Mike Flanagan

By Luke Graham

Radio 1190 KVCU-AM has a new general manager, but don't expect a big change in the content. Mike Flanagan said his goal is to keep the station "strong and growing."

"I'm here to nurture a successful operation," he said.

Flanagan comes to CU-Boulder from the University of Denver, where since 2003-05 he was a periodicals editor in the Office of Communications and Marketing, working on the alumni magazine, the faculty-staff newspaper and maintaining the news section of the DU Web site. Also, he was an on-air host for Jones Radio Networks in Denver on its classic hits format. Jones provides music programming live to 1,200 radio stations.

Flanagan, who said he has been involved with radio since he was 16 years old, graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in radio and a minor in journalism. Since then, he has experienced almost every radio genre. He has worked in rock, jazz, pop, commercial and public service radio. Flanagan also hosted shows such as "Midday Mozart" on Colorado Public Radio station KCFR but said he has never before been a general manager at a radio station.

He said he believes Radio 1190 has a good product, and his main job will be to get more people to listen who are not used to searching AM radio for music.

"It's a whole new world of music," he said. "It's a wonderful product, and I want more people to know about it."

Flanagan is the author of one play and five books, including "Out West," "The Old West Day by Day" and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Old West." He also has written more than 500 newspaper and magazine articles for publications including Newsday, Women's Day, Reader's Digest, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post and Plane and Pilot.

His latest book is "It's About Time: How Long History Took" which presents historical events by their duration from shortest to longest -- when they happened, times of day and much more.