Disney Sells 1110 KRDC to KWVE Owner Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa

[Mark Roberts]

The biggest incentive for listeners too move to FM as the 70's opened up was the almost uniform limit by the new FM Top 40's to run just 8 minutes of spots an hour. The difference between around 16 minutes on most Top 40 AM stations to just 8 minutes or less on an FM was a huge incentive to move.

The sound quality was just an added benefit.

Then there were those of us who were in suburban areas that grew into the null of the Top-40 station. In this case, St. Louis. St. Charles County, where I went to high school, was right in the null of KXOK's nighttime signal. You could get KXOK at night, but it was weak and noisy. Of course, KXOK was fine during the day, and we had daytimer KIRL in St. Charles, complete with sped-up records, but nighttime was prime time for teenagers. When KSLQ came on the scene in late 1972, adoption of FM in St. Charles County among my cohort was rapid, even faster than the population growth. Also popular was KADI, doing sort of a watered-down progressive rock format. KSHE was for the "stoners" but, secretly, I listened to it!

Meanwhile, KXOK dwindled rapidly. It wasn't just the number of commercials that was grating, the 1960s high-energy jock style was rapidly passing out of fashion and was a turn-off to many of us. For example, I just didn't get what the big deal was about "Chickenman". I thought it was stupid and tedious. That's just one of many things about the Top-40 format.

Edit - I should hasten to add that quality, low-cost made-in-Japan stereo systems were becoming common and, by the time I went to college in 1975, just about every guy had one. Those receivers, often Pioneer (I went with Advent and no AM at all), had AM sections inferior in fidelity while a great deal of attention was paid to FM audio and reception quality. That surely must count as a factor, too.

 

[TheBigA]

I should hasten to add that quality, low-cost made-in-Japan stereo systems were becoming common and, by the time I went to college in 1975, just about every guy had one. Those receivers, often Pioneer (I went with Advent and no AM at all), had AM sections inferior in fidelity while a great deal of attention was paid to FM audio and reception quality. That surely must count as a factor, too.

I agree. Everyone had to own a home stereo. It was that era's PC. Same thing. The combination of the baby boom, the rise of FM, the stereo boom, and a Woodstock generation that loved music all contributed to what happened to radio in the 70s and 80s. People say radio today isn't as good, but that ignores that the music is a lot more disposable today. People don't own music, they stream it. That's a very different relationship, and that applies as well to radio.

 

[davideduardo]

Then there were those of us who were in suburban areas that grew into the null of the Top-40 station. In this case, St. Louis. St. Charles County, where I went to high school, was right in the null of KXOK's nighttime signal. You could get KXOK at night, but it was weak and noisy. Of course, KXOK was fine during the day, and we had daytimer KIRL in St. Charles, complete with sped-up records,

... and the world's worst compression...

but nighttime was prime time for teenagers. When KSLQ came on the scene in late 1972, adoption of FM in St. Charles County among my cohort was rapid, even faster than the population growth. Also popular was KADI, doing sort of a watered-down progressive rock format. KSHE was for the "stoners" but, secretly, I listened to it!

That is a very good point! Many AMs were directional and missed much of their market.

For example, into the earlier 70's Phoenix had 3 Top 40 stations: KUPD, a 500 watter from Southeast of the market, KRIZ, a Class IV from near downtown and KRUX, 500 watts at night from the far NW of the market. None of them was really good.

Around late 1973, KUPD move the FM to the top of the mountain and blanketed everything from Casa Grande to Buckeye to Black Canyon City. Within a book or two, it was over.

Many markets had Top 40 stations similarly challenged with dreadful signals. KLIF, KDWB, WIXY, WEAM, WLEE, WROV, WOKY, KIMN, WIFE, WSAI, WMAK, WKGN, WQXI, and many more of the big 60's Top 40 stations were as much defeated by their signals as by better quality audio and fewer commercials on the FMs that went against them.

 

[TheBigA]

Many markets had Top 40 stations similarly challenged with dreadful signals. KLIF, KDWB, WIXY, WEAM, WLEE, WROV, WOKY, KIMN, WIFE, WSAI, WMAK, WKGN, WQXI, and many more of the big 60's Top 40 stations were as much defeated by their signals as by better quality audio and fewer commercials on the FMs that went against them.

The sad part is there are people who grew up with those stations and are just horrified with what they've become. Because in this current media environment, a crappy signal is absolute death. But at one time, when those stations were the only way for people to hear their favorite music, they were life. Don't blame it on "radio" or "corporations." Blame it on physics. Their owners tried valiantly to keep the music playing. There was nothing anyone could have done to keep those stations alive. And then the music changed.

 

[KeithE4]

For example, into the earlier 70's Phoenix had 3 Top 40 stations: KUPD, a 500 watter from Southeast of the market, KRIZ, a Class IV from near downtown and KRUX, 500 watts at night from the far NW of the market. None of them was really good.

At the time (1973-75) I lived at 52nd St. and Osborn, east of the old Thomas Mall. All three came in well. When I was a littler kid a decade earlier, KRIZ and KRUX came in like gangbusters in my grandparents' house in Sun City (much to their chagrin), a town where they had zero listeners except when grandkids came to town.

Around late 1973, KUPD move the FM to the top of the mountain and blanketed everything from Casa Grande to Buckeye to Black Canyon City. Within a book or two, it was over.

Don't forget KBBC on 98.7, which was a competitor to KRIZ, KRUX, and KUPD in that era as well. But most of us college-aged kids listened to KDKB.

Many markets had Top 40 stations similarly challenged with dreadful signals. KLIF, KDWB, WIXY, WEAM, WLEE, WROV, WOKY, KIMN, WIFE, WSAI, WMAK, WKGN, WQXI, and many more of the big 60's Top 40 stations were as much defeated by their signals as by better quality audio and fewer commercials on the FMs that went against them.

WIFE couldn't compete with WNAP 93.1 at night, even in Indianapolis. They were inaudible in Bloomington, and were so-so during the day. The biggest competition to WNAP at night in those days came from Chicago, Windsor/Detroit, and New York. And they weren't much. Free form album rock ruled at night in central Indiana.

 

[michael hagerty]

Thanks a lot! I loved this aircheck. I take ratings for this format weren't great, thus the change in 196ish? Judging by the music style, hey didn't have problems playing lively pop music but probably steered away from harder songs?

When the 1983 format (promoted with the slogan “The Boss is Back”) failed to get any ratings traction. “Car Radio” was the next move. Gold was out, the music was all recent (within the last 3-6 months) hits and traffic reports were added every ten minutes around the clock.

It was mechanical and repetitive, and didn’t do any better in the ratings than what they’d been doing. That’s why, in January of ‘86, KHJ became KRTH-AM, using the old KRTH-FM automation system to play 1955-63 oldies.

 

[Neel]

Thanks for the info! Don't ask me why, but it really intrigues me how the transition of modern pop/rock music from AM to FM was handled... I take no big market AM station was playing CHR consistently after 1985/86?

I remember that KIIS AM was around until at least 1990. San Diego had Q106 on AM 600 and KLUC Las Vegas was around on AM 1140 until the early 90s.

 

[BLA]

I remember that KIIS AM was around until at least 1990. San Diego had Q106 on AM 600 and KLUC Las Vegas was around on AM 1140 until the early 90s.

Top 40 KIIS lasted until 1979, then went commercial gospel 'til 1981 as KPRZ, then Al Hamm's, MOYL 'til late 1984. KPRZ 1150 ended late 1984. Return to KIIS calls Dec '84. KIIS 1150, branded as 'EEEleven Fifty, KISS-AMmmm' went thru 1985 note- same format as FM. Simulcasting during drive times, just as in mid '70's. The simulcast rules were changed again in mid '80's and 1150 commenced full-time //KIIS-FM in Dec 1985, IIRC. This lasted until 1997. Twelve years a wasted signal.

On a side note ... I think that in 1982, KMPC/710 dropped their three-year talk experiment and returned to music. This time playing the older stuff like MOYL did only live and with what was then a better signal then 1150 (5kw-D 1kw-N) had, KPRZ was 'done in'. KPRZ was either bird feed automation music or taped automation music, with local buffers, personalities and newscast inserts. Sounded semi-automated, but KMPC sounded live all the way and of course the games here and there.

 

[TomásEstefan]

Top 40 KIIS lasted until 1979, then went commercial gospel 'til 1981 as KPRZ, then Al Hamm's, MOYL 'til late 1984. KPRZ 1150 ended late 1984. Return to KIIS calls Dec '84. KIIS 1150, branded as 'EEEleven Fifty, KISS-AMmmm' went thru 1985 note- same format as FM. Simulcasting during drive times, just as in mid '70's. The simulcast rules were changed again in mid '80's and 1150 commenced full-time //KIIS-FM in Dec 1985, IIRC. This lasted until 1997. Twelve years a wasted signal.

On a side note ... I think that in 1982, KMPC/710 dropped their three-year talk experiment and returned to music. This time playing the older stuff like MOYL did only live and with what was then a better signal then 1150 (5kw-D 1kw-N) had, KPRZ was 'done in'. KPRZ was either bird feed automation music or taped automation music, with local buffers, personalities and newscast inserts. Sounded semi-automated, but KMPC sounded live all the way and of course the games here and there.

1150 was 5 kW full time (DA-N) by 1980, and by 1997 50 kW DA-D, and 44 kW DA-N.

 

[davideduardo]

Don't forget KBBC on 98.7, which was a competitor to KRIZ, KRUX, and KUPD in that era as well. But most of us college-aged kids listened to KDKB.

The Better Boogie Company. The PD of KUPD sent him a live sheep with some kind of comment about it being "the only ewe" he could get when KUPD killed them in the book.

 

[davideduardo]

Simulcasting during drive times, just as in mid '70's. The simulcast rules were changed again in mid '80's and 1150 commenced full-time //KIIS-FM in Dec 1985, IIRC. This lasted until 1997. Twelve years a wasted signal.

I recall that two of us from Puerto RIco did a 24 hour stopover in LA on our way to the NAB in Las Vegas around 1987 or 1988. We rented a car at a cheap place around the corner from the airport, and it did not have FM, so we listened to KIIS for the whole stay.

 

[KeithE4]

The Better Boogie Company. The PD of KUPD sent him a live sheep with some kind of comment about it being "the only ewe" he could get when KUPD killed them in the book.

IIRC, KUPD was in some kind of trouble circa 1974. IIRC, it was with the FCC, but don't quote me on that. The New Times had an article on it at the time, which I still have "somewhere," but it's been buried in storage for so long I forgot exactly what the issue was. Do you remember?

 

[davideduardo]

IIRC, KUPD was in some kind of trouble circa 1974. IIRC, it was with the FCC, but don't quote me on that. The New Times had an article on it at the time, which I still have "somewhere," but it's been buried in storage for so long I forgot exactly what the issue was. Do you remember?

There was an issue of transfer of control, which I think had to do with an unauthorized majority control. But it did not affect the intensity with which they came after KRUX and KRIZ once the FM got going. I was OM at KRUZ, mostly to help my friend Larry Mazursky who had just bought it from Howard, and that was a disaster.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

On a side note ... I think that in 1982, KMPC/710 dropped their three-year talk experiment and returned to music. This time playing the older stuff like MOYL did only live and with what was then a better signal then 1150 (5kw-D 1kw-N) had, KPRZ was 'done in'. KPRZ was either bird feed automation music or taped automation music, with local buffers, personalities and newscast inserts. Sounded semi-automated, but KMPC sounded live all the way and of course the games here and there.

Disclaimer: This is just nostalgic, wishful thinking on my part. But if KMPC 710, a legendary, storied L.A. station, had not been sold to Disney/ESPN/ABC, they could have developed an FM counterpart, held on to their sports contracts, and taken an MOR format to FM. I don't think that Golden West Broadcasters, owned by the Autrys, ever ventured into FM. But it is possible that they could have played standards and jazz and might have been successful.

For example, look at KRTH, who is playing 80's classics to an audience, many of whom were born in the 90's and were never even around at the time that the original songs were released. KRTH does well with a demographic whose parents listened to the original recordings. I wonder if KMPC could have done the same, especially with a jazz genre, whose tunes have a range of 3 or 4 octaves, especially during improvisational riffs. FM is perfect for that. They could still do live broadcast of sports events, then play MOR or jazz in between times.

But the KMPC calls are now owned by a Korean language station, and that may never change, unless a religious broadcaster like Salem buys the call sign and the frequency. Just my opinion. -- Daryl

 

[TheBigA]

I don't think that Golden West Broadcasters, owned by the Autrys, ever ventured into FM.

They owned a lot of FMs, including what is now KSCA-FM. It was at one time KMPC-FM, and Golden West ran it as a rock station.

KMPC 710 under Golden West, got out of the standards business in the 80s (when everyone else did) and switched to talk. They sold to Disney in 1994, long after they had left the standards format.

Traditional Jazz as a commercial format was really obsolete in the late 80s. Saul Levine ran KKGO as a jazz station until 1989. In 1987, Metromedia flipped KMET to KTWV and ran a smooth jazz format. But it was a more of a pop instrumental station than a jazz station. Chuck Mangione and Kenny G, not Duke Ellington.

 

[michael hagerty]

They owned a lot of FMs, including what is now KSCA-FM. It was at one time KMPC-FM, and Golden West ran it as a rock station.

KMPC 710 under Golden West, got out of the standards business in the 80s (when everyone else did) and switched to talk. They sold to Disney in 1994, long after they had left the standards format.

Traditional Jazz as a commercial format was really obsolete in the late 80s. Saul Levine ran KKGO as a jazz station until 1989. In 1987, Metromedia flipped KMET to KTWV and ran a smooth jazz format. But it was a more of a pop instrumental station than a jazz station. Chuck Mangione and Kenny G, not Duke Ellington.

Someday I’m just gonna let this stuff stand, but not today.

KMPC went from MOR to AC (purely a playlist change, keeping personalities) in 1973.

It went talk in 1980 and failed.

It came back as standards in 1982 and had a ten-year run. It was the last AM music station in L.A. to be in the top ten 12+.

It switched to sports talk in 1992. Less than two years later, Autry sold to ABC. They took it talk (and changed the calls to KTZN) as soon as they got the keys.

 

[BLA]

Someday I’m just gonna let this stuff stand, but not today.

KMPC went from MOR to AC (purely a playlist change, keeping personalities) in 1973.

It went talk in 1980 and failed.

It came back as standards in 1982 and had a ten-year run. It was the last AM music station in L.A. to be in the top ten 12+.

It switched to sports talk in 1992. Less than two years later, Autry sold to ABC. They took it talk (and changed the calls to KTZN) as soon as they got the keys.

Thanks, You got it! That's my recollection.

I think around Apr/May 1992 KMPC did a last day farewell to music before flipping to sports. Gary Owens revived his old afternoon spot for an hour or so live and in studio. Some of the other former KMPC personality greats participated too.

KTZN, "The Zone", was a female-oriented continuation of ABC/Disney's talk format(s) on 710 and commenced in 1997. Under ABC- KMPC had a hipper/edgier talk format with people like Peter Tilden and Tom Leykis. The Zone was short lived and gave way (also in 1997) to Radio Disney, KDIS, which lived there until early 2003. 710 KDIS and 1110 KSPN, by then a Disney ESPN station, did a call letter and format swap.

 

[BLA]

I recall that two of us from Puerto RIco did a 24 hour stopover in LA on our way to the NAB in Las Vegas around 1987 or 1988. We rented a car at a cheap place around the corner from the airport, and it did not have FM, so we listened to KIIS for the whole stay.

O.K., I guess that worked. BTW (a bit off topic) Thank you for that wonderful radio history web site you did!

 

[michael hagerty]

I think around Apr/May 1992 KMPC did a last day farewell to music before flipping to sports. Gary Owens revived his old afternoon spot for an hour or so live and in studio. Some of the other former KMPC personality greats participated too.

It was a two-day event, April 23 and 24. Everyone still alive except Robert W. Morgan, who was going to be part of the new format, and Dick Whittinghill, who still felt he’d been pushed out of mornings 13 years earlier, got an hour. The only other exception was Gary Owens, who got two hours on each of those two days.

Most of it, especially from the older guys like Johnny Grant and Ira Cook, was pretty maudlin. Geoff Edwards, on the other hand, was riotously funny and very irreverent, poking endless fun at how little KMPC was doing in terms of news and traffic, and at what Sports 24/7 was likely to sound like.

 

[davideduardo]

BTW (a bit off topic) Thank you for that wonderful radio history web site you did!

Thanks. Just spent the last 20-some hours moving the whole site and its ten million pages of publications to a new server... was running out of space and the old one was 8 years old and borderline obsolete. Gonna' get some sleep now.