On air changes at radio station KRMG

Tulsaâ€™s local radio is getting revamped, again. This time it's KRMG. Tulsa's top radio station is changing its line up. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells tells us one of the casualties is a voice

Monday, March 3rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsaâ€™s local radio is getting revamped, again. This time it's KRMG. Tulsa's top radio station is changing its line up. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells tells us one of the casualties is a voice familiar to listeners for more than 20 years.

Radio station KRMG has been a Tulsa fixture for more than 50 years. For 20 of those years Rick Couri has been on the air there, until last Friday. "Everybody has a budget. I have one you have one they have one too, and when budget numbers don't hit a certain number things have to happen."

What happened, he was let go, along with afternoon guy Wes Minter and traffic reporter Joe Riddle. Couri says the entire thing is economic, good for the stationâ€™s bottom line. Tulsan Ken Greenwood who's been working with or in radio for 50 years or more says what's good for the bottom line is not always good for the community. "It's a bottom line mentality, it's how well our stock is doing."

He says for every experienced voice that disappears from the radio the fewer that are on hand to respond when they are needed, it's a financial gamble. In fairness to KRMG, they will still have a News Department and do local news, but they lose a local afternoon talk show, with the loss of Wes Minter.

Nationally syndicated Sean Hannity will replace him. Another syndicated talk show Neal Boortz will be on in the morning, 9 until Noon. Dr. Laura fans, she's moving to 7 PM. KRMG says these moves will shore up their war coverage preparations. We had hoped to talk to someone about that, but they referred us to the website and their press release. As for Rick Couri, he doesnâ€™t know what's next. He's look forward to a new challenge. "I was gonna make up one of those work for food signs, but I didn't have time before you guys came in." Some how I don't think he'll need that.

Rick Couri says he believes he'll continue on TU football broadcasts, but isn't sure about his annual fund raising projects on KRMG, for Operation Aware. Over 16 years, Heâ€™s raised more than $800,000.