Chad Rufer was Program Director and afternoon personality at KKMG 98.9 Magic FM during one of the station’s strongest ratings periods.
Rufer came to Colorado Springs from Saga Communications in Clarksville, Tennessee. Trade coverage in October 2003 announced that he would take over KKMG programming effective November 16, 2003, replacing Scotty Valentine. An FMQB profile the following year traced his earlier career through high-school radio in West Des Moines, KLYF and WHO-AM in Des Moines, WINK-FM in Fort Myers, Renda Broadcasting’s WSGL, and Saga’s Clarksville cluster.
By 2004 and 2005, trade coverage consistently identified Rufer as KKMG’s PD/afternoon personality. Radio & Records profiled Magic FM’s ratings dominance in August 2005, when KKMG posted an 11.6 share 12+, a 21.5 share among adults 18-34 and a 27.3 share among women 25-54. Rufer credited the station’s success to the chemistry of the staff and described the operation as “winning in the halls.”
Rufer also appeared in R&R coverage of KKMG’s August 2004 hurricane-relief effort, when the station collected bottled water and cleaning supplies for victims of Hurricane Charley and sent a truck from Colorado Springs to Fort Myers.
In October 2006, Rufer resigned after three years as KKMG Program Director. He left Colorado Springs to become Program Director of WINK-FM in Fort Myers beginning November 1, 2006.
Southern Colorado station: KKMG 98.9 Magic FM.
Roles: Program Director; afternoon drive.
Colorado Springs tenure: Nov. 16, 2003–Oct. 2006.
Sources: Radio & Records, Oct. 31, 2003, Aug. 27, 2004 and Aug. 20, 2005; FMQB, Oct. 1, 2004; The Tattler, Oct. 24, 2003 and Oct. 13, 2006.
Stations They Worked At
FROM THE TIMELINE
Career Moments
2003: Chad Rufer joins KKMG as Program Director
Nov. 16, 2003 — Chad Rufer began programming KKMG 98.9 Magic FM in Colorado Springs, arriving from Saga Communications in Clarksville, Tennessee. Contemporary trade reports said he replaced Scotty Valentine.
2006: Chad Rufer leaves KKMG after three years as Program Director
October 2006 — Chad Rufer resigned as Program Director of KKMG 98.9 Magic FM after three years leading the Citadel Top 40 station. He left Colorado Springs to become Program Director of WINK-FM in Fort Myers, Florida, beginning November 1.
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