Tom Fricke is a Colorado radio guy who’s worked from the Front Range to the mountains. If you wake up with Krystal 93 in Summit County, you already know his voice.
Early Colorado stops
Tom’s Southern Colorado radio work included KATM in the late 1980s. By October 1990 he was at KKMG/Magic FM, where he was promoted to assistant program director and music director, taking over from Trevor Carey when Carey left for KWNZ in Reno.
The Max
Tom went on to become program director of KIKX/The Max during its 1993 New Rock era.
Krystal 93
Since then he’s built a long run at KYSL/Krystal 93, where he’s hosted weekday mornings for more than two decades. He’s picked up Colorado Broadcasters Association recognition along the way for morning-show, personality and sports work.
2023 awards
At the 2023 CBA awards, Tom was credited on KYSL-FM’s Award of Excellence for Best Station Imaging Campaign (“Happy Halloween from Krystal 93”) and for Best Sales Event (“A-Basin Opening Day”). He also shared credit with Phil Lindeman on a Certificate of Merit for Best News/Talk Show Host or Team (“Morning Mayhem With Tom & Phil”), and with Phil and Tauna Lockhart on a digital/social media Certificate of Merit.
Sources
- Colorado Broadcasters Association: 2023 Medium Market Radio awards
- Hitmakers, October 1990 (print)
- Broadcasting Yearbook, 1993 (print)
- Krystal 93 (KYSL) station staff information
Awards & Recognitions
Documented awards, honors, and finalist or nomination recognition associated with this station or broadcaster.
- 2023Award of ExcellenceColorado Broadcasters AssociationBest Station Imaging CampaignHappy Halloween from Krystal 93 — Tom Fricke, Ross McIntyre2023 Medium Market Radio results
- 2023Award of ExcellenceColorado Broadcasters AssociationBest Sales Event or Live Remote BroadcastA-Basin Opening Day — Tom Fricke2023 Medium Market Radio results
- 2023Certificate of MeritColorado Broadcasters AssociationBest News/Talk Show Host or TeamMorning Mayhem With Tom & Phil — Phil Lindeman, Tom Fricke2023 Medium Market Radio results
- 2023Certificate of MeritColorado Broadcasters AssociationBest Use of Digital/Social MediaDigital & Social Synergy Equals Exponential Growth — Phil Lindeman, Tauna Lockhart2023 Medium Market Radio results
Stations They Worked At
FROM THE TIMELINE
Career Moments
Tom Fricke documented with KATM
September Gavin Report correspondence identifies Tom Fricke reporting for KATM, preserving another member of the station's late-1980s programming operation.
KIKX drops New Rock/CHR for country
KIKX 102.7 dropped its New Rock/CHR approach and switched to country, removing one of the market's longtime pop/rock competitors as KKMG strengthened its contemporary-hit position.
1993 — The Max / KIKX New Rock team
The Max / KIKX was documented in 1993 with a New Rock-era programming and air staff that included Tom Fricke as program director, Craig Koehn as music director and midday personality, Pete May, and Maria Anderson. The station changed direction later that year, making this a useful snapshot of the people behind the station during its New Rock era.
1994: KIKX and KKCS consolidate at 5145 Centennial Blvd.
1994–95 — The RBR Source Guide documents the KIKX-FM/KKCS operation at 5145 Centennial Blvd., Suite 200, Colorado Springs. Wiskes/Abaris Communications operated KIKX 102.7 and, through an LMA, the Walton-owned KKCS 1460/101.9 combination from the same facility.
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