According to David Barron of the Houston Chronicle, Gow Media’s KFNC 97.5 is shuffling their lineup and unfortunately it leaves legendary sports radio host, Barry Warner, without his hour-long morning show.
The Buffalo, NY native has been part of the Houston radio scene since moving to Texas in 1966. Warner’s time hosting in Houston includes stops working for at least nine different radio stations in the city. Warner joined the Gow Media owned ESPN Houston (KFNC 97.5) in 2014 and began hosting his hour-long morning show, Reality Check, in 2017.
“Barry is a radio hall of famer and has made a significant contribution to Gow Media,” said owner David Gow. “His show has ended here, but there are other ways we can work with Barry in the near future.”
Warner commented on his time with Gow Media stating, “I enjoyed working for David very much. I am proud of the work I did. I talked sports. I didn’t get involved with double entendre or lazy tangents that are prevalent in our industry. I used the microphone as a telephone to tell people what I know.”
A radio throwback, Warner is not fond of the direction many sports stations have turned in recent years. “It’s at an all-time low . . . (a sign of) the dumbing down of America,” Warner said in a 2013 interview with Eric Sandler of Houston Culture Map. “Once upon a time, you could go in and talk sports. Now they want guy talk and gimmicks.
Warner, however, is able to look back and reflect on his own career, proud of the work he’s accomplished, “I’ve been truly blessed. At five years of age, I knew I wanted to be a broadcaster, and I have been since three weeks after my Bar Mitzvah,” the broadcaster told Sandler.
According to the Houston Chronicle, part of the changes occurring at ESPN Houston will include Charlie Pallilo joining KFNC 97.5. Pallilo currently hosts the 11am – 1pm timeslot on Gow Media’s sister station, SportsMap 94.1. He is expected to fill the same spot in ESPN Houston’s daily lineup.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.