Boise radio host’s first on-air job was in Weiser

If you listen to local morning radio, or if you did in the 1990s, you might have heard of Deb Courson.
 Each weekday Courson and her co-host Ken Bass share their favorite music and share what they love about life living in Southwest Idaho – River Mornings on 94.9 the River.
 While Debbie Courson-Smith  has made her home in Boise for over 30 years, her career in radio began right here in Weiser. Only those who have lived in Weiser for a long time would remember the Weiser radio station where Courson-Smith began her radio career in the 1980s.
 She went to the local radio station to apply for an office job, but they put her in the studio, and as it turned out, that placement helped Courson-Smith find her career in the broadcast industry.  After graduating from Weiser High School in 1985, she moved to Boise and has continued to work in the radio industry for over 35 years.
 Courson-Smith co-hosted top-rated CHR and news-talk morning shows through the early 2000s. Some long-time local radio listeners might remember listening to Deb Courson from “Mike and Deb in the Morning,” a popular morning show Courson-Smith hosted with Mike Kasper on the now revamped Magic 93.1.
 In the early 2000s, Courson-Smith continued to work in the industry, but more behind the scenes. She worked from home as a managing editor and producer for national and regional news networks. When her daughter became a teen and didn’t need her at home full time anymore, Courson returned to the air in 2016 with 94.9 The River.
 Courson shared that her goal in the morning is to be a positive voice on the air – hopefully inspiring her listeners every morning to love the Treasure Valley as she does. She regularly hosts local experts and highlights local events on the air.  
 “I like to inspire curiosity and creativity, and connect on the super local level to highlight the good in the Treasure Valley,” Courson said.
 Courson said that not every radio station allows their radio hosts to make their own content decisions, so she feels very fortunate to work at The River, where she is allowed to be herself and create a show based on the personalities of herself and her co-host.  
 Courson is a Boise State University graduate with a BA in both English and communication. Courson also enjoys gardening and is an Advanced Master Gardener, fairy garden coach, and certified monarch butterfly tagger. She even carries a butterfly net with her at nearly all times in her car.
 In other efforts to share her love of everything about the Treasure Valley,  Courson-Smith also is the owner of a hobby blog – Boisedailyphoto.com – a website through which she shares her love of the Boise area. She shares uplifting photos of everything from cute pets to Boise remodel projects, and even a little local news daily.
 She and her husband Dwayne Smith are also the founders of Treasure Valley Pinball. Together they “Keep the '70s and '80s alive” as they host pinball tournaments each month.
 Courson has many fond memories of growing up in Weiser. She remembers riding her bike everywhere. Growing up her family did not have a television, so her time in Weiser was spent exploring, developing what would become a long time love for the outdoors.
 Courson still has a nephew in Weiser and enjoys visiting at least once a year.