KBEQ's Matthews Moves: Steel City KBEQ/Kansas City morning co-host Kyle Matthews is departing Oct. 24 to relocate to St. Louis for family reasons. Formerly Townsquare KAWO/Boise Brand Mgr./afternoon host, Matthews joined KBEQ in April (CAT 4/7). Following his departure, KBEQ/KFKF PD Dale Carter will absorb MD duties, and morning co-host Mallory Kay will host solo until a successor is hired. Matthews is seeking a new opportunity; reach him here.

Kansas City Briefs: Steel City KBEQ/Kansas City has revamped its lineup with former Townsquare KAWO/Boise Brand Mgr./afternoon host Kyle Matthews (CAT 2/25) taking over mornings. He is joined on The Morning Drive by sister Top 40 KMXV night host Mallory Kay, who had been guest hosting since the departures of Todd Nixon and Jenny Matthews earlier this year (CAT 2/10). Joe "Tater" Cavanagh, who hosted middays on the station before moving to Nashville last year (CAT 1/8/24), will contribute to the show as the "Nashville Insider." Matthews, who is also MD, can be reached here.

Taking over middays is promotions staffer Marissa Leggio, who joined KBEQ last year and previously interned at crosstown Union Sports WHB-AM. The shift hadn't had a permanent host since the departure of Cavanagh. Afternoons and nights remain unchanged with hosts Lydia "LT" Taylor and "Erika Jay" Hink respectively.

Q Score: Townsquare KAWO/Boise Brand Mgr./afternoon host Kyle Matthews is departing Friday (2/28) to join SteelCity KBEQ/Kansas City as MD, effective April 7. He will also do a yet-to-be-determined air shift at KBEQ, which has had a morning vacancy since the departures of Jenny Matthews (CAT 2/10) and PD/morning co-host Todd Nixon (CAT 12/27/24). Steel City MM Marc Harrell says Matthews' "talent, industry knowledge and deep passion for country music make him the perfect addition to our on-air team.” Matthews joined KAWO in 2022 from the KFGE/Lincoln, NE APD/MD/midday host position (CAT 8/8/22). His prior stops include an earlier stint at KFGE and KFRG/Riverside. Reach him here. No word on plans for the Boise position.

Crib Note: Country Radio Broadcasters Project Mgr. and Assoc. Dir./Brand Marketing & Strategic Partnerships Ashley Bourque and husband Wesley Bourque welcomed their third child, daughter Rory Aubrey, at home Dec. 21. Ashley shared on Facebook, "She was born two days early, on the day of the winter solstice to remind us that on the darkest day of the year, she brought light and each day following will be a little bit brighter and lighter." Congratulate the family here.

Townsquare KAWO/Boise Brand Mgr. Kyle Matthews and his wife, Jamie, are expecting their first child, a daughter, in June. Congratulate him here.

Kane & Katelyn Brown are expecting their third child, as revealed in a Christmas day social media post. The couple shared a photo with their two daughters and a sonogram image, writing, "Last Christmas of 4."

I stand before you today, overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement, as I accept this incredible honor of winning the Fantasy Label Draft. Being recognized for my efforts and selections in this thrilling venture is truly a privilege. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported me, believed in my choices, and contributed to making this experience unforgettable.

Crafting a fantasy label was a journey that challenged my creativity, pushed the boundaries of my imagination, and allowed me to explore uncharted territories within the realm of music and entertainment. I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity.

Behind every great accomplishment, there's a team of supporters who deserve recognition. To my family, friends, and mentors who believed in my vision and encouraged me every step of the way, thank you for being my pillars of strength. Your unwavering faith in my abilities has been the driving force behind my success.

I would be remiss not to express my appreciation to the artists and creators who have poured their hearts and souls into the music that fuels our spirits. It is their talent and dedication that form the very essence of our fantasy labels. By spotlighting their brilliance, we enrich the world with melodies that resonate deep within us. Thank you to Greg Thompson and Lauren Thomas for their incredible leadership this past year, and I hope we can continue this fantastic relationship we built.

As I bask in the glow of this achievement, I am reminded of the responsibility that comes with it. It is a victory for me and an inspiration for aspiring fantasy label creators worldwide. Let us continue to dream big, think outside the box, and harness the power of our imaginations to bring more magic into the world.

In closing, I want to express my gratitude once again for this remarkable honor. Winning the Fantasy Label Draft is a testament to the boundless potential of human creativity and collaboration. See you next year! –Kyle Matthews

Lincoln Logged: Wynne KFLS/Klamath Falls, OR afternoon personality Cory Edmondson (a.k.a. “Cory Daniels”) is joining NRG KFGE/Lincoln, NE as APD/MD/middays. He succeeds Kyle Matthews, who left for Townsquare KAWO/Boise last month (CAT 8/5). “[Cory] has the kind of personality that fits with ‘Nebraska Nice,’ and his work ethic is exactly what [KFGE] needs,” says OM/PD Steve King. “Not to mention, he is one of the few people who understands the difference between jelly and jam.” Edmondson’s prior stops include KKOA/Honolulu, HI; KTHK/Idaho Falls, ID; KKNU/Eugene, OR; KMTT/Seattle; and KINK/Portland, OR. Reach him here. 

Contact Updates: Recently named Townsquare KAWO/Boise Brand Mgr. Kyle Matthews (CAT 8/8) is now on the job and can be reached here.

Townsquare/Albany Dir./Promotions Terry O’Donnell has joined crosstown Albany Broadcasting Company as OM overseeing three stations previously helmed by Jon Reilly (CAT 9/2); his purview will not include Country WKLI. Reach O’Donnell here. No word on plans for the position at the Townsquare cluster that includes Country WGNA. 

Rank And Kyle: Former NRG KFGE/Lincoln, NE APD/MD/midday host Kyle Matthews, who announced his resignation last week (CAT 8/5) is joining Townsquare KAWO/Boise Sept. 6 as Brand Mgr. He succeeds Chris Pickett, who has been with the cluster since 2019 (CAT 11/22/19); Pickett remains as Dir./Content for the cluster. Matthews' prior stops include an earlier stint at KFGE and KFRG/Riverside. Reach him here.

Matthews Leaves KFGE: NRG KFGE/Lincoln, NE APD/MD/midday host Kyle Matthews is departing for a yet-to-be-announced position. Matthews joined in 2019 for his second stint (CAT 1/9/19) after spending a year handling middays at KFRG/Riverside. KFGE OM Steve King is now searching for replacement that has "a passion for country music, is able to work with a very high-profile morning show and understands how to integrate online and social media into a radio station. This isn’t a job for a beginner in radio, as we make big market radio. This is a job for someone who wants to be a PD or work their way into the PD role as APD." Reach King here.

Morning News: NRG KFGE/Lincoln morning co-host Josh Nelson is leaving after 10 years for a soon-to-be-announced opportunity closer to home. He joined in 2011 (CAT 12/9/11) from AC KQKQ/Omaha; reach Nelson here. At KFGE, incumbent morning hosts Gary Greenwood and Johanna Buresh will launch Gary & Johanna In The Morning Feb. 7. APD/midday personality Kyle Matthews stays on as producer and will also serve as an interim on-air contributor. “Johanna has brought so much talent and energy to the morning show the past five years and deserves to get her name in big, bold print,” says Matthews. Reach Greenwood here, Buresh here and Matthews here. 

Learn After Reading: Rusty Walker Scholarship winners for CRS 2022 are KFGE/Lincoln, NE APD/MD Kyle Matthews; WLVK/Elizabethtown, KY Acct. Exec. Spencer Campbell; and KGRT/Las Cruces, NM morning co-host Morgan Taylor. Additionally, the inaugural Lisa McKay Women In Radio Scholarship has been awarded to WCJC/Marion, IN APD/afternoon host Jacqueline Dunn Palizzi (a.k.a. "Paisley Dunn"). “Rusty Walker and Lisa McKay were two of our industry’s most passionate and involved mentors, encouraging younger broadcast professionals to learn, excel and lead,” says CRS Exec. Dir. RJ Curtis. “CRS is proud to host these aspiring and deserving industry professionals in 2022, and we believe Rusty and Lisa would be proud.” Each scholarship recipient will receive airfare, hotel accommodations and registration to CRS 2022, Feb. 23-25 at the Omni Nashville Hotel; register here. Reach Matthews here, Campbell here, Taylor here and Dunn here.

Switch Perfect: NRG KFGE/Lincoln, NE midday host Brooke Summers and APD/afternoon personality Kyle Matthews have swapped dayparts. The move marks a return to middays for Matthews, who rejoined for afternoons in 2019 (CAT 1/9/19) after his first run in middays from 2016-2018. Summers, who also serves as AC sister KBBK morning host, added KFGE duties in October (CAT 10/12/21). Reach Matthews here and Summers here.

Engage Meant: NRG KFGE/Lincoln, NE APD/afternoon personality Kyle Matthews proposed Jan. 31 to girlfriend Jamie Eckhardt. Send best wishes to the couple here.

Leap Frog: Entercom KFRG/Riverside midday host Kyle Matthews will join NRG's KFGE/Lincoln, NE as APD/afternoon host effective Feb. 4. It's a return to the station for Matthews, who handled middays there from 2016-2018. Matthews fills the vacancy created upon Harper Davis' departure (CAT 11/14). No word yet from KFRG on plans for middays.

Frogger: KFGE/Lincoln, NE middayer Kyle Matthews has joined KFRG/Riverside for the same airshift and to oversee imaging. "Kyle understands how to create great local radio," says Entercom/Riverside SVP/MM Michael Valenzuela. "We're looking forward to bringing a new creative voice to the market." His addition shifts the KFRG lineup as the morning show ends at 9am, Heather Froglear steps in from 9am-noon, Matthews is on-air from noon-3pm, Anthony Frogatelli handles afternoons from 3-6pm, and Pepper continues to handle nights 6-10pm. Back in Lincoln, Matthews' airshift has been absorbed internally.