Advertise on podcast: Radio Split Ranch

Veteran broadcaster Chris Brunner joins me to recount his career arc from college radio and FM album rock to the "Famous 1540" and then on to a long run in the Channel 13 newsroom.  Chris recalls memorable assignments — the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, reporting from El Salvador, the switch to digital production, and his retirement hobby digitizing home movies and creating YouTube content — offering personal stories about the people and changes that shaped local broadcasting.

I got to sit with an old friend and colleague this month, and I wish we had reconnected sooner. With a long and varied career in broadcasting, from college and regional radio to decades in television news and media production, my guest witnessed the evolution of newsroom technology, the growth of WGNA-FM and WNYT-TV first hand. His transition to teaching, and the legacy he left mentoring students and building a production studio will echo for a long time. Get to know Paul Conti.

To start our 6th year of interviews with broadcasters who shaped the last 60 years of Capital Region radio and television, Tracy Villaume recounts her unexpected path from corporate communications into both mediums. She shares highlights from her years on WGY and The River, community work like The Children's Hospital Radiothon and Pay Less for the Dress, and the friendships that sustained her career. She also tells the harrowing story of a serious storm injury, the challenges of industry layoffs, and her next steps teaching and exploring new media opportunities as she begins the next chapter of her life.

This month Kelly Lynch shares the story of her Capital Region roots and multifaceted broadcasting career — from TV production and weekend anchoring to radio mornings — balancing family (with another veteran broadcaster), surviving layoffs, and returning to the business on her own terms. We also discuss her transition out of media, and how she unexpectedly discovered another rewarding career.

This month veteran sportscaster Rodger Wyland shares the story of his 40-year career at WNYT and his unexpected start in Altoona at age 15. From his start in Pennsylvania to his move to Albany, his work across TV, radio and print, and his memorable moments covering local teams, Saratoga, and Super Bowls, it's all here. The conversation also reflects on how local media has changed, Rodger’s play-by-play role at UAlbany, and his community involvement, offering a concise look at a lifetime in regional sports broadcasting.

Longtime Capital Region radio veteran Richie Norris is my guest this month. He talks about his Schenectady roots, early inspirations from WABC, and a career spanning stations like 3WD, WTRY, WGNA, and Magic 590. We cover on-air name changes, a massive jingle collection, the changing radio industry and Richie's move into internet radio. Get ready to smile!

Mike Augustyniak talks with me this month about his journey from growing up in Rotterdam to combining a passion for radio with a career in meteorology. Mike recalls early radio memories, pivotal storms that inspired him, internships at WGY and Channel 10, and his rise to work in a major market and for CBS. The episode highlights mentorships, the challenges of local forecasting, the changing media landscape, and personal reflections on career choices and staying true to one’s passions.

Longtime regional broadcaster Walt Adams is my guest this month. We talk about his 40-year radio career from an eight-year-old’s crystal set to major local stations and a beloved community morning show. Walt and I revisit his early days when we first met and the formats he's mastered from country to disco. Along the way we share memorable on-air moments, industry upheavals, charity work, and why local radio and mentorship still matter today. Enjoy!

Longtime broadcaster Lisa Walker traces her radio career from college station cassettes to work at major stations from coast-to-coast. Lisa shares stories about promotions, music directing, programming, bucket-list stations, and the tough realities of life on air. She also discusses her transition into a whole second career, the changing radio landscape, podcasting and retirement plans, with archival airchecks and reflections on how radio shaped lives in past decades.

On Episode 54 of Radio Split Ranch we sit down with veteran broadcaster Jerry Crouth to trace his life from a humble childhood in Rome, New York to a long career in radio. Jerry discusses his new memoir "Thank You, Mom," memorable moments like appearing on the Match Game, and the family traditions that shaped him. The conversation also covers Jerry’s decades on Saratoga-area radio, the Singing Valentines program he built, his Oldies Show on 96.1 Star Saratoga, and how passion and chance kept bringing him back to the microphone.

I engage this month with Marissa, a Capital Region native whose 20+ year radio career spans local favorites and major markets. You'll hear how she overcame shyness, earned dream gigs at FLY92 and Boston stations, and adapted to modern voice-tracking across multiple stations daily. Our conversation covers her start in radio, career highs and sudden cuts, the pandemic pause, recovery after injury, and how Marissa turned relationships and resilience into a thriving remote-radio career while staying true to her hometown.

This month's conversation is with a veteran broadcaster who traces his radio career from early inspiration and college radio through stations like WIZN, WQBK, WHRL and WGY to his current role at WEQX. His story  mixes personal anecdotes (including a surprise Howard Stern call and Don Weeks guesting), industry shifts like format flips and layoffs, and his personal reflections on reinvention — ending with his ongoing specialty shows and love for the craft. Here's a fun hour with Jason Keller.

Host Warren Garling interviews Jay Clark about his long radio career, starting as an overnight DJ in the Capital Region and rising to program director roles at major stations including WTRY, WPRO, WTIC, WABC, and KHits. The episode traces Clark’s experiences in the Top 40 wars, format changes (including WABC’s switch to talk), programming and promotion lessons, memorable on-air moments, and his later work with Sirius and consulting before retirement. You'll get behind-the-scenes stories about station strategy, promotions, mentoring talent, and how radio evolved from local personality-driven shows to today’s multimedia landscape.

Radio Split Ranch host Warren Garling catches up with Fred Sidoti, tracing his journey from a basement 100 mW pirate station to decades on Albany and Buffalo airwaves under many on‑air names. The episode highlights memorable moments (Apollo 13, moon landing, Beach Boys, concerts and local radiothons), Sidoti’s station  moves and jingle aliases, and his later career as a corporate trainer and community volunteer—an affectionate, nostalgic look at a classic radio life.

Dive into a captivating conversation with Paul Vandenberg this month. Paul is a notable talk radio host and station owner in the Capital Region. As we kick off the fifth year of this podcast, we explore the evolution of local radio and TV broadcasting in the Northeast, highlighting recent challenges and changes within public broadcasting and commercial radio. Paul reflects on his journey from working various jobs to eventually owning a radio station. And he contemplates the future of local radio amidst a rapidly changing media landscape.