Williams Out, Hollister In, at KGW Radio (April 1989)

April 22, 1989 – The Oregonian/Peter Farrell

The ax that has been hanging over the head of morning man John Williams of KGW (620 AM) finally fell Friday, and when the station’s listeners wake up Monday it will be to the voice of longtime Portland radio personality Jimmy Hollister.

Williams, whose past ratings problems seemed to signal that he was on the way out, was told after he went off the air Friday that his 12 years with the station had come to an end. Williams moved to the morning slot three years ago after Craig Walker, then the No. 1 morning personality in Portland, accepted an offer to move to KKCW (103.3 FM).

“I had a feeling that it was coming for awhile,” Williams said. “It’s kind of hard after 12 years to walk away. The company has been having its problems, but I had 12 good years there, and that’s longer than most.” He added: “I don’t harbor any grudges, and I wish them the best of luck.How’s that for being a nice guy?”

KGW’s morning ratings, according to a measurement by Birch Radio, were 4.7 a year ago, went as high as 6.8 during the summer but fell to a 2.3 in the most recent ratings period. By that report, KGW was 15th in the morning, lower even than KPDQ (93.7 FM), an inspirational station not normally considered a factor in the major station commercial competition. The Birch report listed KKRZ (100.3 FM) as No. 1 in the mornings with a 10.6 rating, and KEX (1190) No. 2 at 9.9. KGW’s ratings were slightly higher, in absolute numbers and relative to other stations, in ratings by other companies, but had fallen steadily for more than a year until a recent uptick.

His abrupt dismissal was in keeping with radio tradition, and Williams said he did not feel badly about not having a chance to say goodbye to listeners. “I’m not saying farewell to anybody because I’m not leaving. I plan very much on staying here. I like Portland. I definitely plan on being on the radio — soon, I hope.”

The bad news for Williams meant a great rebound for Hollister, who left KEX (1190 AM) after 17 years to join old friend Victor Ives in the running of KVIX (1290 AM), with its old-time radio format. The station failed financially and went off the air. In February Hollister went to work part-time at KGW.

On leaving KEX, Hollister joked that one reason he got out was that he couldn’t stand playing The Carpenters anymore — more a comment on the limited playlists at major stations than on The Carpenters. Friday Hollister fessed right up: “Yes, I’ll be playing Karen’s songs” because KGW listeners like them. Maybe he could open Monday’s show with “We’ve Only Just Begun.”

In a statement Friday — one that got around the messy issue of Williams’ departure by simply not mentioning it — KGW program director Jim LaMarca said that “Jimmy’s arrival is another signal of the renaissance of the station.” Kenn Brown, general manager, said Hollister “is the personality that ties together all of the positive changes that have been taking place at 62 KGW.”

Hollister promised to revive some of the material he did on KEX, including fun telephone calls to places all over the world. For KEX, he flew around the world “the wrong way,” and conducted “raids” on Oregon communities, all to attract attention to his program.

He’ll try, he said, “to talk about stuff that’s happening. Not to knock anybody else, but lots of times people are not doing what’s going on, but catching up with things that happened yesterday or two or three days ago. I’ll gladly give up a Roberta Flack record — or two or three — to get to what’s happening right now, whether its news or sports or something humorous.”

Hollister’s return to KGW will put him with funny Francine Raften of KGW’s morning staff. Raften did traffic at KEX during Hollister’s programs. And Bruce Pokarney, formerly of KEX, is leaving the news job at KKCW to join Hollister for the morning show, which airs from 5:30 to 10 a.m. It’s not just Hollister’s radio career that’s headed up. He is rehearsing a couple of lines for a movie with Michael Tucker and Catherine Hicks, a major gain over his non-speaking role in a Matt Dillon movie, “Drugstore Cowboy.” He can’t wait for the Dillon movie to open: “We’re going to have a big premiere, even if I’m only in it for one second. I’ll be Portland’s only movie actor-morning man.”