I'll have a post on the Media Circus tomorrow, but I'd like to quickly run through a couple of stories tonight:

• Broadcast Engineer Jeremy Andrews is out at KUPL (98.7), sources at the station tell OMC. He had been voice-tracking overnights ever since his local music show, Northwest Nights, was replaced with CMT Radio in September.
• And Jeff Jaeger has begun freelancing for KOIN after KATU let him go in September. You can follow what he's up to on Twitter.

Also, if you missed it tonight, check out the Live Wire Radio podcast in the coming days for Episode 97, featuring Portland's latest radio team, Jacker and Shauna — er, make that Rick Emerson and Tara Dublin.

UPDATE (11/15, 4:40 pm): Nevermind, I'll wait until photos become available to post about Saturday's Media Circus.

KUFO casualties on KGW

KGW's Joe Donlon last night interviewed Rick Emerson and Cort and Fatboy, three of Friday's KUFO casualties, as well as Peter Ames Carlin, roving culture reporter for The Oregonian.

Emerson said the station seems to be headed in a "more guy, less geek" direction. Carlin leveled criticism against the station's new owner, Alpha Broadcasting, which he says fashions itself as being local, but "they might as well be from Peru," given how they're importing people from across the US.

Carlin also has an interview with Emerson in today's Oregonian. Emerson had a similar experience to Cort and Fatboy's, saying KUFO executives wouldn't return emails and that the station had become "this weird environment where everyone knows, but nobody says. I figured it was time to start packing."

Carlin confirms that Michael Ricker from KISW Seattle will host middays on the new KUFO. He also says there's uncertainty about the future of sister station KUPL's Lee and Alana in the Morning show. OMC has learned that, although Lee Rogers is retiring and Alana Lynn was told her last day is December 4, Lynn has been invited to audition with new potential morning show personalities while considering opportunities elsewhere. Whether she stays or goes, her current contract is still being terminated.

A careful observer might detect a theme of career uncertainty in radio.

OMC has confirmed that Program Director Chris Patyk is no longer employed at Alpha Broadcasting in Portland. Notable on Patyk's watch was the move of The Rick Emerson Show from KCMD (970) to KUFO (101.1) in March of this year. Since 2007, Patyk programmed KCMD, KUFO, and, until this August, KXJM (107.5).

Emerson has hosted his show in various forms on various Portland stations since 1997, all on AM radio until his most recent move to KUFO. Also featured on the show are producer Sarah X Dylan, Tim Riley with news, and production assistant Greg Nibler, who is also a weekend host with the station.

OMC has not definitively confirmed any further news regarding The Rick Emerson Show or Patyk's replacement as PD.

UPDATE (10/21, 5:04 am): A 26-year radio veteran known professionally as Ditch will replace Patyk as KUFO's program director. He was most recently the afternoon DJ at classic rock KGB San Diego for five years. Before then, he was assistant program director and music director at classic rock KILO Colorado Springs.