Richard Piet (“diet” with a “P”) is a native of the Detroit area. Growing up in a “General Motors family” he developed an appreciation for cars at an early age. He also developed an interest in broadcasting, listening and viewing Detroit’s best.
During high school in Rhode Island (his family moved in 1985), he became the school’s daily public address announcer – and scored a job at the local radio station – WADK, Newport. Impressed with his inherent talent, the local radio pros there took Richard under their collective wing, where he learned local news writing and broadcasting, as well as how to do a music airshift on the ahead-of-its-time smooth jazz sister station, WOTB-FM.
Back in Detroit after high school, Richard became a student broadcaster at WHFR-FM, and eventually was hired as a part-time manager of the station. He interned at the “Great Voice of the Great Lakes”, 50,000-watt WJR, Detroit. Richard’s broadcast journalism teacher – who hosted a news morning show on FM all-news station WOWF, Detroit – recommended him to be hired as a stringer reporter. He covered one event before the station changed to a music format.
Soon after, he became a broadcaster on radio stations all over Michigan for insurance company AAA – and hosted local segments during morning drive for WCAR, Detroit.
In 1997, Richard hit the road for southwest Michigan, becoming a news anchor and reporter for heritage station WKZO, Kalamazoo. Over more than 7 years, Richard elevated to news director, program director, show host, and account executive – learning most aspects of the business while cementing himself to Kalamazoo listeners as a likeable and reliable radio friend.
Richard also became a media professor, teaching media courses in both southwest and southeast Michigan. He even taught the very same broadcast journalism course in which he had been a student years earlier.
After a time away, Richard returned to WKZO, Kalamazoo (under new ownership) in 2006. Still familiar to local listeners as a reliable news anchor, engaging interviewer, and interactive on-air personality, he spent more than 6 additional years with the Kalamazoo audience.
More recently, Richard spent 3 years hosting the morning show at WBCK radio in the nearby “cereal city” of Battle Creek, Michigan.
In 2020, Richard decided to return to broadcasting, perhaps in the broadest way possible: A podcast heard around the world! In 2021, he launched Livemic Communications – a company dedicated to helping businesses and organizations share their story with purposeful exposure.
A big James Garner/Rockford Files fan, Richard enjoys talking about Firebirds – and ALL cars. In good weather, he can be found tooling around in his 1979 Pontiac Firebird.
Richard also enjoys engaging in conversations with newsmakers and experts about a variety of topics. Thus, The Richard Piet Show focuses on rides, people, and smart talk!
