CASPER, Wyo. — Donovan Short, former programming manager for Townsquare Media, will be inducted into the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 on June 8 in Casper.
Short began his radio broadcasting career at the age of 16, doing afternoons on WRSM in Sumiton, Alabama. Upon graduation he enrolled in the radio and TV program at Jefferson State, receiving a scholarship to program campus radio WJSR-FM, which led to an internship at Birmingham CHR WAPI FM.
His first full-time FM daypart was with American General Media’s WWBR Birmingham, spending years as assistant program director and music director before a brief stint behind the scenes in television news at WBMG, Birmingham’s CBS affiliate.
In September 1998, Short accepted a morning host and program director job in Casper with the new KRVK-FM, which quickly rose to the top of Casper’s Arbitron ratings. When Clear Channel took over the Mountain States stations, Short remained to manage the programming department for over 20 years. The stations were eventually owned by Townsquare Media.
During Short’s tenure, the Casper stations experienced some of the highest format shares in the country, earning frequent accolades in Radio & Records and a spot in Radio Ink’s “Best Program Directors in America” list, as well as eventual promotions to regional and national format roles, including oversight of Townsquare’s three Wyoming groups in Casper, Cheyenne and Laramie, in addition to their operations in the Dakotas, Louisiana and Alabama.
Short is known in the Casper community for his charitable work, from loading semis with supplies for the victims of Hurricane Katrina to feeding and clothing local victims of the Cole Creek fire, and from Thankful Thursday events for hundreds of Casper charities to the Stuff the Van Toy Drive that Short organized and hosted for 23 years.
He has raised millions for kids at Christmas and spawned a local food bag charity, which served tens of thousands of Casper’s food insecure kids year-round. His efforts were recognized nationally by the Jefferson Awards.
“The Wyoming Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame was formed in 2003 to honor the broadcasters in our state, like Donovan, who serve their community and have made a significant contribution to broadcasting in our state. We are honored to put Donovan into the Hall of Fame,” said Laura Grott, president of the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters.
