He was inducted into the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2004, thanks to his time at a Top 40 giant in the Twin Cities and, later, at Nationwide Communications. Upon his 2002 retirement, he ran Saga Communications’ Champaign and Springfield, Ill., properties.
Now, the life of Dale Weber is being recalled by the radio industry, as the former executive has died.
Weber was 84 years of age.
After helping start and then run his campus radio station at the University of South Dakota, Weber began a path in the radio industry that saw him take on-air and sales roles at stations across Southwestern Minnesota.
By the late 1960s, Weber took over the role of General Manager for KRSI-AM & FM in Minneapolis, which in early 1968 was acquired by Park Communications. Under Weber, the stations became “Request Radio,” blending current hits with Oldies. It was a success until 1971, ranking behind only WCCO-AM and Top 40 WDGY-AM in spring 1969.
Weber would exit KRSI, and headed to that crosstown Top 40 station, a leader through 1977 thanks to legendary pop radio pioneer Todd Storz. With FM stations gaining younger listeners, Weber led WDGY’s 1978 transition to Country. It was a successful move, keeping WDGY dominant in the Twin Cities over the next several years.
That success allowed Weber to eventually become Western Group Manager for former station owner Nationwide Communications, providing management expertise for stations in Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Orlando and Houston. He was also GM of KVRY (today known as KZZP) in Phoenix.
In the 1990s, Weber would move to downstate Illinois, becoming a President for Saga. This included oversight of radio stations in Champaign and Springfield.
