Program: Sports Radio Broadcasting
Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson, recent KOA radio sports director and national sports broadcaster, joined us today and entertained us with his personal stories of events that occurred during his career. Some of the highlights of his stories included:
- Mark hails from North Dakota, and he is proud to share that origin with the likes of Lawrence Welk, Angie Dickenson, and Carl Wentz, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback.
- He started his broadcasting career at age 20 before he finished college by filling coffee cups and doing various odd jobs to support the disk jockeys at his local radio station. After what seemed an eternity as the go-fer at the station he was finally able to sit at the microphone… as the all-night album replay announcer on Magic 96. And that was about all he was allowed to say!
- Mark got his big break on Thanksgiving Day, filling in for the daytime disk jockey. He told us that his entire family and many friends tuned in to his station to listen to him. Mark discovered that he was very anxious to do the job right, so anxious that he cued his first song incorrectly. His debut on radio opened with an expletive, an honor he was reminded of for a long time!
- His career took him all over the country as he moved up in the ranks as a sports announcer. Places like Santa Barbara California, his wife’s hometown, then back to North Dakota to finish his degree. He even found himself working for Gene Keady, the Legendary Purdue Basketball Coach. Then he moved on to Illinois State with Gene Keady’s help, and on to Syracuse. He called the play-by-play for their 2003 National Championship over Kansas while Carmello Anthony was on the team.
Mark and his family have lived in Denver 14 years, and after 13 years at KOA Radio iHeartMedia budget cuts removed him from his position as Sports Director this past Spring. He will remain as sports announcer for Colorado Buffaloes on KOA radio and is moving on to teach broadcasting at the University of Colorado.
Announcements/Business:
- No meeting next Tuesday December 26th. Enjoy the Christmas Holiday.
- Gift exchange meeting on January 2nd, Mark Rehm will be our Master of Ceremonies.
- At the Board meeting on Monday the 18th Dean McCall accepted a nomination to become our 2019-20 Club President after Janine Payton's term. Other nominations for the 2019-20 President position are still open, please contact a Board member.