One of the wildest guys in Kansas City radio history is back in the saddle again…
Former Entercom chieftain Bob Zuroweste – the honcho who killed off KXTR FM and Smooth Jazz and launched 610 Sports – has returned to Kansas City,
“We moved back five weeks ago,” Zuroweste says. “We’re living in South Leawood, – basically at 143rd and State Line – in a little maintenance-free villa.”
But instead of babysitting Rock 98.9 FM bad boy Johnny Dare, contemplating the demise of former album rock station 99.7 KY or gnashing his teeth over WHB’s Kevin Kietzman, Z as he is called in the trade is something of a traveling salesman for Cumulus, that operates KCFX “The Fox” locally.
“I go to all the Cumulus markets nationwide and give presentations to their advertisers on branding and how they can be more effective in their advertising by having consumers know who they are and what they’re known for,” Zuroweste says. “That’s branding and I’ve been doing that for the past two years.”
And…?
“I love it,” Zuroweste says. “Absolutely love it. I get to help people use their advertising dollars; I get to travel. I go to 25 to 30 cities a year. I love going to new places and I’m something of a ham, so I like presenting to groups. I help the station’s clients understand how they can have more successful advertising.”
As for Z’s six years of being trapped in Dayton, Ohio…coulda been worse.
“Yeah, it was a nice little town,” he says. “But Kansas City is home. We love this city. We’re back among family and friends – my social life has increased tenfold since we got back. And when my kids come home to visit, it’s like they’re really coming home. In Dayton, it was like, ‘What am I doing here?'”
The wildest thing to go down while being trapped in Dayton?
“Not much,” Zuroweste says. “Oh well, a dry hurricane (Hurricane Ike) with winds of 75 mph hit our outdoor concert X Fest in 2008 and we had to shut it down. It was like Rockfest, but on a smaller scale with Shinedown and Puddle of Mudd, and we had to shut it down and push 25,000 kids out of the area we were having it in. Tents were being blown away, trees were falling down, stages were being blown away.”
The wildest thing since buying his Leawood villa here?
“My two daughters telling me I was going to be a grandfather on Father’s Day in person. They live in San Diego and Dallas, but they were here for Father’s Day. That was one of the best days of my life.”
So the guy who killed off KXTR-FM and Smooth Jazz and gave us 610 Sports instead has returned to the scene of the crime? I’m so excited I think I’ll retire for the evening so I can get some Z’s.
I was so damn glad when he left town, so you can probably guess how I feel now that he has returned.
hey if he hates black people, why not let him write for the site? he and paul wilson can team up and be a dynamic duo of ignorance.
Oh man….. that hurts….. (said no one ever)
Why on earth would you say I hate black people?
Chris Rock says he hates ALL CRACKERS, how do you come down on that one? You think he hates all white people?
I’m just a poor ole white guy trying to write a a little comedy, a little new, some satire and have a little fun.
Its you RACISTS that won’t let me do it!
Thank God for internet radio and KKFI.
Commercial radio is nothing more than 15 minutes worth of viagra ads every 10 minutes.
101 the fox’s playlist is up to what-maybe thirty four songs now? You can also set your watch every afternoon to 98.9’s airing of that Beastie Boys song…..the only Beastie Boys song they ever play.
Commercial radio is free, FREE get it the commercials pay for the music and to get enough audience, and they do plenty of music research, they play what the majority of the target demo of the station wants to hear, end of story. KKFI, you and 400 others listen.
Don’t like what you hear on FREE radio, spend a dime or two and pony up for streaming on your phone or at home through a couple of dozen of different avenues, x box, net gear to apple tv Find something instead of FREE radio to bitch about.
I used to be just as angry as karl.
Then I stopped listening to FREE, commercial, shit-radio.
Great to have Z back in town!
Come on you guys, Zuroweste is a Radio God.
Put your hands together!
I simply cant assist, Im in tears over Bong Dongo asking for the Zman and I to team up if he hates blacks too! I can’t get no respect. I would guess its Harley under another assumed name, but Bong’s two lines were far too articulate and well spelled.
say what you all want about kkfi, but after having listened to the blues and jazz offerings on sirius xm and other outlets for about year now, i’d put their programming up against anyone. their broadcasting skills, with a few exceptions, eh, not so much.
and free radio is okay for the most part once you get past the commercial pods. but… The Fox does suck anymore. they need to let skid have more elbow room in his programming. he knows more about rock and roll than anyone i know (with the possible exception of little stevie on underground garage).
I always liked Bob, great guy. Glad he’s back.
KKFI as good as any other jazz outlet, you are really willing to put up with inept barely conscience “hosts” who may have good taste in music, but are unable to complete a sentence with proper grammar or even complete the sentence. If the music selections were so great then KKFI would be a power house, they do have 100kw to work with, but petty political squabbles and fear of losing the opportunity to “be on the air” keeps KKFI from ever being more than an after thought (or birth) of what that signal could actually be.
jazzradio.com is way better without hosts who are unable to finish a thought and a sentence.
oh, i totally agree with that assessment. i’ll give’em this tho’, even with all that baggage, they’ve managed to stay on-air (and keep their license in the face of serious FCC infractions) for over 25 years and not sell out.