I think it was only a couple years before the flip to KOMA-FM. Mix was a terrible failure orcastrated by one Pete Salant. Irronically, Pete nearly ran the KOMA-FM project into the ground before the decision was made to go with E. Alvin Davis. Combined, Pete had the AM-FM combo at about a 2 share. After E. Alvin began consulting the station, it went up considerably, topping out a couple years later at slightly over a 13 share 25-54. Pete's famous thing to tell the jocks was to 'shut up and play the music'. He got rid of the good jingles the AM was running before that. He screwed up the processing for "a wall of sound" that sounded truely terrible. One of the first things that happened when his 'consulting' was over was to convence the CE to go change the audio processor to sound decent again. He was told to not touch it before Pete was sent packing.
I don't know if you guys know this, but KOMA-FM almost went back to the owner Wilks-Swartz (terminate the LMA). Danny Lee (Diamond Broadcasting) was so disgusted with loosing money on it and low ratings that he was ready to give it up. It took begging in person in Chicago on Vance's part to save it. That's when Pete was sent down the road. Thank goodness Vance convenced Danny Lee to keep on with things!
I don't know if you guys know this, but KOMA-FM almost went back to the owner Wilks-Swartz (terminate the LMA). Danny Lee (Diamond Broadcasting) was so disgusted with loosing money on it and low ratings that he was ready to give it up. It took begging in person in Chicago on Vance's part to save it. That's when Pete was sent down the road. Thank goodness Vance convenced Danny Lee to keep on with things!