Connection between K-Earth 101 and Earth Day

[radiohistory]

Somebody sent this question to me, and I don't know the answer. So, I'll throw it out there for discussion, and see what we come up with.

The question is: Is there a connection between Earth Day and how the old KHJ-FM at 101.1 became known as KRTH/K-Earth 101??

Another friend of this person who asked the question, sent in this possible answer:

"The story as I heard it was that RKO was considering a rock (not oldies) format and the Earth name was considered cool and appropiate. Then when oldies prevailed they kept the name. That's all I know."

My only comment is, that Earth Day is in April. Why then, if this was true, did the call letters not change from KHJ-FM to KRTH until
October 16, 1972? I remember listening to K-Earth starting that first year of '72 when they began the oldies format, and I mean oldies, is what they played in the early days.

Anybody know if the connection between Earth Day and KRTH-101.1 is true or not, and if so, what is the correct story on this?

Jim Hilliker
Monterey, CA

 

[buttonpusher812]

There is nothing on the KRTH web site. They did seem to do allot with Earth Day though.

If you can believe it, here is the link to the Wiki history of KRTH.. looks like there is a connection...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KRTH

what a great station.. they don't "sound" like an oldies station.. great jocks too...

 

[michael hagerty]

Jim:
True. RKO had planned to go album rock with KRTH. Earth Day may have figured into the name, but so did the Whole Earth Catalog (http://www.wholeearth.com/index.php)...a very big deal among the counterculture from 1968 to 1972. I'm sure they would have made a big deal of Earth Day come 1973, but they weren't basing a station on one day out of a year.

Looking back, it's interesting to play "what if". After some false starts and weaving back and forth between Oldies, Adult Contemporary and (almost) Top 40, KRTH has been a hugely successful oldies station since 1992.

But...it took them 20 years to get in that groove. If they'd gone album rock as planned, could they have blunted the rise of KLOS and later KMET? Could they have saved KHJ by doing that, or at least been the beneficiary as teens left AM top 40 for FM album rock?

 

[LKellerIII]

Jim:
True. RKO had planned to go album rock with KRTH. Earth Day may have figured into the name, but so did the Whole Earth Catalog (http://www.wholeearth.com/index.php)...a very big deal among the counterculture from 1968 to 1972. I'm sure they would have made a big deal of Earth Day come 1973, but they weren't basing a station on one day out of a year.

Looking back, it's interesting to play "what if". After some false starts and weaving back and forth between Oldies, Adult Contemporary and (almost) Top 40, KRTH has been a hugely successful oldies station since 1992.

But...it took them 20 years to get in that groove. If they'd gone album rock as planned, could they have blunted the rise of KLOS and later KMET? Could they have saved KHJ by doing that, or at least been the beneficiary as teens left AM top 40 for FM album rock?

Good questions. Don't forget "earth shoes." At least one AOR station in those days introduced the weather forecast by saying "Southern California Environment..." Nobody had raised the specter of global warming yet. In fact, I think many environmental experts were thinking the world would get colder from all the pollution blocking the sun. Perhaps we were naive then, but there were a lot of buzzwords floating around in those days connected to the earth and the environment.

 

[radiohistory]

Re: Connection between K-Earth 101 and Earth Day?

Thanks Michael. And the posting on wikipedia is also helpful. Well, I learned something new that I did not know about KRTH, so thank you very much for your information. I forgot about the going back and forth between oldies and A/C, etc. Kinda reminds me of KRLA-1110, and then in the '80s, they seemed to be mostly oldies around '82-'83 when they used the slogan The Heart and soul of Rock and Roll.

Yes, way back in '72 and '73, when I first heard K-Earth 101, they would play stuff like Debbie Reynolds' hit from '57 "Tammy" followed by "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" by Jerry Lee Lewis. A lot more '50s songs back then, and I went to see the L.A. srage production of "Grease" at the Shubert Theater, from a commercial for it on KRTH. Barry Bostwick starred as Danny Zuko and an unknown John Travolta then was in the touring company as one of the extras in the play. Weird that he starred in the movie version of it some 5 years later.

Anyway, thanks again for all the KRTH info., and also, the mention of 'earth shoes' also brought back some early-'70s memories.

Jim Hilliker

 

[Bryan Simmons]

So many "what ifs". Don't know who wrote the KRTH history for Wikipedia, just about anyone with a login can do it. Seems unlikely that the station was renamed just because of Earth Day. I do know that album stations were trying to connect with younger listeners and part of the counter culture thing back then was ecology. So that may be a connection.

I grew up in Sacramento and for many years in the 70's there was an AOR station that used Earth in their logo and on air as Earth Radio 102, KSFM. So maybe KRTH was named for that day, but more so to connect with the younger listeners of the day.

Hindsight is 20/20, and I may be way off here, but I really wonder what might have happened if the KHJ format and staff were moved to KRTH when KHJ went Country in 1980? Would it have reverted to the KHJ call letters? Would KRTH be a player in the Top 40 format today? I've often wondered if that same scenario might have worked in San Francisco for KFRC. When they changed format in 1986, RKO had no FM to move the Top 40 format to, having sold the original KFRC-FM in the late 70's. Questions, questions...

 

[michael hagerty]

Hindsight is 20/20, and I may be way off here, but I really wonder what might have happened if the KHJ format and staff were moved to KRTH when KHJ went Country in 1980? Would it have reverted to the KHJ call letters? Would KRTH be a player in the Top 40 format today?

Bryan: The trouble is that by 1980, KRTH (then an Adult Contemporary station) was beating KHJ in the ratings...had been since '78, and was in a statistical tie (2/10ths of a point) in '77 (all these are Fall Arbitrons).

Moving KHJ to FM would have involved killing something that was working (and delivered exactly the right demographic for sales) to replace it with a station in decline in a format that was losing appeal to the money demo.

To make that switch and do it right, RKO would have had to do it in '76...moving KHJ over instead of changing KRTH from oldies to AC.

But that would by no means have been a sure thing...KKDJ flipped to AC as KIIS-FM the year before after finding out there wasn't enough of a Top 40 audience on FM yet to support them and KIQQ.

KHJ-FM would have had the advantage of stellar talent at the time (Charlie Van Dyke, Mark Elliott, Bobby Ocean, Machine Gun Kelly, Dr. John Leader, Dave Sebastian, Shana and Beau Weaver)...and RKO's promotion muscle...but there was a finite number of Top 40 listeners with FM. Older teens were going to Album Rock and young adults to AC (when KRTH went AC it began helping kill KHJ).

And, while KHJ-FM struggled to establish itself, the abandoned KHJ-AM listeners had two new choices in '76...KFI and KTNQ...both of which certainly would have done better faster without KHJ around to compete for the AM audience.

And finally...what would they have done with the AM, which, in '76 was still a Top 5 station?

 

[LKellerIII]

Hindsight is 20/20, and I may be way off here, but I really wonder what might have happened if the KHJ format and staff were moved to KRTH when KHJ went Country in 1980? Would it have reverted to the KHJ call letters? Would KRTH be a player in the Top 40 format today?

Bryan: The trouble is that by 1980, KRTH (then an Adult Contemporary station) was beating KHJ in the ratings...had been since '78, and was in a statistical tie (2/10ths of a point) in '77 (all these are Fall Arbitrons).

Moving KHJ to FM would have involved killing something that was working (and delivered exactly the right demographic for sales) to replace it with a station in decline in a format that was losing appeal to the money demo.

To make that switch and do it right, RKO would have had to do it in '76...moving KHJ over instead of changing KRTH from oldies to AC.

But that would by no means have been a sure thing...KKDJ flipped to AC as KIIS-FM the year before after finding out there wasn't enough of a Top 40 audience on FM yet to support them and KIQQ.

KHJ-FM would have had the advantage of stellar talent at the time (Charlie Van Dyke, Mark Elliott, Bobby Ocean, Machine Gun Kelly, Dr. John Leader, Dave Sebastian, Shana and Beau Weaver)...and RKO's promotion muscle...but there was a finite number of Top 40 listeners with FM. Older teens were going to Album Rock and young adults to AC (when KRTH went AC it began helping kill KHJ).

And, while KHJ-FM struggled to establish itself, the abandoned KHJ-AM listeners had two new choices in '76...KFI and KTNQ...both of which certainly would have done better faster without KHJ around to compete for the AM audience.

And finally...what would they have done with the AM, which, in '76 was still a Top 5 station?

Interesting "what-ifs." In the past, posters on the San Francisco Board have speculated about Bryan's other question - how would it have been different if RKO General had held onto 106.1 FM in the Bay Area when they finally pulled the plug on the dying Top 40 format on 610 AM in 1986?

Reportedly, RKO suits decided to sell 106.1 in July 1977 because they believed there was no future in FM radio. If so, it was not one of their wiser decision, given that FM was already making serious in-roads in the ratings. K-101 was already a contender (though they skewed a bit older), and within a couple of years there was KYUU, KITS and other contenders taking a big chunk out of 610's low fidelity a**. Some consider 106.1 KMEL's flip to CHR in 1984 to be the final nail in KFRC's coffin.

 

[michael hagerty]

Hindsight is 20/20, and I may be way off here, but I really wonder what might have happened if the KHJ format and staff were moved to KRTH when KHJ went Country in 1980? Would it have reverted to the KHJ call letters? Would KRTH be a player in the Top 40 format today?

Bryan: The trouble is that by 1980, KRTH (then an Adult Contemporary station) was beating KHJ in the ratings...had been since '78, and was in a statistical tie (2/10ths of a point) in '77 (all these are Fall Arbitrons).

Moving KHJ to FM would have involved killing something that was working (and delivered exactly the right demographic for sales) to replace it with a station in decline in a format that was losing appeal to the money demo.

To make that switch and do it right, RKO would have had to do it in '76...moving KHJ over instead of changing KRTH from oldies to AC.

But that would by no means have been a sure thing...KKDJ flipped to AC as KIIS-FM the year before after finding out there wasn't enough of a Top 40 audience on FM yet to support them and KIQQ.

KHJ-FM would have had the advantage of stellar talent at the time (Charlie Van Dyke, Mark Elliott, Bobby Ocean, Machine Gun Kelly, Dr. John Leader, Dave Sebastian, Shana and Beau Weaver)...and RKO's promotion muscle...but there was a finite number of Top 40 listeners with FM. Older teens were going to Album Rock and young adults to AC (when KRTH went AC it began helping kill KHJ).

And, while KHJ-FM struggled to establish itself, the abandoned KHJ-AM listeners had two new choices in '76...KFI and KTNQ...both of which certainly would have done better faster without KHJ around to compete for the AM audience.

And finally...what would they have done with the AM, which, in '76 was still a Top 5 station?

Interesting "what-ifs." In the past, posters on the San Francisco Board have speculated about Bryan's other question - how would it have been different if RKO General had held onto 106.1 FM in the Bay Area when they finally pulled the plug on the dying Top 40 format on 610 AM in 1986?

Reportedly, RKO suits decided to sell 106.1 in July 1977 because they believed there was no future in FM radio. If so, it was not one of their wiser decision, given that FM was already making serious in-roads in the ratings. K-101 was already a contender (though they skewed a bit older), and within a couple of years there was KYUU, KITS and other contenders taking a big chunk out of 610's low fidelity a**. Some consider 106.1 KMEL's flip to CHR in 1984 to be the final nail in KFRC's coffin.

Llew:
KFRC's situation was the polar opposite of KHJ's.

While KHJ was in decline from the time Bill Drake walked out in May, 1973 (with the exception of CVD's two years as PD from '75-'77), KFRC blossomed and kept getting stronger.

And while FM appeared inevitable in LA...San Francisco's terrain slowed its growth in the Bay Area. In '77, RKO wasn't alone in thinking that hills and tall buildings might make FM unlistenable for mobile audiences.

Of course, technology solved those issues.

KFRC also had a long-time loser on their hands with the FM....unlike KRTH, which took off as an AC (partly at KHJ's expense) from 1976 on.

It would have been asking a lot of RKO to tread water for 9 years so it could move KFRC in '86.

What might have worked would have been to simulcast AM and FM from 6 AM to 6 PM, with separate jock staffs in nights and overnights. But...they'd been simulcasting Dr. Don since 1973 and I guess not seeing enough in the way of FM numbers to suggest a forseeable upside.

And yes, it was inevitable and yes, KMEL going CHR was devastating...but part of that was because Mike Phillips, God rest his soul, made KFRC so safe, whitebread, predictable and boring when he replaced Gerry Cagle and his high-energy urban/rock mix.

If Cagle could have stayed, there would have been a serious battle with KMLE...if they'd made the move without KFRC creating the void to fill.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

At least one AOR station in those days introduced the weather forecast by saying "Southern California Environment..."

In 1972 top 40 KCBQ San Diego introed weather as "San Diego Environment."

 

[Bryan Simmons]

Mr, Keller, Mr. Hagerty,

I can agree with your assessments to a degree. I have heard that KFRC-FM was sold so that RKO could purchase another station. If I recall correctly it was a Denver FM. Might have been KBPI, it's been a lot of years, so don't hold me to it.
Supposedly the FCC said no to the deal and that was that. We all know why, they were in the long process of losing their licenses. KFRC was a simulcast from 10pm through morning drive until the sale, but I believe that if they'd kept that up, a transition would have been pretty easy when the time was right, but that's just my opinion. As for KHJ, maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part as I hated to see the Big 93's decline. TenQ put them on the defensive and the RKO suits wanted changes. I heard that Charlie Van Dyke didn't agree and that's why he was out, but I heard this third hand, so I could be wrong. But when you look at it, Van Dyke had very good ratings at KHJ as it's programmer. Yes, KRTH was doing well, but I would like to think that if handled correctly, the change might have worked. As it is, RKO stupidly killed off the KHJ brand all on their own. Micheal Spears was golden in SF, but didn't last long in LA and his successor made KHJ sound horrible. 1978 was not a good year for KHJ and while Chuck Martin did a great job of rebuilding in 1979, it was too late. It's all wishful thinking on my part as I loved the way the RKO Top 40's sounded and now they are relegated to radio history.

 

[michael hagerty]

Mr, Keller, Mr. Hagerty,

I can agree with your assessments to a degree. I have heard that KFRC-FM was sold so that RKO could purchase another station. If I recall correctly it was a Denver FM. Might have been KBPI, it's been a lot of years, so don't hold me to it.
Supposedly the FCC said no to the deal and that was that. We all know why, they were in the long process of losing their licenses. KFRC was a simulcast from 10pm through morning drive until the sale, but I believe that if they'd kept that up, a transition would have been pretty easy when the time was right, but that's just my opinion. As for KHJ, maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part as I hated to see the Big 93's decline. TenQ put them on the defensive and the RKO suits wanted changes. I heard that Charlie Van Dyke didn't agree and that's why he was out, but I heard this third hand, so I could be wrong. But when you look at it, Van Dyke had very good ratings at KHJ as it's programmer. Yes, KRTH was doing well, but I would like to think that if handled correctly, the change might have worked. As it is, RKO stupidly killed off the KHJ brand all on their own. Micheal Spears was golden in SF, but didn't last long in LA and his successor made KHJ sound horrible. 1978 was not a good year for KHJ and while Chuck Martin did a great job of rebuilding in 1979, it was too late. It's all wishful thinking on my part as I loved the way the RKO Top 40's sounded and now they are relegated to radio history.

Bryan:

I don't ever recall RKO trying to buy in Denver. They did buy WFYR-FM in Chicago almost immediately after selling KFRC-FM, and there's no record of the FCC putting up a fight.


We agree about the wisdom of a simulcast to wean the audience over from AM to FM, but I think they had the timing wrong. Lower listening levels at night, especially among adults. Smarter to go AM-FM 6AM to 6PM, let the 25-54 audience build the FM's numbers.


KTNQ had only had one full rating book when Charlie decided to go home to Dallas. RKO's pick of Michael Spears indicates that they had faith in their own strengths and weren't reacting to TenQ. When Spears left six months later, their next PD pick, John Sebastian, was a clear signal that they were reacting to KMET, not TenQ.


As for making a KHJ flip to FM work...the timing would have had to be '76, when KRTH was #18 with a 1.9 and KHJ 3rd with a 5.3.

In '77, KRTH was up to #10 with a 3.4 and KHJ was tied for #8 with a 3.5. KRTH actually was beating KHJ in middays and afternoon drive. Charlie Tuna was what gave KHJ the tenth of a point to beat KRTH overall.

In '78, KRTH was ahead of KHJ...#11 with a 3.0...KHJ #12 with a 2.7.

And in 1979, it was KRTH #8 with a 3.8 and KHJ #16 with a 2.4.

Again, given KRTH's rise, KHJ's decline, and KRTHs more attractive sales demo, making the switch anytime after 1976 would have been a bad business call.

And we still have the unanswered question: If RKO had made the switch in 1976, what would have been the smart thing to do with the AM (which was #3 at the time)?

 

[Bryan Simmons]

Mr, Keller, Mr. Hagerty,

I can agree with your assessments to a degree. I have heard that KFRC-FM was sold so that RKO could purchase another station. If I recall correctly it was a Denver FM. Might have been KBPI, it's been a lot of years, so don't hold me to it.
Supposedly the FCC said no to the deal and that was that. We all know why, they were in the long process of losing their licenses. KFRC was a simulcast from 10pm through morning drive until the sale, but I believe that if they'd kept that up, a transition would have been pretty easy when the time was right, but that's just my opinion. As for KHJ, maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part as I hated to see the Big 93's decline. TenQ put them on the defensive and the RKO suits wanted changes. I heard that Charlie Van Dyke didn't agree and that's why he was out, but I heard this third hand, so I could be wrong. But when you look at it, Van Dyke had very good ratings at KHJ as it's programmer. Yes, KRTH was doing well, but I would like to think that if handled correctly, the change might have worked. As it is, RKO stupidly killed off the KHJ brand all on their own. Micheal Spears was golden in SF, but didn't last long in LA and his successor made KHJ sound horrible. 1978 was not a good year for KHJ and while Chuck Martin did a great job of rebuilding in 1979, it was too late. It's all wishful thinking on my part as I loved the way the RKO Top 40's sounded and now they are relegated to radio history.

Bryan:

I don't ever recall RKO trying to buy in Denver. They did buy WFYR-FM in Chicago almost immediately after selling KFRC-FM, and there's no record of the FCC putting up a fight.


We agree about the wisdom of a simulcast to wean the audience over from AM to FM, but I think they had the timing wrong. Lower listening levels at night, especially among adults. Smarter to go AM-FM 6AM to 6PM, let the 25-54 audience build the FM's numbers.


KTNQ had only had one full rating book when Charlie decided to go home to Dallas. RKO's pick of Michael Spears indicates that they had faith in their own strengths and weren't reacting to TenQ. When Spears left six months later, their next PD pick, John Sebastian, was a clear signal that they were reacting to KMET, not TenQ.


As for making a KHJ flip to FM work...the timing would have had to be '76, when KRTH was #18 with a 1.9 and KHJ 3rd with a 5.3.

In '77, KRTH was up to #10 with a 3.4 and KHJ was tied for #8 with a 3.5. KRTH actually was beating KHJ in middays and afternoon drive. Charlie Tuna was what gave KHJ the tenth of a point to beat KRTH overall.

In '78, KRTH was ahead of KHJ...#11 with a 3.0...KHJ #12 with a 2.7.

And in 1979, it was KRTH #8 with a 3.8 and KHJ #16 with a 2.4.

Again, given KRTH's rise, KHJ's decline, and KRTHs more attractive sales demo, making the switch anytime after 1976 would have been a bad business call.

And we still have the unanswered question: If RKO had made the switch in 1976, what would have been the smart thing to do with the AM (which was #3 at the time)?

But they didn't have faith in Michael Spears for long and yes, I'm sure they were reacting to KMET as well. If RKO had made the switch as early as 1976 I fully believe that they would have to have had to simulcast dayparts and duplicate others to start the migration to FM, leaving KHJ AM to continue as a Top 40 for a while. What KHJ would have become eventually is anyone's guess. Perhaps program is like WOR? Even with KRTH scoring higher numbers, moving KHJ to FM could have improved their ratings even more. We'll never know for sure, but I think all that AM talent and RKO promotional muscle would have made the FM even better. While I respect John Sebastian as a programmer, I think his changes to KHJ were too drastic and sucked the remaining life out of the station.

In KFRC's case I think they would have done well if they had an FM during Gerry Cagle's tenure as PD as KFRC was still doing quite well at the time. All they needed to do was promote the move. The only drawback about FM back then was that the area's topography may have held them back a bit, but FM was going to dominate no matter what. After all, KMEL was KFRC-FM at one time, so that signal could have been a success for RKO if they just had some foresight.

It's all lost to time anyway, so it's all merely conjecture now. Still fun to "what if" though.

 

[LKellerIII]

I know nothing technical about FM signals, or how technology was used to solve topographical problems. But in my personal listening experience, too much was made about the "topographical" problems with FM in the Bay Area.

In 1972, I installed my first AM/FM car tuner. I was still living in LA, and experienced a lot of frustrating FM signal problems in some parts of town - particularly when I'd drive from West LA where I lived, north over the pass into the Valley. When I moved to Bay Area a few months later, (same car, same tuner), I had much less trouble, though there was still some to be sure. I always figured the explanation was - the Bay Area has hills, but Los Angeles has mountains.

If anything, AM was a more serious problem driving around San Francisco because all the overhead electric bus wires created a lot of AM static - but didn't seem to affect FM at all.

 

[michael hagerty]

But they didn't have faith in Michael Spears for long and yes, I'm sure they were reacting to KMET as well. If RKO had made the switch as early as 1976 I fully believe that they would have to have had to simulcast dayparts and duplicate others to start the migration to FM, leaving KHJ AM to continue as a Top 40 for a while. What KHJ would have become eventually is anyone's guess. Perhaps program is like WOR? Even with KRTH scoring higher numbers, moving KHJ to FM could have improved their ratings even more. We'll never know for sure, but I think all that AM talent and RKO promotional muscle would have made the FM even better. While I respect John Sebastian as a programmer, I think his changes to KHJ were too drastic and sucked the remaining life out of the station.

RKO (as in President Dwight Case and National PD Paul Drew) had faith in Michael Spears. KHJ GM Tim Sullivan (who blew through four PDs in two and a half years), didn't, and wanted him gone after only four months, but Drew intervened. Spears realized what he was dealing with, rounded up the next opportunity and resigned less than 60 days later.

It's worth remembering that Sullivan's the guy who walked out of KHJ, across the street to KHTZ, fired everybody except Charlie Tuna and told Bobby Rich that he was now programming an AC station, not a Top 40.

Reacting to KMET as well? As well as what? Not TenQ...their first fall book (1977) showed them #18 with a 2.1. Their second (1978) showed them in exactly the same place with the same number..and Storer had already announced they'd change formats to Country (The Real Don Steele quit on the spot). Of course, they sold to a Spanish-language broadcaster instead.

Simulcasting would have been the only logical way to approach a KHJ AM to FM flip. It probably would have taken two years to avoid stranding too many listeners on AM (remember the lack of FM units in cars at the time). A WOR-like format in a town where KABC was dominant probably wouldn't have been the answer for the AM, though.

Oldies worked well for KRLA in '78 and '79...maybe that would have been the logical KHJ-AM move (though they'd just been burned by that format at KRTH).

 

[michael hagerty]

I know nothing technical about FM signals, or how technology was used to solve topographical problems. But in my personal listening experience, too much was made about the "topographical" problems with FM in the Bay Area.

In 1972, I installed my first AM/FM car tuner. I was still living in LA, and experienced a lot of frustrating FM signal problems in some parts of town - particularly when I'd drive from West LA where I lived, north over the pass into the Valley. When I moved to Bay Area a few months later, (same car, same tuner), I had much less trouble, though there was still some to be sure. I always figured the explanation was - the Bay Area has hills, but Los Angeles has mountains.

If anything, AM was a more serious problem driving around San Francisco because all the overhead electric bus wires created a lot of AM static - but didn't seem to affect FM at all.

Llew: Depended a lot on the reciever.

By the 80s, quartz tuning, multipath rejection and phase locked loop technology was in virtually all FM tuners, eliminating most of the problems. But not in '77.

 

[calguy]

I seem to recall hearing about RKO trying to buy a Denver station as well. I'd swear I read about it in R&R. I also remember reading about KHJ making moves because it perceived KTNQ as a major competitor. In looking back now it would seem that Sebastian's moves were made because of competition from KMET & the other FM's that were making strides back then.
There are those that know for sure. I'll bet Charlie Van Dyke would have knowledge of the moves made and why.

Why anyone would have hired Tim Sullivan to run their station is a mystery to me. Sounds like a guy with no programming knowledge just doing what he wanted, not what was right. Almost all GM's come from sales not programming and they really should stay out of trying to be programmers.

 

[michael hagerty]

I seem to recall hearing about RKO trying to buy a Denver station as well. I'd swear I read about it in R&R. I also remember reading about KHJ making moves because it perceived KTNQ as a major competitor. In looking back now it would seem that Sebastian's moves were made because of competition from KMET & the other FM's that were making strides back then.
There are those that know for sure. I'll bet Charlie Van Dyke would have knowledge of the moves made and why.

Why anyone would have hired Tim Sullivan to run their station is a mystery to me. Sounds like a guy with no programming knowledge just doing what he wanted, not what was right. Almost all GM's come from sales not programming and they really should stay out of trying to be programmers.

First of all, a correction. I've been e-mailed by someone who was there who gently let me know that the KHTZ blowout of air talent and switch from Top 40 to AC happened before Tim Sullivan arrived as GM.

Calguy, I had R&R, Billboard, Gavin and Fred subscriptions back in the day and can't remember ever reading about Denver. I just got off the phone with Van Dyke who says RKO did look around when they ditched KFRC-FM, considering Dallas among other markets, and Denver could have been among them, but it never got to an offer on a particular station. Again, they ended up buying WFYR-FM, Chicago.

Van Dyke also confirms what I've been told by other people who were there...that KTNQ was never viewed as a factor at KHJ. If you look at the numbers and the moves made, that makes perfect sense. Charlie kept doing what he was doing from his first day as PD in January 1975 until his departure in May, 1977 (six months after the TenQ launch).

RKO chose Michael Spears to replace Charlie and Michael's M.O. was the same as his game plan at KFRC...a mass-appeal approach that included teens but had adult appeal.

In hindsight, TenQ was way late to its own party...doing boogie radio at the time that every other practitioner of the approach (KCBQ, B-100....) were getting out of it. If they'd put that station on a good signal in 1971 or '72, with some discipline and consistency, the story might have been different.

And, as you note, Sebastian was attempting to stop the bleeding of audience to KMET.

 

[calguy]

Well you got me there. I wish I knew where I saw the info. If I kept all of my back issues to R&R my wife would've left me. I already have enough tape to fill a large public storage space. I figured you'd have access to Charlie Van Dyke, a very good source. I stand corrected. RKO should have left Spears in place, he was a darn smart programmer.

 

[michael hagerty]

Well you got me there. I wish I knew where I saw the info. If I kept all of my back issues to R&R my wife would've left me. I already have enough tape to fill a large public storage space. I figured you'd have access to Charlie Van Dyke, a very good source. I stand corrected. RKO should have left Spears in place, he was a darn smart programmer.

Charlie and I did mornings together here in Phoenix 13 years ago and have been good friends ever since.

And yes, Spears, left alone, could have made a big difference at KHJ.