TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Traffic-reporting businessman
buzzing off for SeattleWhether you call him Tony Scott or Buzz Bennett, broadcast traffic reporter Tony Peterle (his real name) is leaving town.
"I'm going to be the traffic czar of KIRO-AM 710 Seattle, a big smoking 50,000-watt blowtorch," he said.
Nobody with less than 10 years in radio engages in the use of such verbiage.
His radio career started in 1976, before he graduated from high school in central Ohio, he said.
In mid-December Peterle's second radio-run in Honolulu will end as he relocates with wife, Kelly, and son, Austin. In 1991, he was production director and on-air talent at KQMQ.
One on-air name is normal but why two?
"When I started doing traffic I was Tony Scott everywhere and KRTR wanted the image of having their own traffic person," Peterle said. A consultant bestowed him with "Buzz Bennett" after an old-time Top 40 DJ.
Now training to take over Peterle's place in the Honolulu Traffic Control Center is Darah York, former creative and production director for five-station New Wave Broadcasting Inc. and air talent for KPOI-FM where he's known to listeners as "Ah Foon."
He became "at liberty" last Friday after nearly 10 years at the station.
York is also an independent, one-man multi-media advertising agency, doing commercial writing, production and voice-over work and has done video editing and graphics as well.
The plan is for York to transition from handling day-to-day operations into an ownership role.
Of his new opportunity, York said, "I'm going in faith-first. If I don't do that then I'm in trouble."
Airborne Traffic's clients include KITV, Maverick Media's KUMU-AM 1500 and FM 94.7, KAHA-FM 105.9 and Salem Communications Corp.'s KAIM-FM 95.5, KHNR-AM 650 and KHCM-AM 940 as well as Calvary Chapel of Honolulu's KLHT-AM 1040.
Airborne Traffic provides its reports in exchange for advertising inventory, which it then sells. One station, KLHT, pays a monthly subscription fee.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com