SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. — The Chairman of a group of radio stations linked to the former Buckley Broadcasting — a woman who happens to be the daughter of that entity’s founder — is being mourned by colleagues and by industry leaders across the U.S.
Martha Buckley Fahnoe died unexpectedly on Friday (7/21). Funeral arrangements are pending.
Fahnoe served as the Chairman of Dimes Media, the owner of Top 40 KWWV “Wild 106,” Classic Country KYNS “The Grade,” KXDZ & KXTZ “The Beach,” KPYG-FM, and “K-News” in San Luis Obispo; and KRKC-AM & FM and KSGG in King City, Calif., serving southern Mendocino County south to Paso Robles Wine Country.
Fahnoe is the daughter of Richard Dimes Buckley Sr., who led Buckley Broadcasting. Its stations included flagship WDRC-AM & FM in Hartford. She founded Dimes Media Corp. with her son Eric Dimes Fahnoe upon the closing of Buckley Broadcasting.
Starting her own radio broadcasting company as the daughter of a radio station owner saw a young Martha Buckley working in the mailroom of WNEW-AM 1130 in New York in the 1950s, prior to its sale to Metromedia by Buckley.
“Her success in many capacities was ensured by her engaging personality and interest in her co-workers, clients and the community,” Dimes Media said in a statement released from their headquarters adjacent to San Luis Obispo Airport on Monday.
Martha Fahnoe is preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Norman, and is survived by her son Eric, his wife Michelle and her daughter Patricia, her husband Ian and grandchildren Coulter and Cyrus.
In lieu of flowers the family ask that donations in her memory be made to The Broadcasters Foundation of America or The Living Desert in Palm Desert, Calif.
