He wrote, “…after 21 years & 11 months my overnight position at Q94 has come to and end. The word used in a sentence…was Budget cut.”
Carmichael came to Q94 from WANT, Richmond in 1985 to do early evenings but eventually was moved to midnight - 5:30 a.m. where he ruled over Richmond as the friendly voice who listeners could count on being there all night long.
He says, “Through those years I saw a lot of people come and go, some several times.”
But, Kirby stayed – and loved working at one of America’s heritage Top 40 radio stations.
Q94 - formally known as WRVQ-FM - has a rich history. I worked there twice in early 1980s and early 1990s. To its credit, Q94 became a major stepping stone station. On a regular basis, consultants raided the air staff with job offers.
But, any radio station is only as good as the people who breathe life into it and Kirby Carmichael was a dedicated team player who loved his station, his town, and his purpose. To Kirby Carmichael, being a “jock” was always a regal calling.
Kirby says, “I loved radio and being able to entertain the listening audience plus serve the community. I always said ‘it was fun and nothing but a job and a party’. Toward the end of my almost 22 year's at Q94 with many corporate changes, the fun disappeared and they took the party out of it. It became a job. I had a good run and I gave it my best…The Rockin' Jock has left the building.”
Over the past 10 or 12 years, thousands of radio stations have downsized staff, many to minimal requirements. To believe this has not had a negative effect on the radio industry and the listeners’ experience would be a lie. So, let’s not.
