Julie Humphreys reads copy for promotional radio spots during a rehearsal session at KJRB on July 7.
by Erica Curless The (Spokane) Spokesman-Review, July 14, 2014
Baby boomers are reclaiming the Spokane radio station of their youth: KJRB.
In the 1960s and 70s, KJRB was the area’s premier Top 40 station broadcasting the rock ’n’ roll soundtrack for teens and young adults. The format changed over the years, most recently playing classic country. That all changes today at 8 a.m. when Boomer Radio goes live on AM-790.
It’s Spokane’s first local talk radio station to focus on boomers – the largest generation born between 1946 and 1964 and known for their independence and free spirits. Today they are also known for their buying power, with 75 percent of the financial assets in the U.S. in the hands of people older than 50 – a marketer’s dream and one of the reasons executive producer Kent Adams, a fellow baby boomer and longtime member of the local broadcast industry, thinks the boomer format will attract a large audience and support itself with advertising dollars.
“Research tells us it’s the only station of its kind in the country,” said Adams, who also hosts the “Business Talks” show with Julie Humphreys and Tom McArthur. The program kicks off the daily four hours of talk, Monday through Saturday. The afternoon and Sunday format will remain classic country music.
There are local stations, mostly satellite audio streams, that play boomer music. Yet no station actually “talks” to this large demographic that ranges in age from 50 to 68, Adams said. Talk radio mostly focuses on politics, sports and religion. Boomer radio is all about conversations, whether it’s about local businesses and nonprofits, how to achieve better health, the latest trends in food and style, or home projects.
“I want listeners to learn,” Adams said. “We want to engage our listeners.”
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