FCC Considers Whether To Let Canadian Company Buy U.S. Radio Station.

[Mark Roberts]

I was briefly a volunteer at 90.9 when it was KCMW-FM. I didn’t do too many shifts there, but a tape from there and KGSP eventually got me a commercial gig. I understand it has moved towers closer to KC, but it still doesn’t cover the Kansas side very well. I'm kind of surprised Mark couldn’t get it in the Crossroads, though it's highly directional, and that area probably has a lot of multipath.

It's just the other side of the freeway loop from downtown so there is that factor. It is a bit of a low spot. Hopefully they can get a clean signal on their modulation monitor at Union Hill.

This is my opinion only, of course, but while Jon Hart seems to be a great guy, his voice absolutely grates on me.

The original owner of KBXR 106.1 was from Detroit and was a huge fan of WXRT and WABX. He wanted KXRT but couldn’t get those calls. KBXR was an amalgamation of XRT and ABX. He and his wife merged their operation with Al Germond and Dave Baugher's Premier Marketing Group after the Telecommunications Act passed in order to compete better in the market. Being a standalone, even in Mid-MO, was tough.

Premier actually helped them get on the air and there were agreements (probably an SMA but I don't remember for sure) to allow KFRU and KPLA to market the station.

KXRT were the call letters for what is now KTAO in Taos, NM - the history cards are interesting on that one and you should be able to see why they picked those calls.

 

[Kent]

This is my opinion only, of course, but while Jon Hart seems to be a great guy, his voice absolutely grates on me.

I only met Jon once, and it was when he was still at KYYS. I liked him. I'm thinking the person I went through at KCMW had the last name ”Hutton.” One thing about KTBG that always disappointed me was that I was told most live programming was eliminated after Hart came in. I realize, even 20 years ago, the direction radio was going was obvious. I understand teaching voicetracking and automation had some educational value, but I'm a firm believer that anyone who can do live radio can voicetrack. The converse, however, isn’t necessarily true.

Premier actually helped them get on the air and there were agreements (probably an SMA but I don't remember for sure) to allow KFRU and KPLA to market the station.

That sounds right. I was told the AAA format was DT's idea, and he and his wife programmed it when it first signed on. Eventually, he and his wife got a share in one of the Premier companies when they completely merged. Since I left that cluster almost 20 years ago, I've talked to him once, maybe twice. I remember running into him about 10 years ago and having a brief conversation. That was the last time I've spoken with him, and, unless we bump into each other by chance, that won't change. The IT job at the company not panning out was definitely a strain on our relationship. Unlike one of the other managers at the time, I don’t totally hate the guy, but he'll never be on my list of favorite people.

KXRT were the call letters for what is now KTAO in Taos, NM - the history cards are interesting on that one and you should be able to see why they picked those calls.

Looks like BXR could've had those calls if they'd have wanted them. Since I heard the story roughly 20 years ago, I might have a few minor details wrong. I do remember, however, that BXR came from ABX and XRT.

 

[Mark Roberts]

I only met Jon once, and it was when he was still at KYYS. I liked him.

All indications I've heard is that he's a good guy, so it hurts to say it, but, as I say, that's my perception. But you never heard me on the air, either: I have, and I can't stand hearing myself that way.

That sounds right. I was told the AAA format was DT's idea, and he and his wife programmed it when it first signed on.

Probably the closest call for 'BXR was when KOPN also tried to do a AAA format, but that ran into the usual Paquin-and-Waugh* insider politics that afflicted the station on and off for a couple of decades. Then there was 'BXR's move to the C3 signal at 102.3, but that's on the tall tower at the northeast corner of the city, so coverage is excellent where it matters the most for a station like that.

* I've got a bunch of old, old KOPN program guides somewhere - some from the 89.7 10-watt days - where there's a nice little essay about how Columbia's counterculture, such as it was, settled at that intersection. There were some other well-written essays in the early days of those guides. I also remember, as a 15-year-old, making a folded dipole antenna so I could try to pick up KOPN, using instructions in the KOPN program guide, but our farm was shadowed from Columbia and I couldn't get the twin-lead up high enough to compensate!

Looks like BXR could've had those calls if they'd have wanted them. Since I heard the story roughly 20 years ago, I might have a few minor details wrong. I do remember, however, that BXR came from ABX and XRT.

Maybe they didn't want to be too obvious? I know whom I could ask, but he always kept something of an arms-length relationship with that part of the operation.

 

[speer360]

Canadian Radio Broadcaster Can Say N.Y. FM Is ‘My’ Station | Radio & Television Business Report

The co-founders of Renfrew, Ont.-based My Broadcasting Corp. have received approval from the FCC to obtain the 80% interest in the licensee of a Cape Vincent, N.Y., radio station held by three shareholders — a decision that will make this Upstate New York FM serving Kingston, Ont., wholly owned...

rbr.com

"The co-founders of Renfrew, Ont.-based My Broadcasting Corp. have received approval from the FCC to obtain the 80% interest in the licensee of a Cape Vincent, N.Y., radio station held by three shareholders — a decision that will make this Upstate New York FM serving Kingston, Ont., wholly owned by a Canadian broadcasting company."