Courtesy the Houston Chronicle

(September 2, 2010) Travis Rodgers, the former longtime producer of the Jim Rome Show, will replace Chronicle columnist Ken Hoffman next week as host of KGOW’s (1560 AM) midday talk show, station president David Gow said Tuesday.

Rodgers, who since leaving the Rome show last year has appeared on radio shows in Los Angeles and Portland in addition to KGOW and operated a Web site at TravisRodgersNow.com, will move from Los Angeles to Houston and begin hosting next Tuesday on KGOW from 1 to 3 p.m.

"Houston has been incredible to me in terms of time and enthusiasm and acceptance," Rodgers said. "I’ve gotten to know the guys at 1560 and they’ve gotten to know me, and it’s been a good relationship."

While it is not uncommon for radio hosts to broadcast from other cities, Gow said he and Rodgers agreed it was important that his show originate from 1560’s Houston studios.

"He will be the host of a local show and doing endorsements for advertisers and building relationships, and moving here was something Travis felt was important and we felt was important," Gow said. "He’s been well received by our listeners, and we think he will bring great passion and energy to the station."

Gow said he hopes Hoffman, who was one of KGOW’s original hosts when it launched its all-sports format in August 2007, will remain associated with the station.

"Ken has been integral to our success," Gow said. "We hold him in high regard, and I’ve been a big fan of his for many, many years."

However, Gow acknowledged that revenue from Hoffman’s show was affected by the Chronicle’s policy that prohibits newspaper employees from reading commercials or making on-air commercial endorsements.

"The nature of talk radio right now is that it’s important for the local personality to do endorsements, and that is an attraction we have with Travis," Gow said. "We think advertisers will want to enlist him as a spokesman."

Hoffman, who has worked on several stations during his career with the Chronicle and the Houston Post, said he was in agreement with the newspaper’s advertising policy and that he had enjoyed his three years with the station.

"I joined (KGOW) with the intention of staying one year — just to sock away some money in my kid’s college fund. I wound up staying three years," he said. "I resisted my urges to buy ice cream and salted peanuts, and now my kid will have enough money to mess up in a really good college. ... So now I leave 1560 with, and I’m serious, love for those people. I can return to my true passion in life — scrapbooking."

Hoffman had been co-hosting at midday with David Nuno. Gow, however, said Rodgers, who worked with Rome for 14 years, will be the sole host with contributions from other station employees.

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