He’s enjoyed a 53-year career in radio that saw him break through the sales management ranks by taking the General Manager role for a heritage Class A AM in Des Moines and its FM sibling.
In 2004, he joined Salem Media Group, and today oversees its AM/FM combo in Houston.
On April 30, Chuck Jewell will bid farewell to Salem, and to the radio industry.
Since joining Salem in September of 2004, he’s been the General Manger of Christian Talk & Teaching KKHT-FM 100.7 in Lumberton, Tex., a Class C reaching Houston from the Beaumont-Port Arthur market; and KNTH-AM 1070 “The Answer,” the Salem-owned Conservative Talk station serving Houston.
Before that, he led Dame Broadcasting’s Johnstown, Pa., station group; served as GM for Wicks’ stations in Harrisburg and in Binghamton, N.Y.; and as GM for KFAB & KGOR in Omaha for three owners — Henry Broadcasting, American Radio Systems (ARS), and Triathlon.
However, Jewell is still widely remembered for his long tenure at WHO-AM and what was then KLYF-FM in Des Moines. He was a top biller at WHO, a 50kw AM with a nighttime signal heard across the eastern seaboard. At KLYF, today KDRB, he was the station’s top biller by the end of 1976. In 1984, he took the dual roles of NSM and GSM for the stations. Four years later, in 1988, Jewell was promoted to General Manager. It’s a role he would have until June 1991 — all under Palmer Communications ownership.
In September 1991, Jewell would resurface as the day-to-day GM for WNAX, KIOA and KKDM radio, under Midwest ownership.
Yet, asked him about his time at Salem, and Jewell responds, “The 16 ½ years with Salem have been the most fulfilling of my career.”
Once Jewell officially retires at the end of this month, Darren Ryder will succeed him as GM of Salem/Houston. He was a market president for Townsquare Media for nearly two years until March 2021. Prior media experience includes a role as Director of Sales for KATC-3 in Lafayette, La. For eight months in 2006, he was GM for Salem Media Group’s Orlando properties.
“We are delighted to have Darren re-join Salem,” company SVP Linnae Young said. “Darren is an innovative leader, who has developed sales and marketing strategies resulting in impressive growth for his clients and his teams. He has worked on local, regional, and national levels in both audio and digital.”
