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Stan Bunger
- Role(s): News Anchor and Reporter
- Stations: KRKC, KVML, KTHO, KXRX, KFBK, KCBS
- Years Worked: 1977-2021
- Website: www.stanbunger.com
After graduating from West Valley College and San Francisco State University, I did what everyone did back then: subscribe to “Broadcasting” magazine to look for “Help Wanted” ads. My “lucky break” came when a college friend mentioned a job at KRKC in King City, CA. Armed with my hard-won FCC 3rd Class license, I became the News Director and morning DJ, earning $600 a month.
After a brief stay at KRKC, I worked my way up (measured by elevation, at least) to jobs at KVML/Sonora (we actually ran all-news from 6 to 9 AM) and KTHO/South Lake Tahoe. My Bay Area break was at KXRX in San Jose, carrying all-news blocks in morning and afternoon drive. After KXRX dumped the news/talk format (I was the guy who flipped the switch to a simulcast with KSJO, fading up on The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”), I collected a few unemployment checks, became the Assignment Editor at KNTV (Channel 11), and wangled my way into a job at KFBK/Sacramento as Assistant News Director.
In April 1982, I started at KCBS as a street reporter and weekend anchor. Ten years later, I took a detour to Dallas (KRLD), returned to the Bay Area to do some tech-related TV reporting, and re-joined KCBS in 2000 as AM anchor, choosing my own retirement date in 2021.