Longtime Salina Broadcaster To Be Honored

A longtime Salina broadcaster will be honored, and become a member of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

The KAB announced Tuesday that Jerry Hinrikus will receive the Distinguished Service Award, which automatically places him in the Hall of Fame. Hinrikus has been a broadcaster in the Midwest for 47 years beginning in Falls City, Neb., as an announcer. During that time, he has managed and co-owned several stations in Kansas and surrounding states. He was a longtime manager and co owner of the Salina Media group of radio stations that include KSAL, Y93.7, FM 104.9, Oldies 98.5, Sunny 102.5, and AM 1560 KABI. Hinrikus is currently general manager of Eagle Radio in Salina.

Hinrikus served on the board of KAB and as President in 1993. He also was elected in 2002 to the National Association of Broadcasters board representing Kansas and Missouri. Hinrikus has been very active in his community serving on many boards and committees including the Salina Chamber, United Way, Boy Scouts and Kansas Wesleyan.

Hinrikus will be inducted into the hall of fame along with Mike “Kennedy” Law of Kansas City.

Law He started his career 37 years ago at KVOE Radio in Emporia while attending school. He was an announcer and later did the play by play of Emporia State football and basketball. In 1988, Law moved to Kansas City and joined the on air team at one of the nation’s first Rock 40 stations. Since 1991 he has been at KBEQ in Kansas City and currently is program director and a mainstay on country radio in the mornings. Law was the first to play bands like Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum, Big and Rich, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, and Eli Young Band, and has been nationally recognized several times by Billboard Magazine as Program Director of the Year.

Both broadcasters will be honored at the 2014 KAB Convention in Wichita in October.