User:Brad in Texas

Brad Messer was a radio newsman, news director and talk show host from 1960 until his retirement in 2007. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame of Texas in 2002 (in the first group of inductees) in the News category, with Eddie Barker, Alex Burton, Walter Cronkite, Joe Holstead, Robert B. McEntire, Porter Randall and Bob Schieffer.

He was born in Boise, Idaho on February 7, 1940 and schooled in Idaho, Oregon, Florida and Texas. After highschool in Harlingen, Texas, he became a Chinese Mandarin interpreter and translator for the Army Security Agency in the Far East.

Messer returned to Texas after Army service and began in radio at KILE in Galveston. In his 20s served as news director at Gordon McLendon's legendary Texas stations KILT in Houston and KLIF in Dallas. In his 30s was news director at KYA in San Francisco and KGB in San Diego. KGB was home of the world's first Charity Ball, first Homegrown album of local music, and birthplace of the KGB Chicken-- now known as the San Diego Chicken. Still in his 30s, was news director at KMET in Los Angeles.

Returning to Texas, he was a talk show host at KTSA in San Antonio for the final fifteen years of his radio career.

He wrote a journalism column for the industry bible Radio & Records for 13 years, published the daily PREP sheet for radio personalities from 1988 thru 2000, and did syndicated radio for Westwood One. At its peak, the daily "Brad Messer's Daybook" show was carried by 600+ stations.

TALKERS magazine listed him among "the Heavy Hundred" for seven consecutive years. The proper designation is “The 100 Most Important Radio Talk Hosts in America.“ He withdrew his name from consideration in 2003.

Messer lives in Texas with his wife Carole and golden retriever Blondie.