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View Full Version : Joel Klatt to leave Root Sports for new Fox Sports 1



Colorado Media Newsroom
May 12th, 2013, 10:46 PM
From The Denver Post:

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Former CU football quarterbacks Charles Johnson, left, and Joel Klatt have moved on into the sports broadcasting world, and Klatt is moving on to the new Fox Sports 1, which expects to compete with ESPN.

Joel Klatt has produced the ultimate local-boy-makes-good story in sports and broadcasting.

• An all-around athletic star at Pomona High School in Arvada

• An award-winning collegiate career as quarterback for the CU Buffs.

• Two seasons of minor-league baseball with the San Diego Padres organization.

• A career in the football broadcasting booth covering college games on FSN Rocky Mountain, Root Sports and Fox.

• Local sports talk radio jobs on ESPN and The Fan.

• Postgame host and analyst on Rockies coverage for Root Sports.

His relatively unknown talent: When Klatt was in high school, he displayed an agile green thumb.

Tom Murnan, my brother-in-law, vividly recalls Klatt's lawn work one summer that made the home at 7746 Oak St. in Arvada a neighborhood showcase.
It was only a matter of time before Klatt would move on to the national sports scene.

This will happen July 1 when Klatt pulls up local roots to join Fox Sports 1, the new full-time sports cable channel. Premiering Aug. 17, the outlet will provide direct competition for ESPN, providing around- the-clock features, studio shows and live events.

Fox Sports 1 has hired more than 200 on-air studio personalities and sportscasters, including ESPN's Charissa Thompson, who once was in Denver on Fox Sports Net.

"This move is a huge opportunity and a challenge for me," the 31-year-old Klatt said.

"It means uprooting my family (wife Sara and their 17-month-old son, Henry) and moving to a new world. But the challenge is worth it."

Klatt, who has signed a multiyear deal, isn't sure what his duties will be.

"We've talked about work as a studio host and also a presence in college football booths. ... I could have a combination of both," he said.

Obviously there won't be any time for yard work.

The Karl file. Denver sports talk radio can provide diversity.

Ask George Karl.

Karl, the NBA coach of the year, was interviewed Wednesday by Dave Logan and Dave Krieger on KOA 850 AM.

After airing the traditional and predictable congratulations, the duo, particularly Krieger, in somewhat testy fashion, zeroed in about the Nuggets' opening-round playoff loss to Golden State.

Both concentrated on what they believed was mediocre play by several players.

Are major personnel changes in order?

Although the interview wasn't hostile, Karl wasn't comfortable with some questions — and opinions.

Twenty minutes later, Karl was on Mile High Sports with Mark McIntosh and Eric Goodman. While the duo didn't toss softball questions, the on-air atmosphere was much more cordial.

Karl laughed as a dog barked in the background. And he seemed more relaxed talking about his basketball philosophy and the impact his dad has had on him.

Who said radio sports talk shows all sound alike?

Longtime Denver journalist Dusty Saunders writes about sports media each Monday in The Denver Post. Contact him at tvtime@comcast.net.

Every sports broadcasting outlet strives to be No. 1 — particularly in audience ratings, advertising sales and bottom-line profit.

So I was curious last week after hearing Mile High Broadcasting's on-air promos, simulcast on 1510 AM and 97.3 FM, which trumpeted that the stations are "No. 1" in Denver sports talk radio.

"No. 1" in what? Obviously, local radio stations aren't going to broadcast their bottom line profits — or losses.

And Mile High doesn't subscribe to the Arbitron Ratings system, which provides stations with a wide variety of information about "who watches what and when."

"We have are own research regarding our audiences," said James Merilatt, Mile High president.

So what about the "No. 1" claim?

"It's basically a promotional tool to tell listeners about out operation," Merilatt said. "We have the most local hosts and those with the most experience in Denver sports talk radio" — an obvious reference to veterans Gil Whiteley, Irv Brown and Joe Williams.

Speaking of talk show hosts, Mile High operates much differently from ESPN and The Fan.

The radio hosts pay Mile High Sports for air time and then sell advertising to local sponsors in order to make their salaries.

I don't know which hosts are "No. 1" in that important category.


More... (http://www.denverpost.com/dustysaunders/ci_23229296/dusty-saunders-joel-klatt-leave-root-sports-new)