Chris Merrill didn’t need much time to think when the call from KFI came.
For someone who has spent years climbing the ladder in news/talk radio, filling in, grinding weekends, and refining his craft across multiple major markets, the move from KTAR News 92.3 in Phoenix to Los Angeles’ powerhouse KFI-AM 640 felt less like a gamble and more like destiny meeting timing.
As Chris Merrill prepares to take over the KFI midday slot alongside Michael Monks — part of a lineup reshuffle that moves John Kobylt back to afternoon drive and Tim Conway Jr. to nights — the decision came down to one simple decision for Merrill: when KFI calls, you don’t say no.
“Well, anytime KFI calls, it’s the right time,” Merrill said of his reasoning for leaving KTAR. “That’s what it is. But the fact is, I love KTAR, and I love the people there. I think Bonneville is doing some stuff right now that is so ahead of the curve. Their dedication to digital is leaps and bounds ahead of so many other people. They’re really putting an emphasis on trying to grab the listener where the listener is, and that’s something I have huge respect for.”
Still, as much as Merrill loved Phoenix and KTAR, the gravitational pull of KFI was impossible to ignore. In his mind, the comparison was clear and unmistakable.
“Imagine you’ve been floating around, working your way up from high school baseball to college,” the new KFI midday host said. “You get drafted, you’re doing A-league, Double-A, Triple-A, and you love your team. But then the Dodgers call. When the Dodgers call, you don’t say, ‘Yeah, but I really like what’s going on in El Paso.’ The Dodgers called.”
That analogy sums up the emotional weight of the move. KFI isn’t just another station for Chris Merrill. It’s a legacy brand with deep roots, massive reach, and a standard that few others can match. Merrill has long revered the station, not only as an industry observer but as someone who’s already spent meaningful time behind its microphone working as a fill-in and weekend host.
“It makes it a lot more comfortable for me to make the jump,” Merrill said. “Having done the fill-in work and the weekend shift mattered. Honestly, the weekend shift was fantastic because it allowed me to keep my skills up during times when so many of us in radio are waiting for the next break. It let me continue to hone what I was doing to the KFI brand.”
That familiarity wasn’t just about comfort. Merrill believes the years of fill-in shifts, weekend shows, and market-hopping were all quietly pointing him toward this moment. Along the way, he evolved — sometimes painfully — from a hard-charging, rock-style host into a more nuanced communicator.
“I used to come at things really hard,” Merrill shared. “Kind of a rock jock approach. Go hard, go fast, no holds barred, be really raw. Working with Robin Bertolucci changed that. She told me to keep working, keep honing, and do it in our style. It became about taking the edge off without losing who we are. Just being smarter about it.”
That evolution was reinforced by a string of program directors who challenged Merrill to grow rather than coast. Some even fired him — more than once — only to bring him back better prepared than before.
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate with the program directors I’ve worked for,” Merrill said. “They’ve said, ‘Here’s what you’re good at. Let it rip. Here’s where we need to improve. Go to the lab.’ And that’s what I’ve done. The fill-in work especially challenged me to figure out how to talk to everyone, not just one kind of audience.”
That challenge came into sharp focus as Merrill worked across ideologically diverse markets. Feedback from listeners and managers forced him to refine not what he believed, but how he delivered it.
“It pushed me to hone my opinions, not change them,” Merrill shared. “It became less about ‘love him or hate him’ and more about, ‘Here’s Merrill. He’s a good dude. You might not always agree with him.’ That’s a big shift.”
At KFI, that philosophy will be front and center. Merrill’s approach to middays with Michael Monks is rooted in being “smart and fun,” a balance he believes is essential for connecting with today’s audience.
“Everything has to be smart and fun,” Merrill said. “You don’t want people to feel like you’re trying to outsmart them, but you want them to walk away with something. That ‘Oh, I didn’t think of it that way’ moment. That’s the goal.”
He credits influences like Howard Stern’s interview style and Colin Cowherd’s monologues for shaping how he thinks about content, perspective, and storytelling. Add in a deep commitment to local coverage — especially alongside KFI reporter Michael Monks — and Chris Merrill sees enormous opportunity ahead.
“When you’ve got a walking encyclopedia as your partner, you can’t miss,” Merrill said of his new co-host. “Michael knows LA City Hall inside and out. That depth is invaluable.”
Ultimately, the move to KFI is about timing as much as prestige. Merrill believes he’s arriving in Los Angeles as the best, smartest version of himself — shaped by setbacks, mentors, and years of deliberate work.
“Radio isn’t a linear path,” Merrill said. “It’s ups and downs. I’m eternally grateful for everyone who supported me when things weren’t going great, especially my wife and my family. They were there for the downs. I just want to make them proud.”
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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.
