AZ Radio: Yavapai Broadcasting Announces Staff Changes

Yavapai Broadcasting Corporation, an independent broadcasting company with offices and studios in Cottonwood, Flagstaff and Prescott Valley, Arizona, has announced several staff changes to fill the void left when Operations Manager Rich Malone (Richard D. Nearing) succumbed to cancer in October 2018.

Malone wore many hats. Besides being operations manager for all Yavapai Broadcasting stations, he also was program director and the long-time “Morning Man” at AAA KVNA-FM.

• Bryan James, program director of Top 40 KQST The Q 102.9 will add the duties of operations manager for all six Yavapai Broadcasting radio stations. 
• Juli Page, program director of Classic Hits KKLD (95.9 The Cloud) adds the title of program director for AAA KVNA-FM.  Juli was the wife of Rich Malone and is fully vested in his vision for the station. She does the midday show at KVNA-FM using the air name “Jules.”
• Doug Brannson is new to the Yavapai Broadcasting staff. He joins as KVNA-FM music director and “Morning Man.” Doug grew up in Minneapolis in the late 80’s and early 90’s when the Alternative movement was just taking off. He’s a 25-year radio vet.

Mike Puetz, Yavapai Broadcasting general manager, says, “After the loss of long time operations manager, program director and morning announcer Rich Malone, and with the guidance of our AAA consultant Dennis Constantine, I am very happy that Rich’s dream and direction for KVNA-FM, Northern Arizona’s Adult Alternative station, will be in the very capable hands of new program director Juli Page and new morning announcer and music director Doug Brannson. Both Juli and Doug have a tremendous amount of experience, and I look forward to working with them and listening to them as they guide KVNA-FM into the future.

KVNA-FM Program Director Juli Page says of her new role, “As the new program director of KVNA-FM, I’m pleased to be able to keep the station on course to reach the potential my husband Rich knew it had. I have been blessed with an amazing support crew — the award-winning programmer Dennis Constantine and our new addition, MD and Morning Host Doug Brannson.”

Doug Branson added, “I love the AAA format because it’s all about the music and the artists. I couldn’t have a better mentor that Dennis Constantine who knows more about the format than anyone. I give a lot of credit to the owners of Yavapai Broadcasting for supporting this format like they do.”

Yavapai Broadcasting Corporation operates six radio stations and a TV station in Northern Arizona. The radio stations are: AAA KVNA-FM 100.1, Top 40 KQST (The Q 102.9), Classic Hits KKLD (95.9 The Cloud), Country KVRD 105.7, Adult Standards KYBC and Sports KVNA-AM (ESPN 600).