Biggest 2024 stories for market?

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Curious what biggest stories of the past year were around here.

Maybe personnel/role changes @ KIRO?
Not sure what else...memory is fading.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

...forgot the Country & Emma flips took place this year too.

 

[crainbebo]

The passings of Aaron Brown and Tony Ventrella are probably high on the list as well. Two *talented* TV personalities, gone home to rest in Heaven.
Also, BJ Shea leaving KZOK back in October.

 

[boombox4]

BJ Shea leaving KZOK was a bit of a shock. I'd place that story pretty high on the totem pole. Also the retirement of Dave Ross, being that he's been a mainstay in Seattle morning radio for ages.

The format flips for 101.5 and 98.9 were more or less predictable -- well, at least the 98.9 one was. Star turning into Hank wasn't something I would have expected.

The Alt KPNW 98.9 wasn't going to last, we all knew it during the last couple of months. Having the Bull return was a no-brainer.

 

[fordranger797]

The flip from soft AC to "emma" was a bit of a surprise for 94.1. Time will tell if that format adjustment makes a difference. It seems like the Soft AC fad has really started to lose momentum (with a lot of markets dropping it).

 

[KMan]

Whacking all the reporters and editors at Northwest News 1000.

 

[bobdavcav]

Whacking all the reporters and editors at Northwest News 1000.

I think that was actually in October 2023. I do think the flip at 101.5 was pretty big, still sounds wrong to me to hear country on that frequency.

 

[TexasTom]

I think that was actually in October 2023. I do think the flip at 101.5 was pretty big, still sounds wrong to me to hear country on that frequency.

I agree with you on that -- 101.5 had been some version of Top 40, Adult Top 40, or Hot AC since the summer of 1976. I remember listening to it back when it was the only Top 40 station on the FM dial in the Puget Sound area.

 

[Kento]

I agree with you on that -- 101.5 had been some version of Top 40, Adult Top 40, or Hot AC since the summer of 1976. I remember listening to it back when it was the only Top 40 station on the FM dial in the Puget Sound area.

101.5 was one the first FM stations I listened to when I was 11 years old in late 1976 or early 1977 and then I discovered KYYX shortly after that and heard Pat O Day and a bunch of former KJR and KOL jocks on there and found out that Pat put KYYX on the air.

I think that was actually in October 2023. I do think the flip at 101.5 was pretty big, still sounds wrong to me to hear country on that frequency.

I found that 101.5 was country KETO from 1975 to 1976 and were co-owned with KQIN briefly until they sold 101.5 in 1976.

 

[TexasTom]

101.5 was one the first FM stations I listened to when I was 11 years old in late 1976 or early 1977 and then I discovered KYYX shortly after that and heard Pat O Day and a bunch of former KJR and KOL jocks on there and found out that Pat put KYYX on the air.

I found that 101.5 was country KETO from 1975 to 1976 and were co-owned with KQIN briefly until they sold 101.5 in 1976.

KYYX flipped to Top 40 in early 1977, so probably about six months after the FM KVI came on.

I think I caught it within its first days on the air, when it was very automated sounding, with Pat O'Day sounding like he had a board stuffed somewhere.

For a little trip down memory lane, I've attached files of legal IDs for KVI-FM in November 1976, and KYYX in February 1977. I also have one for KYYX in October 1979, after they were more established.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

For a little trip down memory lane, I've attached files of legal IDs for KVI-FM in November 1976, and KYYX in February 1977. I also have one for KYYX in October 1979, after they were more established.

Gimme a couple days and I'll pull one from the same time period that we used @ KYYX that featured the jock lineup. You'll notice the Feb/77 references "KYYX FM" and the Oct/79 does not. That's because an anal-retentive FCC inspector slapped us for "invalid station ID" because the legal calls did not actually include the "FM". Around the same time, Arbitron was tossing diaries that were filled out with "KIX" because they couldn't decide if it was for "96-KYYX" or "95.7-KIXI". Couldn't catch a break!!

 

[bigmouth]

Danny leaves KZOK

 

[SeattleNative]

Danny leaves KZOK

That was in December of 2023.

 

[TexasTom]

Gimme a couple days and I'll pull one from the same time period that we used @ KYYX that featured the jock lineup. You'll notice the Feb/77 references "KYYX FM" and the Oct/79 does not. That's because an anal-retentive FCC inspector slapped us for "invalid station ID" because the legal calls did not actually include the "FM". Around the same time, Arbitron was tossing diaries that were filled out with "KIX" because they couldn't decide if it was for "96-KYYX" or "95.7-KIXI". Couldn't catch a break!!

I do remember that after the early jukebox phase that my first KYYX ID was from, KYYX did identify as "96 Kicks" briefly and then dropped that ID. Was those dairies being tossed the reason why the "96 Kicks" name was dropped? (Personally, I was glad to see it go because at the time I thought it just sounded silly.)

And whenever you end up posting your own KYYX sound bites, I'll look forward to hearing them.

 

[bossbill]

KYYX flipped to Top 40 in early 1977, so probably about six months after the FM KVI came on.

I think I caught it within its first days on the air, when it was very automated sounding, with Pat O'Day sounding like he had a board stuffed somewhere.

For a little trip down memory lane, I've attached files of legal IDs for KVI-FM in November 1976, and KYYX in February 1977. I also have one for KYYX in October 1979, after they were more established.

Re: KYYX - Lan Roberts was in Hawaii and bicycling voice tracks over on acetate for KYYX. KYYX had board ops manually playing the tracks... things have changed!