The strength of any newspaper lies in its writers, specifically their ability to connect to strangers through the power of words. Individual word choices build together to become a piece of writing that breathes life into the mundane, one that injects emotion into the impassive. Mike McFeely is one of those writers and we are delighted to add him to The Extra family.
Many people likely know Mike from his afternoon radio show on KFGO, “The Mike McFeely Show.” Others may recognize his words from his days as a sports reporter/columnist for the Fargo Forum, a job he held for over twenty years. Beginning February 20 Mike will add a new entry to his prolific resume, this time as a weekly columnist for The Extra. “I am extremely excited and thankful to be writing for the FM Extra,” he said. “My goal for writing is no different than writing on my blog (on KFGO). I want to inform, entertain, make people laugh, make them mad, make them think, push their buttons.”
Mike was born in the Twin Cities, where he lived until moving to Alexandria, Minnesota in eighth grade. “It was a typical Minnesota upbringing – I liked to fish, hunt, play sports, cheer on the Twins, Vikings, and Gophers,” he explained. Mike attended Minnesota State University Moorhead (then Moorhead State), where he majored in mass communications and minored in political science. “I always liked to read and write, so writing for a living seemed like a natural for me,” he explained. Mike’s dad worked as a printer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and would bring his young son a newspaper every day. “I devoured the sports section, which in those days was filled with Fran Tarkenton, Harmon Killebrew, and Bill Goldsworth.” His love of both sports and writing led Mike to an internship at the Forum while in college. “It was a great experience,” he said, “hands-on-real-world stuff.”
After graduation, Mike worked at newspapers in Alexandria and Owatonna before securing a full-time job back at the Forum. A position as a copy editor on the sports desk led to an assignment covering local high school and college sports. Mike is most recognized, however, for his job as sports columnist, a position he held for over twelve years. In 2009, Mike left the Forum for KFGO, transforming himself from the man behind the pen to the one behind the mic. “It was a difficult decision to leave a place like the Forum, where I had been for twenty years and had been treated well,” he said. “But Joel (Heitkamp) made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: He said he’d keep buying the beers as long as I worked at KFGO.” According to Mike, Joel has kept that promise.
Many writers are introverts who prefer to use the written word to express themselves. It is the silence of putting thoughts and feelings onto paper that appeals to them. The thought of leaving that silence for a career on the radio would be terrifying for some. Making that move evoked the same types of emotions in Mike, a self-described wall flower. “I’m the guy who goes to a social function and stands in the corner minding my own business,” he said. “I’m not the life of the party or the guy who needs all the attention, and yet people invite me into their homes, shops, garages, and vehicles every day to have a conversation with them.” Indeed, those that know the Mike of the past might find it difficult to believe the shy introvert is now the voice of afternoon radio. A chance meeting a few years with his college newspaper advisor illustrates just how far Mike has come. “He was dumbfounded I hosted a radio show,” Mike explained. “He said, ‘You’re the guy who spent five years at MSU and said fifteen words in that whole time? Now I listen to you every day and you won’t shut up’.”
Mike’s home life is as full as the professional side of his life. Although he considers himself “pretty boring,” Mike keeps himself quite busy. When he’s not golfing or fishing (he has a boat named “Radio Waves), he is doting over his family. Wife Michelle, daughter Emma (13 years old), dog Rudy, and Cats Mickey and Charlie keep him on his toes. Mike is especially fond of Rudy, the pit bull/yellow lab mix the family rescued from the Humane Society of Fargo-Moorhead. “We adopted him about eighteen months ago and he’s sort of taken over a big part of our life,” he said. Also known as Rudy the Rescue Dog, the pup even has his own Facebook page. “I urge everybody to consider rescuing a pet from a local shelter,” Mike said. “We’ve adopted both Rudy and Mickey and they have been tremendous pets.” Mike has recently become a member of the board of directors for the Human Society. “I’m just starting that and am looking forward to helping make the Humane Society shelter an even better place than it already is,” he said.
Some may think that newspapers and radio are similar in that they are both charged with disseminating information and connecting to the community. In that way they are alike, but newspaper writers have access to a valuable commodity that radio personalities don’t: a delete key. Writers can labor over individual word choices until they are satisfied with the final product. The radio is instantaneous; decisions have to be made in seconds. “Radio is so energetic and immediate,” Mike explained. “You have to be ready for anything at all times.” The other difference involves the level of connection each medium affords. “People who listen (to radio) believe they know you and want to interact with you,” Mike said. “Newspapers are more detached, impersonal.” Although Mike is very happy with his radio gig, the power of seeing his words in print has drawn him back to the newspaper. Now that he is returning to the print realm, he will be able to have the best of both worlds.
Being involved with radio has given Mike a type of notoriety that is unlike his time at the Forum. People that hear his voice everyday feel connected to him on a personal level; they consider him a friend. We are very excited to welcome Mike to The Extra, along with his friends.
Mike’s column will appear in the Extra on a weekly basis. Radio listeners can catch the “Mike McFeely Show” daily between 2:00 and 5:00pm on KFGO-AM 790.