Bill Collins was the midday/afternoon drive personality on KNEW from 1971 to the station’s transition to syndicated material in 1997, at which time he retired from radio. He worked through several formats, including Oldies, Talk, and finally Country.
A native of Youngstown, OH, Collins began his radio career while still a student at Ohio State University in Columbus, doing part-time work. After college, he and his wife Ruthe moved to WGAR in Cleveland, before accepting a job in Oakland at KNEW.
In October of 1989, Collins was on the air during the Loma Prieta earthquake. Many stations were knocked off the air for varying periods of time, while KNEW continued to broadcast. Though not a news reporter, Collins immediately began taking calls from listeners, providing critical information and a calming presence. His coverage was picked up and aired by CNN during the earthquake’s aftermath.
He was known for signing off his air shift with the phrase, “Thanks for turning me on, good friend.”
Bill Collins died in 2003 at the age of 67.