If you stumbled upon a Boise-area Walmart this week, you’d be likely to see KIDO morning host and Program Director Kevin Miller dressed up in a turkey costume outside the entrance.
“Miller’s Mission” is a charitable endeavor by the Townsquare Media news/talk station to collect turkeys and other non-perishable food items for needy families and the Boise Rescue Mission Ministries.
And for six straight days, Miller is stationed outside the Walmart for 12 hours, hosting his radio show and imploring the community to support the charity he once utilized himself.
“Unfortunately, as a broadcaster, we all go through a tough time,” Miller said. “Literally in 2008, 2009, I was unemployed. I was laid off, but didn’t look like I was going to get another job. I had my mother giving me her Social Security checks to allow me to make my house payment before I got another job. It took me five years to recover from that. And if I didn’t have that, I would have ended up in the shelter.
“So therefore, when I moved out to Idaho, I lived in the shelter for seven days. That was the start of the first Miller’s Mission, where I would just go out and I would do the show, and then I would do laundry, and I would go through everything that the guests did.”
Miller shared that in the first year of the promotion, the station raised 20 turkeys. In year 15, they’re expecting 2,000 turkeys.
Kevin Miller added that the event has become synonymous with the KIDO brand, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I think it’s crucial for the brand, because, we’re out there fighting digital every day. The people in Idaho, fortunately, the AM band is still very strong here. And when they can see and touch their personalities — or my little local show — it’s a community. It’s very (Paul) Finebaum, if you will. I worked with Paul years ago, and I picked that up from him. Just having that old-time country feel in the age of digital, it humanizes the station. It gives it personality, gives it perspective, intertwined with the national hosts, as well as Fox News.”
Miller shared that he always views the event — which utilizes the catch phrase of “Give a turkey, don’t be a turkey” — as proof that the AM band is still a powerful tool.
“It’s inspiring because — say what you want about bigger rating services — to see the amount of money and the passion and people caring, it really strengthens our resolve,” he admitted. “It’s not easy taking an entire radio station to a living, breathing Walmart parking lot, and then having the HVAC put in and all this stuff. We try to make it as fancy as possible to have the element of being out in the fold. But radio isn’t dead. AM is not dead. They have legislation, but all you have to do is look through the great talent throughout the country, and we know that that spirit lives, whether it’s Idaho or Indiana.”
Being out in the community is a hallmark of KIDO.
“You have to go out into community, show them your face, show them you care, and sometimes you have to listen, which may be uncomfortable,” Miller said. “But when you listen, you truly get the information, and the ammunition you need to make an informed decision to actually build a better community. That may sound Pollyannaish, but that really is what it’s about. It’s not being that voice, but meeting that face behind the voice, even if you have a face for radio,” he joked, noting that his body type fits incredibly well inside the turkey costume he’s trademarked during the promotion in years past.
Miller concluded by noting that the event also not only allows him and KIDO to better connect with the community, but it allows him to build goodwill with listeners in person and show off the personality that makes him a Boise-area favorite.
“Sometimes you can take yourself too seriously. I grew up on Rush Limbaugh. I love Rush Limbaugh. But I’m not Rush, I’m Kevin Miller. And Kevin Miller is a self-deprecating guy that is relatable,” he shared. “You find so many people that can relate to that. It will help you build an audience. Obviously, it has to be legitimate, but you have to take that chance. And it’ll work out.”
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
Great work by both of you- Kevin is a huslter who just keeps showing up and telling his story.