By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
Longtime Salina radio personality Randy Picking is calling it a career.
Picking, current program director for KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM, will bring to an end a nearly 44-year career in radio when he signs off for the final time today.
A self-described jack of all trades and master of none, Picking has worked as an announcer, operations manager, program director, account representative, reporter, and news director. Stations he has worked at include KSAL, KYEZ, KABI, KSAJ, KFRM/KNNN, KILS, KQNS, KINA, and KSKG.
Picking said he was bitten by the radio bug early in life.
"At the age of seven, I developed an interest in radio. In fact, I bought off of the back of a comic book a mini AM transmitter and would place the transmitter next to my record player in my bedroom, announce a record, go outside in the yard at home listen to the record and when it was about to end, come back in a play another record," Picking told Salina Post.
Years later, Picking made the jump to a radio career after his father got him an interview at KSAL in the summer of 1975, he said. He began doing color and keeping stats at high school and college games in 1976.
"I finally got paid as a part-time automation tape changer at KYEZ in 1977," Picking said. "My first full-time job was in 1980 as the evening announcer at KSAL."
While he held many positions over the years, Picking said the favorite part of his career was being able to share his passion for the weather.
"Regardless of the time of the year, I was able to relay weather information to the listeners and hoped it helped them make decisions on postponing a trip, getting their children inside before a storm or heading down to the basement," he said.
Picking's career also afforded him the opportunity to meet some famous people.
"Thanks to covering events at the Eisenhower Library and Museum I had the chance to meet President Ronald Reagan, and President George H.W. Bush. Met former British Prime Minister John Major at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce banquet in January of 2000. Also met Miss USA 1991, Kelli McCarty, from Liberal," Picking said. "Also had the chance to meet many wonderful people all across central Kansas."
Additionally, Picking's career involved him in adventures that will be talked about for years to come.
"Well there was the time in 1990 that I wound up as the last car in Vice President Dan Quayle's motorcade coming back to Salina from Abilene," Picking said.
Picking was mistaken as a Secret Service agent and waved through with the rest of the motorcade.
Then there was the hot air balloon ride on his 21st birthday during a balloon meet. Picking also flew in an aerobatic bi-plane as part of promoting an air show in Salina in the early 1990s.
"My pilot found out it was my birthday and decided to get into a dog fight with another aerobatic plane over eastern Saline County. To go straight up to three thousand feet, and then fall back to Earth is something I'm glad I had the chance to do, but never again," he said.
As is typical for Picking, he used humor to deflect what could have been an embarrassing situation for many people.
"Gave a severe weather safety talk to an elementary school with Bruce Steinbrock. When I asked for questions, a boy sitting up close said 'did you know your fly is open?' I pitched him a quarter and said 'I would have given you a dollar if you had told me at the beginning of the talk,'" Picking said.
While the memories will linger on, Picking said there are aspects of his career that he will miss.
"I'm going to miss the wonderful listeners I have had to opportunity to meet along with many great and wonderful co-workers. I have been very fortunate to have worked with or for 10 members of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. One hall of famer I want to give a great deal of thanks to and I could never, ever pay him back for how he boosted my career, is Jerry Hinrikus. He believed in me and taught me to believe in myself. We both feel that 'Good enough is not good enough,'" Picking said.
Through the years, though, Picking's family has been his biggest source of support.
"My grandma who would sit and listen for me to do a weather forecast when I first started, my dad who drove me to Kansas City to take my F.C.C. test for my broadcast license, my wife, Vivian, who has put up with all the weird hours and workdays, and the many mood swings, and my sons, Daniel and Jason. Being called 'dad' is the best job title I have ever had."