decision to flip KIMN-FM to country. KYGO remains a format leader and ratings winner.
He left KIMN/KYGO for KHOW (along with KPKE, which would become Sunny FM). In 1994 he was named vice president and general manager of KINK AM/FM in Portland. In 2000, Steve volunteered to transfer back to Denver with CBS/Infinity to be Market Manager, overseeing KOOL105, Jammin’ 92.5 and The Mix100.
He launched two new stations, Martini 101.5 (KTNI) and Sassy 107 (KSYY) in 2006 before retiring from the radio business.
Mike Landess
Mike Landess started his broadcasting career as a high school senior in 1964 at KDOK radio in Tyler, Texas. He briefly attended Tyler Junior College but after receiving a limited military draft deferment and being offered a job in Dallas radio, he left Tyler.
He worked at KLIF-AM and WFAA Radio in Dallas. Four years out of high school he was reporting for WFAA TV. He moved to KTRK in Houston and made a stop in Philadelphia before landing his first primary anchor job at WKYC-TV in Cleveland. Landess remembers “I moved from job to job, experience to experience, gaining experience.” In reporting the news, he discovered his training in high school debate was beneficial: he had been trained to look at both sides of issue, a valuable skill for a newsman.
In 1977 he came to Denver’s KBTV (now KUSA) to co-anchor the evening news with BPC Hall of Fame member Ed Sardella. Their 10PM newscast achieved a 51 share in 1981, one of the highest ratings ever for a regular local news program. He would be at 9NEWS for 16 years.
In 1993, Gannett transferred Landess to Atlanta. He anchored on WXIA for six years, where he covered the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, including the Olympic Park bombing. He then moved to WTTG, the Fox affiliate in Washington, DC anchoring local coverage of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.
Mike returned to Denver in 2002 to anchor the evening newscasts at KMGH. He was on 7NEWS for next 12 years. Mike has anchored during momentous Colorado news stories, including the Pope’s visit for World Youth Day in 1993, the Aurora theater shootings and the devastating fires and floods of recent years. He shared his personal story of battling prostate cancer from the diagnosis though treatment and into recovery with viewers, which earned an Emmy in 2009.
Mike has been honored with more than 24 Emmys, five Edward R. Murrow Awards. The 2012 Colorado Broadcasters Association award for best news anchor. He was inducted into the Heartland Chapter of National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle in 2008.
Mike Landess retired from 7NEWS in August, 2014 after 50 years on-air (28 years in Colorado). It was a very short retirement. In September, 2014 he announced “I’m coming full circle in my life and career in the town where it all began, Tyler, Texas,” becoming an evening news anchor at CBS19 KYTX. “The lure of grown kids, their kids and a parent pushing 90 were strong incentives to take on a new challenge in a part of Texas I know so well. Thanks again, Colorado, for everything.”
Andrés Neidig
Andrés Neidig is the first Hall of Fame inductee representing Spanish-language broadcasting. He has been on air for over 50 years and his name is synonymous with community involvement and activism throughout Colorado’s Spanish speaking community.
Andrés began his broadcast career in 1961 at 1220 AM KFSC, owned by the late Paco Sanchez. At the time, KFSC was the first and only Spanish language media outlet west of the Mississippi. Andrés was just 18 years old when he started as news translator, copy writer and on-air talent, becoming General Manager within a year. He also managed the classic Tabor theatre specializing in films from Mexico and Spain. He was active in the nightclub business working with some of the era’s top Mexican artists including Javier Solis, José Alfredo Jiménez, María Victoria and Pérez Prado.
In the early 70s, Andrés produced the Paco Sanchez Hour which eventually became El Show de Andrés. These TV shows were filmed live with performers and musicians in front of a live audience. (El Show de Andrés returned on Telemundo in the mid 90s).
In August of 1966, he was invited by Colorado Governor John Love to meet and provide Mexican music for President Lyndon Johnson’s visit to Denver. In March of 1971 he traveled to Paris as part of the Colorado Cares Commission, the first American group granted an audience by the Hanoi Delegation, obtaining information about POW’s held in Vietnam. In 1973 Colorado Governor John Vanderhoof appointed him to serve on the Colorado 1976 Centennial-Bicentennial Commission.
In 1975, Andrés moved south to Pueblo, becoming owner of KRMX, Radio Mexicana. In 1984 he signed on the first Spanish language FM radio station in Colorado, KRMX-FM 107.1. Moving back to Denver in March of 1989, he purchased what became KJME 1390AM, La Jota Mexicana. He owned the successful station until 2004.
He has taught US citizenship classes free of charge to the listeners of his radio stations. President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico presented Andrés the prestigious Ohtli medal, recognizing him as one of the leading Mexican-American citizens in the United States.
The broadcasting tradition of the Neidig family continues with Andrés’ son William, daughter Andrea and their mother Kris owning and operating radio stations in Cheyenne and Greeley. Andrés continues his long broadcast career as host of the weekly Show de Andrés featuring Mexican oldies on 1150 AM, KNRV.
William "Doc" Reynolds
Dr. William D. Reynolds, a dentist in Colorado Springs, established wireless parts wholesaler “The Reynolds Radio Company” in 1914 and incorporated in 1921. In 1918, he was “on the air” with an amateur radio station called 9WH.
In 1919, he moved to Denver and started amateur station 9ZAF at his home at 1124 S. University Avenue. As radio regulations evolved, he was required to obtain a broadcast license. On March 10, 1922, Doc was granted the 67th radio license nation-wide and the first in Colorado. The station was assigned the call letters KLZ, recycled from the SS Speedwell, a ship that had sunk in the Gulf of Mexico two years earlier. Doc’s original license allowed him to broadcast only on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday from 8 to 9:30pm at 833 Kilocycles. Doc’s wife Naomi and four year old son George (known as “Sonny” or “KLZ Jr.”) were also involved. with Doc playing the violin and saxophone with Mrs. Reynolds playing piano and Sonny telling short stories.
Like other early stations, KLZ changed frequencies a number of times over the next few years. The station also changed studio and transmitter locations. In the winter of 1925, the studios moved to the Shirley-Savoy Hotel, where they would stay for nearly three decades. In 1928, KLZ broadcast briefly at 850 kilocycles, before being assigned its permanent dial position at 560 as part of a nationwide frequency reallocation on November 11, 1928. In 1931 Reynolds Radio Company bought KFUM in Colorado Springs and changed the call letters to KVOR.
Doc Reynolds died in November of 1931. Radio stations across the country observed a moment of silence in his honor, while KLZ signed off for three hours so staff could attend his funeral. As KLZ began that silence, they called Doc Reynolds “a pioneer radio man, not just of the west but one of the first whose voices were heard by radio in this country.”
Mike Schafbuch
Richard M. “Mick” Schafbuch, a Denver native, graduated from Regis High School and, in 1956 from Regis College. He entered the US Marine Corps Officer Training Program advancing to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. In 1959, Mick and his wife Susan returned to Denver and he joined the Curt Freiberger & Company advertising agency.
In December 1960, he joined KOA as Promotions/ Merchandising director. In 1963, he joined the radio sales staff and in 1968 transferred to the local sales staff of KOA TV. Later that year he left KOA to briefly join a Minneapolis ad agency, but returned as Radio Sales Manager in 1969 after GE bought KOA.
He was named Vice President and General Manager of KOA AM & FM in April 1971. KOA rose from 9th to first in the market by emphasizing news. In 1973-74 he served as President of the Colorado Broadcasters Association.
In June of 1974, Mick added general manager responsibilities for KOA TV. He overhauled the news department around the anchor trio of Clyde Davis, Reynelda Muse (BPC Hall of Fame 1999) and Morris Jones. He also initiated and oversaw a major expansion of KOA’s facilities.
In February, 1978, Mick resigned from KOA to become general manager of KOIN TV in Portland, where he would stay 16 years. Thursday March 17, 1978 was proclaimed by Colorado Governor Dick Lamm “Mick Schafbuch Day”, noting that Mick has “established for himself and the KOA stations a national reputation for community leadership.” Throughout his tenure in Colorado, he was a supporter of educational initiatives including CSU’s Broadcast Day and High School Broadcast Institute.
At KOIN, Mick became part of the CBS Television Network Affiliates Advisory Board in 1981 and in 1991 became its chair. After he retired from KOIN in 1994, he created and served as president for the Television Alliance Group, formed to help generate non-traditional revenue for its shareholder members including 115 CBS Television affiliates nationwide.
In 1977 Mick received the Regis College Alumni Achievement Award. He received a 1978 Abe Lincoln Award for significant contributions to the quality of life in America and helping the broadcast industry enrich its public service. In 1993 he was named Broadcaster of the Year by the Oregon Association of Broadcasters and in 1996 the Broadcast Foundation honored him with one of the first Pioneer Awards.
Mick Schafbuch died in 2005.