Local radio station holding public tour and open house to celebrate 40 years of broadcasting

REXBURG – John Haeberle was thrilled as he listened to the new signal on his radio dial.

It was May 1, 1984 and KRIC was broadcasting at 100.5 FM for the first time. Haeberle had a license from the Federal Communications Commission to operate a radio station on the second floor of the Spori building on the Ricks College campus. Thanks to a transmitter atop the Annis Butte about 13 miles southwest of Rexburg, the 25-year-old radio station had more reach than it ever had.

Four decades later, a tower on the south Menan Butte transmits the signals for two radio stations owned by Brigham Young University-Idaho. What is now KBYI has a 100,000-watt signal on 94.3 FM. It’s also streamed online. Listeners tune in daily for NPR News, classical music and other student-produced programming.

Brandon Isle, who became the station manager in 2022, tells EastIdahoNews.com it’s the students behind the mic who have made BYU-Idaho Radio what it is today.

“At various points in our history, we’ve been the No. 1 station on the dial,” Isle says.

And students have produced award-winning content over the years.

Isle and his team are celebrating 40 years of broadcasting to a wide audience by holding a public open house and tour of the station on May 17. They’ll sprinkle the airwaves with tributes and memories from former employees as well. EastIdahoNews.com reporter Rett Nelson got his start at BYU-Idaho Radio. Listen to an air check in the video above.

The early days of radio on campus

Years before KRIC went on the air, it was a lab station that operated out of a small trailer. It was called Viking Saga and students would produce content to give to other stations.

In 1959, the college acquired a 10-watt station known as KRIX. It was in the old Spori building and students had limited ability to broadcast their own content.

“I’ve heard it described as ‘the signal dribbled out of the windows of the Spori.’ So if you wanted to listen, you probably couldn’t, unless you were on campus,” says Isle.

Kay Wilkins played a pivotal role in those early years.

It became KVIK in 1967.

Under John Haeberle’s leadership, KRIC went on the air in 1984 and began broadcasting to a large audience for the first time. Lamar Barrus was the program director and was heavily involved in writing copy for student announcers early on, according to former station manager James Clark.

Another 3,000-watt signal began broadcasting around 1993 with call letters KWBH. Listeners know it today as KBYR on 91.5/88.3 FM, which plays inspirational music.

These stations were housed on the second floor of the Spori building until 2000, when the building was destroyed in a fire.

That same year, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Ricks College would be renamed Brigham Young University-Idaho and transition from a two-year junior college to a four-year university.

The University Communication Building at 525 South Center Street, where the radio station is currently housed, was completed in 2001 and dedicated by then university President David Bednar.

Clark came on board as station manager in 1999. There were concerns about staffing at the time and Clark recalls a shift in focus centered on increasing opportunities for students.

“We were asked to use as many students as we could to do the work,” Clark says. “We had three full-time people and the rest were students. We had anywhere from 15-30 students (a semester). They added greatly to the operation.”

The campus radio station is where Isle started his broadcasting career as a student more than 20 years ago. As he reflects on this milestone, he speaks fondly of the mentors who gave him opportunities to gain experience.

“Mark Bailey (the news director for many years) caught me one day and said, ‘How would you like to come work for me?'” Isle recalls. “I started working here as a student doing news cut-ins and segues.”

It makes Isle smile knowing that he now plays a similar role for students today.

“There’s something magical about working with students,” Isle says. “They’re hungry and eager to learn and it’s so rewarding to see them come in … and pick up new skills and have those daily wins.”

Many students have come back to visit after getting jobs in the industry. It’s a thrill for Isle to see former students doing good things as a result of their involvement at the radio station.

He’s glad to be a part of the 40-year anniversary and is looking forward to celebrating with the community.

The open house is happening on May 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. T-shirts and other swag will be available for those who attend.

On a personal note

There was always something magic about radio to me and James Clark made my dream of talking on it a reality. He was the general manager of KBYI for more than 20 years. He and Mark Bailey, the news director, gave me a lot of creative freedom. I’m sure they were embarrassed at times but I felt like a star. Working there was the highlight of my college experience.

It’s been more than a decade since I graduated. I’m having the time of my life working for East Idaho News, but I look back on my time at KBYI with fondness. It was a special time in my life because I was hungry and eager to try things. James Clark provided an environment for me to spread my wings and fly but was always there to bring me back to earth.

I enjoyed his personality and the thought-provoking words and phrases he used. I later became aware of his musical skills when he offered to pay me to help him build an organ at his house. I don’t remember being much help to him, but years later, I am appreciative of his investment in someone so undeserving as me. Despite his amazing talents, he never sought the spotlight, preferring instead to let me and other students shine. He taught me a lot about humility and professionalism by his example.

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and I count James Clark as one of the finest I’ve ever had, even if that wasn’t technically his title.