Blog 36

This blog will be different than any I have written.  This - to say goodbye to someone I did not know personally.   But yet someone who had a huge impact on me, particularly during my time in Portland.  Les Sarnoff, longtime host at KINK FM in Portland died on Friday of cancer.  I never met Les, and never worked at KINK during my time in Portland area radio.  However the impact remains.  For those of you unfamiliar, KINK is a somewhat electric rock station in Portland...which has evolved since  its "underground" days in the late 60s.  Its still highly popular across many age groups.   Les did mornings for much of a 30 year time span.   He was always pleasant to listen to....like having an old friend stop by for your morning coffee at home. While my style on air is certainly different, I did glean from Les the need to converse with the listener one on one. As I worked my way around in radio up north, I  kept listening and learning and Les was one of those people I drew ideas from.  Later as I gained friends who had worked with Les, I learned even more:  his incredible work ethic  (coming in at 2am to be ready to be on air at 5am!) and his involvement in things his listeners cared about.  He emceed many concerts, and non-profit events and cared about their success.  His final gift - from a man who made sure to be involved in his listener's lives - was letting us be involved in his sickness.   Les posted numerous blogs on the KINK  website explaining his treatment, options, and hope for surviving stage four cancer.  I checked the site often....and the insight was incredible.  He could have easily said goodbye on air and just vanished....as many often do.  But his positive attitude about beating the disease caused him to  again share with the listeners and readers. 

Did I meet him? - no.  Did I talk to him? - no.  But did I listen to him?  Oh you bet I did. And I will be listening to Les for years to come.

Kyle Bailey

Program Director

News Radio 1240 KQEN - Roseburg