Tyler Media Classic Hits 92.5 KOMA-FM Oklahoma City terminated midday host Ronnie Kaye over comments made on air about Indigenous People Day potentially ending a 64 year radio career.
KFOR-TV reports that Kaye stated last Monday, “It’s Columbus Day and Indigineous People Day. I don’t know what ‘Indigenous’ means and I don’t care.” Kaye made his termination public on Saturday writing, “To all the listeners who have supported me on radio through the years I regret to tell you that my career has been terminated over a comment I made on October 9 Columbus Day which is also Indigenous Day. I had no intentions of offending the Native American heritage. Some of my best friends are Native American. I would have preferred to do this on air but I wasn’t given the opportunity to do so. Thank you listeners. Mr Rock and Roll.”
The Oklahoman adds that the 84 year-old Kaye was informed of his firing on Friday after being called back from a vacation. He told the newspaper, “I got one complaint, but someone called the station. The station wouldn’t tell me what the complaint was.”
Kaye had been with KOMA-FM since 1991 with his career in Oklahoma City dating back to 1961 when he began a nineteen year run at 930 WKY. From 1966 to 1947 ruring his tenure at WKY, Kaye also hosted the Oklahoma City based syndicated television dance show “The Scene”. He would then have a brief stint at 104.1 KOFM in 1980 before spending a decade at KOKH-TV as News and Public Service Director. Before coming to Oklahoma City, Kaye began his career working at KLCN Blytheville AR while in high school.
