ST. GEORGE — A sunny, family vibe took over the afternoon airways on Monday with the broadcast duo of KT and Cari on KONY radio.
The duo, who are married and previously lived in the area, say they plan to share their family life and are excited to be back to entertain listeners.
“If they’ve had a bad day, and they can turn on the radio, and we’ve done something that made them laugh, we can be that kind of bright spot in the afternoon,” Cari Kelly said.
KT Kelly said he expects the audience to feel welcome and know what to expect.
“Cari and I are how we are when the microphones are off, and it’s how we are when the microphones are on,” he said. “It is such an awesome honor to be able to be back on and be a part of KONY again.”
The show “Afternoon Drive Time” airs weekly from 3-7 p.m.
KT used to host afternoons on KONY and was enthusiastic about the opportunity to be sharing the slot with his wife. He also said he feels like the station has evolved.
“I think we’ve kind of all matured, and now I’m bringing in Cari and bringing in Nash, who’s our 5-year-old son,” he said. “It allows the listener to find out what’s going on in our world, and we want to be an open book for them.”
This open approach sets the afternoon time apart from other shows in town, he added. Although the team will discuss challenges like Cari’s recent loss of her father, they will focus mainly on lighthearted fun. They view their listeners as their extended family.
“We do a lot of personal stories,” Cari said.
Some of these stories will involve their son Nash who enjoys bowling and gymnastic and is also autistic with special needs. She said they will talk about the good and bad: his wins and his setbacks.
While Cari used to work on the administrative side of Canyon Media, her husband has worked with Canyon Media in St. George and the Frandsen Group in Logan on and off for 18 years. He also worked with another media group in the area and was laid off during the recession of 2008.
“We really have a connection to St. George – it’s given us some blows, it’s thrown some punches our way. But we’ve got some great relationships and awesome friends, lifelong relationships there. The people are just awesome,” he said.
The couple remembers when traffic was less on St. George Boulevard, and they would take their infant son in the car to put him to sleep. They said that although the area has grown and traffic has increased, there is a wider variety in the city.
“I think the influence of new folks coming in has added a variety that the city didn’t have. That is not good or bad,” KT said. “It was stagnant for almost two decades. And it seems like in the last three to five years, it’s just really grown and created its own vibe. Something unique – I think it’s cool. It’s becoming a global city.”
The couple, who met in Salt Lake City, said they don’t mind living and working together.
“We love spending a lot of time together,” KT said. “We really do like just hanging out as a family.
The team replaces Carl Lamar, who hosts the afternoon show. Lamar will anchor the news in the morning for radio stations owned by Canyon Media and Frandsen Media. He will still be the program director of KZNU, St. George News Radio 1450 AM and 93.1 FM. Lamar has worked in radio for 50 years as of April.
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