Jim Yount passes

Stories and info about those no longer involved in the industry

Jim Yount passes

Postby hazmat » Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:27 pm

I was saddened to hear that Jim Yount passed away suddenly Sunday evening. He had
been living in Kaslo the last few years, and posted here sometimes as barkerfan.

He was 64 years old. He had been struggling with various health problems for some time.

Jim worked at many stations, including CJIB, CKOV, CFAC, CKVN, CKXR, CKIQ
and CKNW. He also was program head of Broadcast Journalism at BCIT 1983-8.

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Re: Jim Yount passes

Postby radiofan » Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:48 pm

Via email from Brian Antonson

December the 2nd, 2014

A huge voice in BC broadcasting has been silenced. Reports say Jim Yount passed away suddenly on Sunday evening, November 30th, in Kaslo. He’d faced a number of health challenges in recent years with his usual combination of humour and sarcasm.

Jim started his broadcast career as he’d barely entered his teenage years and his booming voice, housed in a slight physical frame, soon found its place on the air and he became a solid news presence in various newsrooms. He trod the halls in stations in Vernon (CJIB), Kelowna (CKOV and CKIQ), Calgary (CFAC), Salmon Arm (CKXR), Revelstoke (CKCR), and Vancouver (CKNW, CKVN, and CKST. In the mid-80s, Jim was an instructor, then program head, in the Broadcast Journalism Program at BCIT, where he introduced hundreds of students to the industry. For a couple of years after BCIT, he was with the international division of Radio Nederlands.

He left the industry after he returned to Canada, and dabbled in several businesses, finally engaging with “semi-retirement” in Kaslo. He made quite the mark with his observations on community affairs and politics in Kaslo, published and distributed as “The Sidewalk Superintendent”. More recently, Jim was a very proud grandparent, and was planning a trip in January to see his daughter and granddaughter in the eastern U.S. when he passed away.

With a career spanning decades, having touched down in so many markets, and being involved with so many people in local and provincial politics, Jim was well known to many, and one of the true “characters” in our industry. If there is an afterlife, no doubt he’s poured himself a scotch already, and is musing about writing a short tome about his recent experiences for all to share. Rest well, Yount. And as he would often sign off, “Red Network, over and out.”
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: Jim Yount passes

Postby Jack Bennest » Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:34 am

Sorry to hear this :towel:
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Re: Jim Yount passes

Postby Tom Jeffries » Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:46 pm

Upset to hear of the passing of Jim Yount. He was there before I started at CKVN, in 1972; he had done a great job, and was very well respected.

My sincere condolences to his Family and his myriad of friends.

Sadly, we are starting to say goodbye to far too many of the wonderful people we met and worked with, over the years.

I was blessed. I worked with the greatest people in the world. That world just keeps getting smaller.

Such is life.

RIP, Jim.
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Re: Jim Yount passes

Postby RCA44BX » Wed Dec 03, 2014 4:48 pm

Sad news indeed. Jim had many demons...but was also incredibly talented. "Hosenose" could read a flawless newscast, sight unseen, even after a few "doobles" of scotch. He was also a spontaneous and entertaining DJ, and a absolute genius at Promotions. Stories about Gentleman Jim could fill a good sized book..but I'll share one of my favorites. In the early 70's at CKIQ in Kelowna, Jim was on remote at a fabric store. As part of the gig, he had to wear a colorful jumpsuit that featured a number of pockets. During the broadcast, shoppers were selected at random to "pick a pocket" and keep whatever they found inside! Here's how one segment went on air...

Jim: Go ahead...pick a pocket..reach in...and tell us all what you find!

Lady Shopper: ...it's....NUTS!!!

dead air..then uncontrolable howling and applause!

Jim is somewhere up there right now...probably having a "dooble" or six with Bob Harrison and Bryan Couling! R I P my friend.

Chris Cleaver
Still in the game after 37+ years and loving it!
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Re: Jim Yount passes

Postby cart_machine » Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:06 am

As Chris Cleaver knows, there are 1,001 Yount stories. Maybe more.

When I was at 'OV, the News Director forced me to get a driver's license. Yount volunteered to teach me to drive. I don't know what I did, but we were out by Okanagan Mission when he demanded I pull over the car. He then pulled out a 26er from somewhere and started chugging. Then he told me he was prepared for the rest of the lesson and asked me to drive on. Seems to me the bottle was pretty well finished by the time we got the news cruiser back to the station (no, I didn't touch a drop).

When the station moved out to the Lakeshore and I was moved off the morning shift, Yount insisted he and Bob Mackwood and I go out for a drink at the pub at 5 o'clock. One drink. It was never one drink. Usually, Bob managed to escape by 8:30.

Yount used to come over to our little house. He never waited to be invited. He simply walked through the door, poured himself a drink and told my now-ex that he was waiting until I got home from the station. They chatted away and he finished the good portion of some crummy rye or whatever we had handy by the time I arrived.

When it came to news, he had little time for incompetence. His opinion of a few of my co-workers (I was on AM, he was doing news on FM for Mssrs. Cleaver and Woodman) was not very high. As people reading this may know, he thought the world of Warren Barker and the old school 'NW people.

Thanks, Hazmat, for posting the note. I've been on holidays and missed it until now.

cArtie.
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