If you’ve tuned into KUCB 89.7 FM over the last decade, you’ve likely heard the voice of Vic Fisher.
Fisher started his career at KUCB in 2012 as the station’s first host for the popular radio show AM Unalaska. He was also the resident weatherman — and often one of the voices you might have heard bringing you updates during a tsunami evacuation.
Over the weekend, Fisher hopped on the Tustumena and said goodbye to his friends, fans and the island he’s called home for more than two decades.
KUCB’s Hope McKenney sat down with Fisher following his last shift Friday morning to talk about his 11 years at Unalaska Community Broadcasting and what’s next.
TRANSCRIPT:
HOPE MCKENNEY: All right, Victor Fisher. You just had your last AM Unalaska.
VIC FISHER: I did. Yep. It was a fine little send off. A lot of friends came in. It was a fantastic little party.
MCKENNEY: Yeah. Well, I think you've touched a lot of people during your time here, myself included.
FISHER: Awe, thanks, Hope.
MCKENNEY: So this is your exit interview. to start, tell me how did you even get started here at KUCB? Tell me your history here.
FISHER: When I was working for the City of Unalaska, the director of utilities, Andrea, she and Matt had a radio show — it was a volunteer one — and also, she was on the board of directors and invited me to get on the board. So that was one of my first volunteer jobs here in Unalaska was being on, at the time it was KIAL AM 12-whatever something or other, big number way down at the end of the dial. Most of the time it wasn't up and running. But anyway, Matt and Andrea had, I can't remember, it's like the "Beaver Inlet Radio Show" at like eight o'clock or nine o'clock at night. So yeah, I got involved with Unalaska Community Broadcasting. I think it might have been called that, as far as the board. So I was on the board.
And then, I don't know, many years later, I started, with another person, a tech talk show, which was on Saturday, at like 3 p.m. And we would talk about the latest in technology. Chris and I would talk about cell phones, we'd talk about the latest in computers, some of the latest in code things like mp3s and things like that. And then Chris moved away. And I just had a show "Tech Talk with Vic." And it wasn't very long after that, that Lauren was looking for a morning host. And I'm like, "Well, why not just listen to the Anchorage radio station because they have information and things?" And she's like, "That's not local." And I'm like, "Okay." And one superpower that I have is the ability to get up in the morning. I like getting up in the morning, for the most part. And that's what I did. I got up every morning, Monday through Friday, and did AM Unalaska.
MCKENNEY: And yeah, the rest is history. It's 2023, 11 years later.
FISHER: I know, I know. But one of the things that I really wanted to do was to bring in scientists who were on the NOAA boats, and they would come in, and then they would go out, and you'd never hear any of the technology that they're doing and things like that. And so that was one of the things that I felt like I could bring to the city of Unalaska is the information that they're deriving out on the ships. And then, of course, I used to work for the Alaska Volcano Observatory. And so my friend John Power and I would talk about volcanoes a lot.
MCKENNEY: Yeah. I mean, over the years, you've brought so much information, particularly to the morning show, with your knowledge of weather, geology, even just your knowledge of the island, because you've been here for so long. And I think so many people appreciate that. Do you have a favorite part of what you did in the morning here for the past 12 years?
FISHER: Interviews probably were my favorite. I did love interviewing. And as Carlos was saying, I could interview a ham sandwich. So yeah, you just never knew who I was going to interview. Sometimes there are architects, which I really didn't know much about, or people who want to talk about history. Dr. Ginny Hatfield from the Museum of the Aleutians, I'd interview her and her guests. So yeah, that was a great part about AM Unalaska. That was my favorite: just meeting people and interviewing them.
MCKENNEY: And so backing up a little bit, so you started here 11 years ago in the morning slot. Before that, you were doing DJ shows and you had your tech show on the weekend. You have a decade before you started working here on the island. How did you even end up here?
FISHER: I came here working for the City of Unalaska, as an engineering tech. I moved on to work with a couple of different engineering companies here in town. And then I started my own business, which I'm not really going to talk about, but it was kind of a ratty, Best Buy of the Aleutians. And then this job, which I really enjoyed, getting up in the morning and talking to the people of Unalaska.
MCKENNEY: And so you've been on the island for just over two decades, almost 21 years now. What's next?
FISHER: Who knows? I'm gonna be in Anchorage. And maybe I'll sleep in or turn on KUCB and listen to Matt and Carlos, Karen, and Katherine on Feel Good Friday, or throughout the week. I don't know what you guys have planned. Maybe I'll get a job working as a civil servant somewhere.
MCKENNEY: And so, over your two decades here, more than a decade here at the station, what are you going to miss the most about being here at KUCB and being here on the island?
FISHER: Well, you know, Unalaska just provides this cozy, friendly atmosphere where you just meet up with people that you know and love, or are just getting to know. There's just so much to do on the island. It's cozy. I want to use that word because you just are so close to your friends. And yeah, this is a great island. This island is a fantastic small model for the world. We are so international here, we have so many different voices and opinions, ethnicities, languages. It's really an amazing place and people get along here. It's a fantastic place. So well, you know, heading back to Anchorage, that's a big town. And you know, the closeness is not going to be as prevalent. And there's a lot to do in Anchorage, but you won't always be with your friends like here. So yeah, this is a cozy place. It's safe. It's cozy, and there are no stoplights. And I don't have to parallel park, because I'm a terrible parker.
MCKENNEY: Well, do you think that you're gonna come back and visit at some point?
FISHER: You know, I probably will. Yeah, I mean, I have such close ties here. It's cozy. And one of my favorite things on the island was the Tundra Golf Classic. And, just lately when Karel Machálek started the Aleutian Electrocution, that was really a great little rave, fun party out there in Captains Bay. So yeah, coming back in July and August would be a thing.
MCKENNEY: And I don't have any more questions. But is there anything else that you'd like to say to the community and to your listeners who've been listening to you for so long?
FISHER: Like my mom and my sister, maybe Dr. Murray Buttner. You know, it's been a journey and thank you Unalaska for just being a great city. It's a really great city. And like I say, it's really a model for the world. People get along here. People love each other. And, yeah, so goodbye Unalaska. I hope to see you again.
MCKENNEY: Well, thank you, Vic. We're all going to miss you.
FISHER: Awe, thanks, Hope.
