Almost two months off the air and I’m still living and breathing.   In fact, I’m alive and kicking.  Better yet, I’m tanned, rested, and ready.  Well, rested and ready.  The tan comes later.
 
After 25 Seattle -- and two Alaskan -- winters, I’m moving to Southern California.   I’ve got a place in Palm Springs, where I have long wanted to live and where I have many friends, acquaintances and contacts.  Within a few days of leaving KUOW, I had a half-dozen serious work opportunities.  Most of them were too serious:  they required me to stay in Seattle, and all other considerations tell me this is the time to leave.  Fortunately, in the 21st century, some opportunities are portable.  I’ve discovered I’ve got skills, knowledge and experience that are much-needed on the internet these days.  I can’t share details yet, but I’ve got web work I can do from anywhere, with more to come and more yet out there to get.  Not to mention there are more than 50 radio stations -- including a couple of little public radio outfits -- with studios within an hour’s drive of where I live.  If all else fails, there’s always an airshift to be filled out there somewhere.  
 
 
Aug 27, 2007 Program changes and compensation disputes at Seattle NPR news station KUOW prompted longtime host and engineer Ken Vincent to abruptly quit his job and go public with a litany of grievances over work conditions, as reported by The Stranger, a Seattle alt weekly, and the Seattle Times. Vincent and other employees object to the clipped on-air delivery style that Program Director Jeff Hansen has asked all on-air staff to adopt; Vincent describes the style change as "dumbing down the on-air sound." Turmoil among the KUOW air staff began amid rumors of big bonuses for management and a projected $2.5 million end of year surplus, according to Blatherwatch, a Seattle radio blog that interviewed former KUOW morning host Deborah Brandt about why she resigned early this year. posted at 9:18 AM ESThttp://kenvincent.com/http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=297396http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003845465_kuow.htmlhttp://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2007/08/profits-for-non.htmlhttp://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2007/08/deborah-brandt-.html#morehttp://www.current.org/2007/08/vincent-goes-out-swinging-at-kuow.htmlhttp://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2007/08/ken-vincent-spe.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5
Ken Vincent Quit KUOW posted by DAN SAVAGE on AUGUST 20 at 11:27 AM Ken Vincent, a long-time KUOW staffer, quit abruptly last Friday afternoon. Vincent's departure got a quick mention on Weekday this morning, but they didn't give a reason for Vincent leaving after 23 years with the station. Vincent had this to say on his own website: I told Program Director Jeff Hansen I would no longer work for him and resigned my position at KUOW Friday afternoon, Aug 17. Hansen and I have irreconcilable disagreements about his handling of editorial, airsound, technical and compensation concerns. I am not the only KUOW programmer with these concerns, but I'm the first to decide not to take it any more. I am exploring other interim and long-term opportunities. I have the greatest fondness and respect for KUOW. I am fortunate to be able to count among my best friends some of the nation's most extraordinary radio talent. I hope and expect to work with the people at KUOW again someday. I started at KUOW 23 years ago, and I will miss serving the listeners to whom I've dedicated my work. I wish KUOW success with its upcoming pledge drive and it its further pursuits. PERMALINK | POST COMMENTS (36)http://www.kenvincent.com/http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/ken_vincent_quit_kuowhttp://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/ken_vincent_quit_kuow.commenthttp://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/19-25shapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2
Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - Page updated at 02:02 AM  E-mail article     Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine Entertainment | KUOW announcer quits, cites program changes | Seattle Times Newspaper KUOW announcer quits, cites program changes By Florangela Davila Seattle Times staff reporterhttp://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/EMailStory.pl?document_id=2003845465&zsection_id=2003687261&slug=kuow&date=20070821http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2003845465&zsection_id=2003687261&slug=kuow&date=20070821http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseattletimes%2Enwsource%2Ecom%2Fhtml%2Fentertainment%2F2003845465%5Fkuow%2Ehtml%3Freferrer%3Ddigg&title=KUOW%20announcer%20quits%2C%20cites%20program%20changes&bodytext=Veteran%20KUOW%2DFM%20%2894%2E%209%29%20broadcaster%20Ken%20Vincent%2C%20citing%20%22irreconcilable%20disagreements%2C%22%20has%20quit%20the%20station%20where%20he%20had%20been%20the%20midday%2E%2E%2Ehttp://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?aff=seattletimes&t=announced%20broadcast%20com%20include%20interview%20ken%20program%20station%20vincent%20weekday%20&e=Veteran%20KUOW%2DFM%20%2894%2E%209%29%20broadcaster%20Ken%20Vincent%2C%20citing%20%22irreconcilable%20disagreements%2C%22%20has%20quit%20the%20station%20where%20he%20had%20been%20the%20midday%2E%2E%2E&h=KUOW%20announcer%20quits%2C%20cites%20program%20changes&u=http%3A%2F%2Fseattletimes%2Enwsource%2Ecom%2Fhtml%2Fentertainment%2F2003845465%5Fkuow%2Ehtml%3Freferrer%3Dnewsvinehttp://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003845465_kuow.htmlhttp://livepage.apple.com/shapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1shapeimage_4_link_2shapeimage_4_link_3shapeimage_4_link_4
By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER
Last updated August 22, 2007 5:33 p.m. PT
August 22, 2007
NEWS
Personality Crisis
Radio Host Ken Vincent Quits over Changes at KUOW
by JOSH FEIT
Phyllis Fletcher's housewarming party Saturday, August 18, had a sad subtext. When the KUOW reporter's colleagues gathered in her new Phinney Ridge home, most of the conversation was focused on the news that KUOW's longtime on-air host Ken Vincent quit on Friday afternoon after a heated argument with KUOW Program Director Jeff Hansen... (read more: Personality Crisis - News - The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper
August 22, 2007
Ken Vincent speaks: Are all things really considered over at KUOW?
 
 
 
In a thoughtful, concise, and risky indictment of KUOW management, recently resigned veteran public radio broadcaster Ken Vincent spoke out... (read more: blatherWatch: Ken Vincent speaks: Are all things really considered over at KUOW?
A staff departure ruffles Seattle's popular and public KUOW-FM Longtimer Ken Vincent quit the NPR station and talked about it, and that touched off other complaints that KUOW is moving down the path of blandness. By O. Casey Corr read more: http://www.crosscut.com/mudville/6764/A+staff+departure+ruffles+Seattle%27s+popular+and+public+KUOW-FM/ http://www.crosscut.com/authors/casey-corr/http://www.crosscut.com/mudville/6764/A+staff+departure+ruffles+Seattle%27s+popular+and+public+KUOW-FM/shapeimage_6_link_0shapeimage_6_link_1
...A few words of response to the story above. In it Wayne Roth, KUOW General Manager, ...said he was saddened by the departure of Vincent, whom he has known for 22 years and whom he called a friend. He compared Vincent's departure to Bob Edwards' resignation from National Public Radio in 2004. "I guess there's a lot of similarities," said Roth. "That's about all I can say." My friend Wayne knows better than to dismiss my departure from KUOW as being similar to Bob Edward’s departure from NPR. Bob Edwards was fired from NPR; I quit KUOW. Furthermore, I know Bernard Oullette (my replacement at KUOW). Bernard Oullette is a friend of mine. But Bernard Oullette is no Steve Inskeep. http://www.crosscut.com/mudville/7258/And+now+the+rest+of+the+KUOW+story/http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=webedwards28&date=20040728shapeimage_7_link_0shapeimage_7_link_1
 
Without Your Support KUOW Won't Tell Listeners About the Public Radio Station'sMillion-Dollar Surplus During Pledge Week. It Should. by MICHAEL HOODhttp://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Author?oid=258046http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=413441shapeimage_8_link_0
That’s what the station posted on my bio page on its website.  It disappeared shortly after the following news stories broke:
KUOW
posted by JOSH FEIT on AUGUST 23 at 2:05 PM
The following e-mail went out to KUOW staffers earlier this week as I was reporting this week's story on now-former KUOW staffer Ken Vincent:
From: Arvid Hokanson Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 1:17 PM To: Programming Staff Subject: Media Inquiries Regarding Ken Vincent and/or Writer's Almanac Importance: High
You may receive inquiries regarding Ken's resignation and/or upcoming programming changes. Direct any inquiries to me. Do not comment directly.
Here is the text from our Ethics and Editorial Policy:
KUOW programming staff must get permission from the Program Director or the News Director to appear on TV or other media.
Thanks,
-Arvid
 
Despite the e-mail, I've been getting quite a response from KUOW staffers to the article.
It wouldn't be kosher to share those. But I'm also getting a big response from KUOW listeners. I was just cc'd on this, for example:
Dear Jeff Hansen, Arvid Hokanson, Marcia Scholl, and others in management:
I've been a longtime NPR and KUOW listener. Do you know why I listen? Probably. You've done more than a little analysis of your audience. You know what we're looking for and how to deliver it.
I've made a wild guess as to why you're making the changes described in Josh Feit's recent article in 'The Stranger.' You want a bigger slice of the pie. More listeners. More revenue. You want to be Fox, and the only way is to be more foxy, to jazz it up and dumb it down.
The problem is, the changes will become too painful for your existing audience long before you attract much of your new target audience. You will be forced to change even faster to offset the loss. You'll be like the smart kid in school who suddenly shows up ineptly attired in new clothes, new interests, and new slang, and the result will be laughable to all.
Here's an alternate strategy. Attract people to what you are, make them want to be KUOW listeners. It will be hard marketing work, not nearly as easy as going Fox, but it will be better than turning into a wannabe.
And pay your people better. I'm embarrassed that I never gave this any thought. I assumed fairness would be a trait of Public Radio management.
RC
 
RC's e-mail seems a bit harsh to me about the changes at KUOW. It's not clear that the changes staffers described in my article hint at aspirations to be hyper commercial like Fox. As best I could tell, the changes afoot at KUOW are more cosmetic than editorial. At issue, it seems, is an attempt to downplay personality at the station for a more regimented feel. If anything, that seems less like Fox News and more like the AP.
PERMALINK | POST COMMENTS (27)
And now the rest of the KUOW story
Posted Mon, Sep 10, 11:00 AM
By O. Casey Corr, Crosscut
Missing in action when a staff departure roiled Seattle's top-rated public radio station, managers step forward to say their critics are just plain wrong.
    •    READ MORE
    •    10 COMMENTS
 
 
 
NEWS
Thank You Note from Ken Vincent
posted by JOSH FEIT on AUGUST 21 at 10:17 AM
I interviewed Ken Vincent yesterday for a story I'm writing for tomorrow's paper. He sent me a follow-up e-mail this morning with a shout out to an anonymous fan:
Wanted to let you know that shortly after SLOG flashed the news yesterday, someone laid a small bouquet of flowers outside my home.
Just to let you and them know that I am not Princess Diana or a trapped coal miner; I am quite alive and breathing the oxygen of liberation from the coal mines!--Ken Vincent
 
PERMALINK | POST COMMENTS (7)
I’m still running into folks who haven’t heard -- or want to know more about why -- I left KUOW:
Yes, we’ve had a bit of Seattle weather here this winter.  The locals keep saying, “we need the rain.”  I personally do not need the rain, having spent most of my 50 years in Seattle.  But after I arrived to live full-time in Palm Springs on November 1, I was welcomed with a month of sun and the 70s & 80s, which made it a bit easier to handle a bit of rain for a few weeks.  Besides, winter here has been a lot like summer in Seattle, so there’s really not much to complain about.
Greetings From SUNNY Palm Springs, California! ...they have years of drought-dry winters until the winter that I move down here... FOR THE LATEST, CHECK OUT MY BLOG. Go to the top of this page and click, ‘Blog’
Quarterly Report
Friday, February 1, 2008
 
I’ve lived in Palm Springs exactly 3 months today.  Wow, it’s gone by fast.  No wonder friends, former colleagues, and even family members are asking, “how are you?  What are you doing?  Are you okay?”
 
 
 
I’m fine.
Life is good here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I live in a nice condo in a private golf and tennis resort community with beautiful gardens and landscaping that I don’t have to take care of.  I do a little gardening on my patio, easy stuff that’s hard to kill: pansies and petunias, bougainvillea and honeysuckle, and a couple of potted palms I planted whose viability I’m concerned about. I have a great kitchen and a boyfriend who’s a great cook. Evenings we have wine sitting at the patio fire pit and watch the sun set over Mt. San Jacinto. Mornings we juice grapefruit fresh off the tree right outside the guest room window. The pool is ten steps across the yard. The jacuzzi is surrounded by palm trees and is shaped like, well, a palm tree. Being here is like being on vacation every day after work. I’ve got many long-time friends and acquaintances from Seattle who live here now full-time or part time, and I’ve already made quite a few new friends. I much prefer desert weather, and I love finally being able to live in Palm Springs, which I’d visited many times over many years and had long wanted to move to. After leaving Seattle weary of years working for corporate public radio, I was worried the closest I was going to get to Palm Springs was living in Los Angeles, having to work at one of the big public radio outfits I was being recommended to there. Instead came an opportunity to do a Palm Springs radio job more interesting and challenging than anything I’ve done in years. I've been hired as News Director by a comfortably-sized, family-run company that owns a group of radio stations in Palm Springs. Much to my amazement, they've given us resources and an amazingly free hand to make changes and build a news-talk effort that more people here will listen to. And as part of the package, I'm back doing the morning drive news anchor shift again. I've had the job for a six weeks and I've heard that some Seattleites are appalled that I would go from the snooty respectability of public radio to the noisy ranting of hot talk radio. Whatever. My new boss is a long-time friend and former colleague who’s been one of my mentors. I manage a great staff. I work with a bunch of kick-ass radio professionals. I'm doing real radio again, working my butt off, and having a blast. Yes, if you listen now, you'll hear me sandwiched in between Fox News and Dr. Laura . But not for long. If you check back in March, you'll hear the changes we're making that have me excited about this gig. Stay tuned.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The view from my living room desk this winter.
 
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