D/FW Radio: KBFB To Go Local During Morning Drive

Hip-hop/R&B radio station KBFB 97.9 FM The Beat has dropped the national “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” and will be going local in the mornings.

The Star-Telegram reports the comedian/reality-show star had been part of the station’s lineup since 2005, when he replaced Steve Harvey — who now airs on competitor KRNB 105.7 FM.

Veda Loca

Replacing Smiley will be current afternoon personality Veda Emery, better-known as Veda Loca, who will headline “Veda Loca in the Morning.” She will be joined by J-Kruz (aka John Koutsakis), who is the station’s current nighttime host; DJ Kayotic, who will multitask as a co-host, show producer and morning show mixer; and Jazzi Black, described as “a fresh new young voice.”

The new morning show launches Nov. 27. “Rickey Smiley has supported the move and actually will officially pass the mic to Veda,” Tami Honesty, vice president/general manager of Radio One Dallas, says is an email. Honesty adds that more changes are to come to the station.

“We’re appreciative of what Rickey brought our listeners,” Honesty writes. “Though as the competitive marketplace changes, we are taking an approach that we feel will best connect with our audience with 97.9 the Beat and further grow as the most highly interactive station in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.”

KBFB 97.9 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage

The move gives The Beat a female-led morning show that will go head to head with “DeDe in the Morning,” the DeDe McGuire-led show on KKDA 104.5 FM K104, the Beat’s most direct competition as far as music formats go.