LETTER: Mike Perleberg Leaving Eagle Country 99.3

A letter to our listeners from news and sports director Mike Perleberg.

For years, he has commanded the attention of Eagle Country radio audiences. He’s developed a reputation for telling it like it is – good or bad. When listeners turn on their radio or go online, they can’t wait to see what he has to share with them.

But enough about Marty Brennaman, the longtime Cincinnati Reds baseball broadcaster who wrapped up his Hall of Fame career Thursday.

I, too, am largely exiting the realm of broadcasting, just coincidentally at the same time Marty B. completes his admirable 46-year run on the mic.

After more than 13 years, Friday, September 27, will be my final day reporting and anchoring the local news on Eagle Country 99.3 and writing stories for EagleCountryOnline.com.

From the day I started here as a part-time news reporter in August of 2006, I took seriously the responsibility I felt to help inform you of what was going on in our communities. I didn’t always do it well and often felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day to cover all the happenings that deserved news coverage (I think that’s the weight any good news organization feels). But I hope you can appreciate that I always tried my best to keep listeners updated on what was happening in their counties and neighborhoods.

Your Eagle Country 99.3 news department will remain in good hands with Travis Thayer, who has earned promotion to become the station’s next news and sports director. Travis is part of a small but dedicated staff at Your Hometown Radio Station that shares my belief that serving our community with local information should be a top priority.

If you are worried about me leaving town, don’t be. I will still be around helping another organization doing some important work serving our southeastern Indiana communities. You’ll be reading and hearing more about that very soon!

I am grateful that the radio station is allowing me to continue as a sports announcer for its award-winning high school football and basketball coverage. Sportscasting and a desire to be like Marty Brennaman, in particular, is a reason I got into radio to begin with.

A few thank yous before I go:

• You, our listeners. Thanks for welcoming me and Bubba Bo into your homes and vehicles via the 99.3 airwaves to wake you up with the local news. Thanks for reading all the news articles on our website, helping to raise our station’s profile and impact. And thanks for holding us accountable.
• All the staff at Eagle Country 99.3 I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. I have built some great friendships over the years. If I ever seemed to ignore you when you were attempting to talk to me at my desk, it was only because I was thinking how to properly spell a word or I was rushing to fix a typo.
• General manager Melissa Murphy for her understanding, excellent leadership, and empowering me and others here to do great things.
• Wagon Wheel Broadcasting’s ownership for believing in and allowing us to provide great community-centric radio programming.
• Marty Pieratt, former WSCH-FM owner, who took a leap and hired a know-nothing kid fresh out of college to join and later run the news department.
• The Eagle Country 99.3 Sports staff for helping keep fun part of the job just that. Specifically Travis Thayer, Chuck Thomas, Pete Arnold, Chris Bowling, John Blackwell, Ryan Knigga and Rob Moorhead.
• My wife, parents, and family for all their support and having to answer the question “Are you related to that guy on the radio?”
• And many others too numerous to list.

I’ll be seeing you around Eagle Country!