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Bill Benica signs off from KYNS

March 27, 2013

micSan Luis Obispo County veteran radio broadcaster Bill Benica said goodbye to his listeners last Friday before leaving his keys at the front desk.

Benica, who has been on the San Luis Obispo airwaves for more than 35 years, said his abrupt departure was sparked by a contract dispute with KYNS management.

Benica’s contract with the former progressive talk radio station was set to expire at the end of April, but station manager Aaron Criswell recently decided to double the amount of money it charges Benica to host “Talk is Cheap” effective immediately. Under the terms of their original agreement, Benica owns the 18-year-old talk program and buys broadcast time from the AM station which is owned by Mapleton Communications.

“I am extremely disappointed,” Benica said. “I have enjoyed my radio show and listeners very much. I am sorry that the manager yells and insults people and has marijuana smoke coming from his office. One of the most insane things that could happen at an FCC licensed facility. There is a whole staff of radio people who do not deserve this.”

Benica started at KVEC in 1977 as an afternoon disc jockey and was promoted to program director six months later. He went on to work at American General Media before starting with Mapleton Broadcasting six years ago.

Jim Shea, the president of Mapleton Communications, did not respond to a request for comment.

 


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I hate to hear about Benica leaving KYNS and especially how the station management handled it.


His was the ONLY program I continued to listen to after KYNS installed its “new programming.” There is absolutely zero reason to listen to the KYNS now.


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Will this local programming be replaced by canned national drivel?


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Sorry to hear it. Though I CANNOT stand the station since they cancelled Stephanie Miller, Tom Hartman, etc. “Journalism without Agenda” my ass.


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His desire to progress was his undoing.


How ironic


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On the one hand I really like Bill Benica. But I stopped listening to his show years ago after he used his radio program promote decapitating some criminal suspects without giving them a trial. In another instance, he campaigned to have another suspect “drawn and quartered” without giving a trial. He made these statements with full force and without apology.


Bills a nice guy most of the time, but he’s got deep seated anger issues that he has not yet resolved, which is understandable considering that one of his family members, long ago, was apparently murdered, likely accounting for some of his bloody and violent vigilante attitudes.


I write this with true fondness for Bill, but hoping he gets the help he needs and stops spreading his violent, law-breaking notions in our community.


As far as the supposed “marijuana smoke” Bill complains about, well, to each his own. Bill has worked for years under managers who were alcoholics who yelled and insulted employees, but Bill always managed to tolerate that.


With that said, i do have a soft-spot for Bill Benica, and, if he can tone down the vigilante justice and deep seated anger issues, I hope he finds another radio program to be involved with. I have no doubt he has always meant well and has been a stalwart supporter of local radio programming.


So, with that said, best wishes to you Bill!


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Thanks for the memories Bill.


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All I know is that 1340 AM recently went from left leaning broadcast material to far right leaning nonsense….you mean these management guys on the right are smoking pot now?


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Bummer Bill, you sound like a peach to work with!


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WOW! Quite a statement about the marihoochie smoke! Happy Trails to you, Bill. I listened to your show.


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