If you stumbled on KOA’s Colorado’s Morning News (CMN) over the past eight years and you were expecting a right-wing rant or slant from its hosts, you would have been wrong. Marty Lenz co-anchored the morning news slot from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. from 2018 to October of 2025 with a gentle and persistent even-handedness that won him admirers across the political spectrum. He tracked political issues closely and asked the questions that officials needed to answer. And his wide interests and knowledge of Denver enabled him to bring in entertaining and relevant guests to talk about cultural happenings and more.
When Lenz was laid off from KOA, widely known for its conservative talk shows, in October of last year, he did what you might expect him to do. He reported it. He tried to help listeners who might miss him understand what happened to him – and what’s happening to journalism more broadly. He posted on X and elsewhere about memorable guests he interviewed on the show over the years (here, here, here, and here), about his life (here, here), about his layoff (here), and about his industry and his approach to his work at KOA (here, here, here, here, here).
The Colorado Times Recorder asked Lenz to share his thoughts on those subjects and others.
CTR: How did you land at KOA in the first place?
Lenz: When I saw that KOA was looking for a co-host for Colorado’s Morning News in 2017, I knew it was the right moment — and the right opportunity — to return home to Denver. Our life in San Francisco and the Bay Area had been wonderful. I held a great role with KCBS Radio, my wife was a senior executive at a tech company, our younger children were thriving in school and with their friends, and our oldest daughter was beginning her post-college life back in Colorado.
Still, I felt strongly that this opportunity aligned perfectly with both my professional experience and my personal roots. Given my background in radio, my credentials, and my deep ties to Denver and Colorado, I knew I would be a strong candidate.
CTR: What was your goal, if you had one, for the show journalism-wise?
Lenz: When I was hired, I wasn’t given a specific mandate or mission. The show was already in excellent hands with longtime anchor and host April Zesbaugh, and my role was to partner with and support her work. However, my then-boss, Greg Foster, did share one key objective: to help shift the perception that Colorado’s Morning News catered primarily to a conservative audience. He believed that, given my background and experience, I could help position the show as a more traditional, middle-of-the-road news program. In his view, the conservative talk programming that followed the show (beginning at 10 a.m. when I started) sometimes influenced how the news product was perceived —not intentionally, but as a byproduct of the overall programming structure and the voices that came immediately afterward.
My personal goal was to approach the news authentically — engaging in meaningful conversations with newsmakers, community leaders, and other notable voices on issues of real significance. Colorado’s Morning News already did much of this very well. My contribution was to bring in new ideas and collaborate more closely with April, whose instincts and perspective were invaluable. Together, we aimed to build on her exceptional work while incorporating a fresh viewpoint shaped by my deep Colorado roots and my 13 years reporting on diverse communities outside the state.
CTR: What kind of guests did you have?
Lenz: Our guests ranged from national congressional leaders in Colorado — and, when appropriate, from other states — to local political figures, newsmakers, and key decision-makers. We featured individuals who influence, lead, and shape policies that impact our daily lives, as well as subject-matter experts and everyday citizens. CMN welcomed a truly diverse array of voices.
CTR: Can you name a few favorite interviews?
There were many notable interviews, but a few stand out. These included former FBI Director James Comey following his tenure in the first Trump administration and his decision to reopen the investigation into Hillary Clinton. I also spoke with Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, whose appearance came on the heels of the voting machine password leak. Congressman Ken Buck was a frequent guest; however, after the 2020 election, our conversations often centered on false claims of election fraud. It was particularly notable — and disappointing — that he appeared to feel pressure to cater to these narratives in order to maintain support from his constituents.
CTR: For political candidates and lawmakers, what did you hope to elicit with your questions?
Lenz: Our work with CMN has always been about fostering meaningful discourse, not creating discord. Time and again, we’ve succeeded in elevating conversations — seeking new insights, encouraging thoughtful exchange, and driving discussions forward.
CTR: How did it feel to be practicing professional journalism at an outlet so well known for its right-wing yappers?
Lenz: As noted earlier, it was always intentional for our program to deliver honest and unbiased news and information. At times, this was challenging, given the structure and perception of KOA — especially during the Covid pandemic. Both April and I often felt as though we were “working against our audience.” For example, we would diligently report the latest information, data, protocols, and guidance from experts, epidemiologists, virologists, and policy leaders — only to have it undercut by other programming. While I don’t believe this was intentional, it often seemed driven by serving a “different master.” I have never worked harder professionally or felt a greater sense of responsibility to report, support, and serve our listening community than I did during the pandemic, all while feeling isolated — both physically, for obvious reasons, and professionally — from the rest of our broadcast operation. This experience stands as a valuable “area of opportunity” for anyone involved in programming and news leadership to learn from.
CTR: Any stories about the conservative talk show hosts that stick out?
Lenz: Looking back, I genuinely liked most of my colleagues and cohorts. My wife and I are still very close with April, who retired in 2022, and her husband Marc. Our KOA family didn’t always see eye to eye — and they probably felt the same about me — but that never meant they weren’t good, decent people. Still, between different agendas, roles, and the way each of us serves in a role or engages with an audience, I learned to be measured and thoughtful in how I interacted with my co-workers.
CTR: Why were you laid off?
Lenz: I was laid off during iHeart’s annual/semiannual reduction in force. While the official explanation cited cost-cutting — a common factor in many of the company’s business and programming decisions — I believe other considerations were also at play. On several occasions, the current local leadership noted that our style of morning news program was uncommon within iHeart, hinting that changes might be forthcoming. When KOA removed my boss Greg Foster in 2022, our corporate news leaders came in to meet with us. Toward the end of my individual meeting, one of the managers suggested there were things we could do to keep KOA a conservative news outlet. I immediately shot back, “We are not conservative news, we are not liberal news — we are news.” I don’t recall his response; I was stunned by his perspective. Looking back now, I see it as a bit of foreshadowing.
In today’s media landscape, with segments of the audience increasingly skeptical of news and journalism, and with some organizations appearing cautious about drawing scrutiny from political leadership or regulators like the Federal Communications Commission, these broader dynamics may have contributed to the decision. Additionally, for a station like KOA Radio — which recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary and prides itself on its heritage, longevity, and deep connection to Denver and Colorado — my departure represents a significant loss of institutional knowledge. Aside from one or two remaining hosts, few, if any, share my longstanding ties to the market and the community.
CTR: What does the elimination of your job and show say about radio journalism in Denver and nationally – and news reporting generally?
Lenz: Losing my job and this role is both personally and professionally disappointing. While I understand that this was Iheart’s decision to end/significantly reduce a 40-year news program staple, what troubles me even more is that no local commercial radio operator seems to believe that a market and city the size of Denver — and the Front Range, with over 3 million residents — deserves a morning news program. It feels like a disservice to Denver and its people, as if their intelligence and engagement are being underestimated.
Here lies a fundamental philosophical question: how can a broadcaster best serve an audience while also retaining and earning their trust and listenership? The prime directive of any commercial spoken-word radio operator is, of course, to make money — typically by capturing the largest possible audience share. This can be achieved by being a trusted source of news and information — a reliable “go-to” when important events occur, from weather emergencies to national tragedies. Credible outlets present the issues of the day fairly, without bias, engaging responsibly with newsmakers and policymakers whose decisions affect daily life. Achieving this balance is difficult in today’s politically charged and information-saturated environment, yet it fulfills the traditional notion of serving the public interest.
Alternatively, a broadcaster might choose to attract and retain an audience by pandering to them — delivering a steady stream of confirmation bias and emotional gratification. While this approach may generate short-term success, it does not build genuine loyalty or trust. When a host or program challenges listeners’ preexisting beliefs, those same listeners can quickly abandon the show for another that maintains their ideological “comfort zone” — as seen in the audience shifts from Fox News to Newsmax and other far-right outlets. Though pandering may seem the path of least resistance, it is also the path of least trust. Combined with broader shifts in how audiences consume media, this dynamic helps explain why traditional radio is losing ground to newer platforms.
CTR: How’s it been going since you lost the job? What’s next?
Lenz: I would love to continue my career here at home. I still have the passion, drive, and curiosity to create news and audio content, engage in intelligent conversations, and serve as a positive force for accessible, observational storytelling. I’ve had meaningful discussions with local media professionals and have connected with operators in major markets across the country. It’s both humbling and rewarding to see that honest, high-quality work is valued widely and to earn the respect of peers in the news and radio/audio industry. I’m taking this time to be deliberate about my next professional step and remain open to opportunities that may extend beyond traditional radio or news roles.
