KBOI Radio’s Paul J. Schneider, longtime ‘Voice of the Broncos,’ to sign off after 51 years

KBOI Radio’s morning show host, Paul J. Schneider, announced his retirement Friday after a 51-year career in radio and media.

Earlier this year, Schneider was inducted into the Boise State Athletics Hall of Fame. He was the voice of Broncos games for 35 years until 2007. He called nearly 2,000 Boise State games over his career.

“The last time I slept in was when I was on television, and that is when I stayed up all night and then slept until 10 a.m.,” Schneider said in a news release from NewsTalk 670 KBOI.

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, who has been a frequent guest on Paul J.’s shows as a state legislator, congressman, lieutenant governor and governor, said he appreciated Schneider’s wit and wisdom as a mainstay on KBOI throughout his political career.

“I have enjoyed waking to his commentary and his thought-provoking analysis of the day’s most pressing issues,” Otter said. “I always looked forward to hearing his play-by-play calling duties for so many years as the ‘Voice of the Broncos.’ I especially appreciated his counsel and the great friendship we have developed over the years.”

Schneider, most commonly just called Paul J., moved to Boise and started his career at 670 KBOI in June 1967, shifting exclusively to radio in 1976.

Initially, he anchored the TV news and voiced the television replay of BSU football. From there, he was quickly ushered in as the radio play-by-play voice for Boise State football and basketball, which he held from 1973 to 2008.

His radio career has spanned the encyclopedia of Treasure Valley history, and during his career he enjoyed one of the country’s largest radio audience shares as a part of “Dunn & Schneider,” which aired from 1973 to 1993, the station said Friday. Since 2001, Schneider has hosted “Idaho Talks Live” with Chris Walton, and throughout his career, his morning partners have been at the top of station ratings.

Boise State University coach Bryan Harsin had all of his plays called by Schneider as a quarterback, according to the station’s news release.

“Paul J. is about as iconic as they come when you think about Boise media and entertainment,” said Harsin in the news release. “He will always be a part of Boise State athletics history and there is no question he bleeds blue. We wish Paul J. the best in his retirement.”

Schneider’s radio career has seen plenty of benchmark moments, including but not limited to the first radio interview with President Richard Nixon in 1972 after Watergate, covering the prison riots at the Idaho Penitentiary in 1971 and 1973, and calling the Boise State football team’s first trip to the Fiesta Bowl in 2007.

“I have been privileged to work with great morning show partners and to be on AM radio in its heyday,” Schneider said in the news release. “I was able to call the Boise State games through their growth trajectory and when not all the games were broadcasted live on TV.”

He will sign off for the last time Dec. 14.

This story was originally published September 21, 2018 at 9:21 AM.