Categories: History

Bellingham Radio: Ken Bertrand & Les Cole Audio

Jason,
Ken Bertrand worked at KGMI in Bellingham. I believe he was the news director, not sure on that but one of their main newsmen. I do not have a photo of him, but you could probably copy the one at facebook. Again, this is March 1972. I worked for him for awhile at KBFW in Bellingham, after his KGMI days. I think he ended up in communications at the state legislature and retired from that. He is in the Seattle area.

Ken Bertrand mp3
As a young tradesman, Les Cole had been a stained glass artisan in Seattle-Tacoma. He fell from a ladder, probably working on a window at a church, and shattered his hip. A career change was essential. I think it was in the 1960’s, he went into broadcasting. He worked at KTNT, KMO and KOMO. In 1970 he arrived in Bellingham as program director of KOQT, a station coming back on the air after bankruptcy. That lasted a short time and then he resigned. Not long afterwards, he became news director at KBRC, an established 5kw station, in Mt Vernon’s Skagit Valley. This 1972 newscast, slightly scoped, is a great example of the way a well-crafted newscast could integrally tie a radio station to its community. Cole worked at KBRC for a few years, then he became an announcer at KVOS TV in Bellingham. He was at KVOS until he retired and Les passed away several years ago.

The photo was taken in 1998. That is me to the right, sitting with Les, who had become a personal and family friend, at my father’s 100th birthday.

Les Cole-KBRC mp3

Ronald DeHart

Ron DeHart is a former newspaper and broadcast journalist and a retired Public Affairs Officer from both the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Navy/Naval Reserve. His historical accounts of Pacific Northwest broadcasting are published by Puget Sound Media. View more articles by Ron DeHart

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December 19, 2020 at QZVX

Dave Schmolke says:

Greetings,
I worked with Les Cole at KVOS from the late 70’s until he retired. I enjoyed working with him and enjoyed hearing his voice again. Thank you for posting the KBRC newcast. I wish I could have save some of his on camera newscast as well as some other things he did at TV 12.

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December 19, 2020 at QZVX

Steven Smith says:

Dave….you won’t see him on camera. But if you go to youtube and put in KVOS you will find some of the late night newscasts he did prior to sign off. Also, I almost forgot. There is a bit more of his audio and a photo at this post. Les was the guy who gave me my first radio job.
https://qzvx.com/2018/10/19/the-kjr-deejay-and-igm/

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