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End of an era: Legendary broadcaster Terry Klippenstein retires after 45 years
On Saturday, July 27, the radio landscape of Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba will change forever. For more than forty years Terry Klippenstein has been a host on radio stations such as CFAM from Altona, AM 1250 from Steinbach, CJRB from Boissevain, and of course Classic 107. He has been on air since the beginning of 107 but on Saturday he will be signing off the airwaves. Terry will be retiring from a long and very illustrious career with Golden West Broadcasting. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Aside from his dulcet tones on the air, Terry is also a living historical figure and legend when it comes to radio. He has seen the medium in all its different facets; from the days of records with turntables to the reel-to-reel machines, to the digital automation system that is used for all radio stations today. Terry got into radio while he was still in high school when he simply wanted a part-time job. “I needed a part-time job...you gotta have money to buy a car, and you have to have a car to get off the farm,” says Klippenstein. From that part-time job, Klippenstein was hired full time and except for a couple of years away, he has been working with Golden West Broadcasting ever since. In that time, there have been vast changes in radio, from the way things are done in regard to editing and preparing for shows to audio formats. For Klippenstein there has been one thing during his time that has completely changed the radio game. As he explains, “It was the move into the digital world. When I began, radio was pretty much the way it had been when CFAM went on the air in 1957. It was reel-to-reel tape machines, it was vinyl LPs, it was 8 track carts, and it was Olivetti typewriters...it was all those things. In 1999 we switched over to working with computers in every way. That I think was the biggest change.” There have been many, many fond memories that Klippenstein has had in his 45 years with the Golden West; far too many to single out just one. (Although he does have a humorous story regarding a live newscast and a firecracker.) The one thing he will miss is the people he has worked with, and the many friends he has made along the way. The feeling is mutual with all of us here at Classic 107. Terry’s friendship will be forever valued by Simeon Rusnak, Chris Wolf, Colleen Houde, Mike Thom and the rest of the staff here at Classic 107. You can listen to his final show on Classic 107 on Saturday, July 27, from 6 a.m. to Noon. All the best in your retirement Terry! You will be missed!