Russ Byth - Financial Analyst on Radio

Russ Byth (Bites)




Russ got 'the bug' for radio at Centennial High in Coquitlam in the late 70's and hasn't been able to shake it since. After graduating, he signed up for a semester of business administration courses at Douglas College in New Westminster. The problem was, at the time, the college was across the street from CKNW. He kept pestering them for any kind of job and eventually started operating talk shows and hockey games. Just as well, as he had spent about 3 hours in college in 3 months. Soon, however, the Creston Valley called and he spent 6 months as midday DJ, at what then was Canada's smallest, 24 hour radio station. The small town life didn't agree with the city boy and he was soon back op-ing at 'NW. Stints at CKWL, CKAY and CISL followed until Russ accepted the job doing midday's in Terrace. 18 months later he was asked to do the morning show for Kitimat (from Terrace) and anchor the sports on the evening news on CFTK TV-7, seen throughout northwest BC.
In 1988 Russ moved back south to take a job doing news for the Satellite Radio Network, which became Standard Broadcast News. SRN/SBN operated out of the CKWX/KISS-FM studios in Vancouver. In 1994, one of 'the suits' from Toronto paid a visit to the west coast, and Russ, who was now bureau chief, was escorted out of the building. But two years later he was back in the same building, in the same studio, as the morning business editor for the brand new News1130, all news radio station. Every morning since then, he's been getting up at 3:30 and driving into town from his home in Coquitlam. When Russ gets away its usually to a sunspot like Mexico, a fun spot like Whistler, or a friend's spot at a lake in the Cariboo. Russ has never been married.... came close once, and is determined, despite the social-life-killing-shift, to spend his life with 'that special woman'. (russ byth himself writes)

Russ Byth has held many jobs in broadcasting since 1979, and a few times, changing them was HIS decision! Russ did the first Business Report when News1130 went on the air in 1996 and has been running with the 'bulls' and 'bears' ever since. Broadcasting from the affectionately named 'Business Hut,' he takes pleasure in breaking down so-called biz-speak to bring morning listeners the latest from around the world. (WX News profile)


Russ Byth: Operator CKNW New Westminster 1979; announcer: CFKC Creston 1980; CKWL Williams Lake 1981-82; CKAY Duncan 1983; CISL Vancouver 1984; CFTK/CKTK Terrace/Kitimat 1985-88; Satellite Radio Network/Standard Broadcast News 1988-94; morning business editor CKWX Vancouver 1996-current; morning news CKCL-FM Vancouver 2007-08 (www.vancouverbroadcasters.com)