Spring Break
From Green Day to D-Day
By Joseph M. de Leon
Issue date: 5/18/06 Section: J School Travels
Originally published: 6/1/06 at 2:49 PM CSTLast update: 6/1/06 at 2:49 PM CST
Normally, listeners of KIOC 106-FM in Beaumont hear music by bands such as Pink Floyd, Green Day and Slipknot.
After Hurricane Rita hit, KIOC helped residents of Beaumont deal with the aftermath by broadcasting news.
Program director Mike Davis, 33, had to shift gears.
"I didn't get much notice to go from DJ to news reporter," he said. The former U.S. Marine was not new to news. He covered the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 when he was a young rock announcer in Oklahoma City.
During that disaster, Davis mainly prepared press releases.
It was nothing like his recent transformation.
"It's a real shock to go from all music to all talk," he said.
The temporary format change called for a downbeat tone, a contrast from the normally colorful station known as Big Dog 106.
Davis' wife of four years, Donna, evacuated to Nacogdoches. It was a 19-hour traffic jam that normally takes four hours to drive.
"I don't think she's going to evacuate next time," Davis joked.
After Hurricane Rita hit, KIOC helped residents of Beaumont deal with the aftermath by broadcasting news.
Program director Mike Davis, 33, had to shift gears.
"I didn't get much notice to go from DJ to news reporter," he said. The former U.S. Marine was not new to news. He covered the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 when he was a young rock announcer in Oklahoma City.
During that disaster, Davis mainly prepared press releases.
It was nothing like his recent transformation.
"It's a real shock to go from all music to all talk," he said.
The temporary format change called for a downbeat tone, a contrast from the normally colorful station known as Big Dog 106.
Davis' wife of four years, Donna, evacuated to Nacogdoches. It was a 19-hour traffic jam that normally takes four hours to drive.
"I don't think she's going to evacuate next time," Davis joked.
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