Very interesting indeed. Reading between the lines of that story, I picked up a clear hint that Yates is thinking seriously of buying KJCS from Vance as soon as he can line up the financing.
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FCC: KJCS Silent, KRQX-FM Half Way to Waco
- Thread starter txchipk
- Start date
Hey, anyone remember back in the late 90s when the Vance family "repossessed" KJCS from whomever was LMA'ing it? Legend has it, they went into the building late at night, took all the studio equipment, and the following morning, Doc Roberts (who was mornings on KTBQ I think) called the police to report a stolen radio station.
The LMA dispute with Yates makes sense now. I've seen licensees shut down transmitters due to LMA disputes or non-payments. That explains the station going silent. I still hate to see it go silent... but it makes more sense than just a station that can't pay its bills.
This just makes me sick
Sicker than hell. I worked at KJCS for almost five years back in the 80s, under owners Hill and Rucker, and those guys made that place a money making Hot Country Music machine. They put together a great on-air staff with the only "real" news department between Houston and Tyler, and a crew of hustling sales men and women. The news guys weren't just "rip and readers" either. They had an entire wall of Best Small Market Newscast and Best Small Market Reporting plaques from Texas A-P Broadcasters. KJCS had credibility and power, and the paychecks didn't bounce.
Then in late 1987, H&R sold it to the Vance family from Bryan-College Station. The first thing they did was what all new owners do. Cut costs by letting people go. They fired me and a few others to save money, and that's when KJCS started its long slow slide into mediocrity and out of existence.
Personally I doubt that Bill Vance and Yates will settle this dispute and put KJCS back on the air. Based on years of observation from a safe distance, I think I can say that Vance doesn't have enough sense to do anything the way it should be done. I also think Yates will use this opportunity to raise some capital and buy it from Vance. Probably sometime next year.
Sicker than hell. I worked at KJCS for almost five years back in the 80s, under owners Hill and Rucker, and those guys made that place a money making Hot Country Music machine. They put together a great on-air staff with the only "real" news department between Houston and Tyler, and a crew of hustling sales men and women. The news guys weren't just "rip and readers" either. They had an entire wall of Best Small Market Newscast and Best Small Market Reporting plaques from Texas A-P Broadcasters. KJCS had credibility and power, and the paychecks didn't bounce.
Then in late 1987, H&R sold it to the Vance family from Bryan-College Station. The first thing they did was what all new owners do. Cut costs by letting people go. They fired me and a few others to save money, and that's when KJCS started its long slow slide into mediocrity and out of existence.
Personally I doubt that Bill Vance and Yates will settle this dispute and put KJCS back on the air. Based on years of observation from a safe distance, I think I can say that Vance doesn't have enough sense to do anything the way it should be done. I also think Yates will use this opportunity to raise some capital and buy it from Vance. Probably sometime next year.
FilioScotia,
While I understand the frustration of watching a former great station that you worked for go dark (I have seen this twice in my career, um, okay... three times) I will say that Bill has some knowledge of what he's doing. The Natchitoches, LA, cluster he has does very well, from what I am told. At one time, he managed KYKZ et al in Lake Charles, LA while owning his other stations. Heck, he even owned Aggie 96 in Bryan-College Station for a while. He has demonstrated knowledge and ability... why that hasn't crossed over to KJCS is beyond me. His brother, Brett, ran the KJCS shortly in the late 90s, and seemed to do a good job, but after he departed, it went back down hill again. I just don't get it.
Say what you want to about Stephen Yates... he does know how to put stations on the air, format them (I mean pick a format, he likes satellite automation), and make then cash-flow (or at least make enough to stay on the air.) I've worked in his building as well (they were in Cotton Square? Across from the Library).
I see two possibilities happening here. (a) Yates raises the capital and buys it. (b) Vance takes money from his other properties and resurrects KJCS. Then, there's always (c) KJCS stays silent and the license gets deleted. Most owners (Russell excluded) will not just sit back and watch that happen.
While I understand the frustration of watching a former great station that you worked for go dark (I have seen this twice in my career, um, okay... three times) I will say that Bill has some knowledge of what he's doing. The Natchitoches, LA, cluster he has does very well, from what I am told. At one time, he managed KYKZ et al in Lake Charles, LA while owning his other stations. Heck, he even owned Aggie 96 in Bryan-College Station for a while. He has demonstrated knowledge and ability... why that hasn't crossed over to KJCS is beyond me. His brother, Brett, ran the KJCS shortly in the late 90s, and seemed to do a good job, but after he departed, it went back down hill again. I just don't get it.
Say what you want to about Stephen Yates... he does know how to put stations on the air, format them (I mean pick a format, he likes satellite automation), and make then cash-flow (or at least make enough to stay on the air.) I've worked in his building as well (they were in Cotton Square? Across from the Library).
I see two possibilities happening here. (a) Yates raises the capital and buys it. (b) Vance takes money from his other properties and resurrects KJCS. Then, there's always (c) KJCS stays silent and the license gets deleted. Most owners (Russell excluded) will not just sit back and watch that happen.
As long as Vance is involved with KJCS nothing will happen. The worst thing Robert Hill ever did was bring the Vance family to town and Robert Hill will verify this fact!
Stephen Yates is not the answer to this puzzle either. He proved it when he LMA'd the station. To bring KJCS back to where it was in the 80's you need a new owner that can compete (and satellite it not the answer).
Lets don't forget that KJCS downgraded their signal a few years ago. So it's not an apples to apples comparison. The 100kw powerhouse of the 80's (Bill Schultz and the bunch) are but a memory. Vance sold the station out a long time ago and Mr. Stallings is rolling in his grave and unfortunately Robert Hill is still in town to see the destruction to his once mighty powerhouse.
Stephen Yates is not the answer to this puzzle either. He proved it when he LMA'd the station. To bring KJCS back to where it was in the 80's you need a new owner that can compete (and satellite it not the answer).
Lets don't forget that KJCS downgraded their signal a few years ago. So it's not an apples to apples comparison. The 100kw powerhouse of the 80's (Bill Schultz and the bunch) are but a memory. Vance sold the station out a long time ago and Mr. Stallings is rolling in his grave and unfortunately Robert Hill is still in town to see the destruction to his once mighty powerhouse.
musicsweep said:
Yes. Bill Vance was in a partnership (LMA?) with George Wilkes of Class Act of Texas (KTBQ - Q107) for a couple of years. Q107/KSFA moved from its University Drive location into the KJCS studio's North Street location in Nacogdoches. During that time frame, format changes were made to all 4 stations in that agreement (KEEE-AM and KSFA-AM being the other two stations) which mostly focused around automation and streamlining of operations and sales. Something happened to the partnership when the Vance/Wilkes relationship soured. Vance literally moved all of his equipment from the studio overnight one weekend without Wilkes' knowledge. For that reason and various others, Wilkes was ultimately left with no other choice than to sell his stations (KTBQ-FM and KSFA-AM) to a new radio group named "Gulfstar" that was purchasing several radio stations in the market. Wilkes left Texas and hasn't returned.
Musicsweep.....
I hear what you are saying about KJCS. They did have a competent sales staff, and programming department,,,etc. etc. etc. The problem with the station is much deeper than just putting good product on the air, and having a good staff. Brett may have had a good head on his shoulders, but Bill never really took his hands out of the cookie jar while Brett was in charge. For years Bill has ruined relationships with local businesses, engineering firms, and individuals by not paying them for services rendered, or not following through on promises made. There were people who stopped advertising with KJ, and swore never to do so again, just because of that kind of thing. Hell he barely paid his jocks back in the day. I know that when Johnny Lathrop worked for him,,back in the day,,,Bill would ask the airstaff to "hold on to their checks for a few days" instead of cashing them right away because he knew that there was no money to cover them. That story came from several people who worked for him at that time too. Bill has been the achilles heel for that radio station from the get go. Until he moves out of the way and allows a competent PD and GM to run the show at KJCS, this story will repeat itself over and over.
Even with all of that said, the time I worked at KJ was some of the best times I've had in radio. The relationships that I made while there have continued to this very day. Carolyn Gage was, and still is, the salt of the earth...love that woman! My staff: Johnny Morales, Shane Burkes, Elise Brooks, and Donna Worsham worked their butts off for me. The staff of V94.7: Jammin' Jimmy Rush, Lou "Butta" Bennett, Jay Soul, and Rodessa are still close friends. Every Sunday night everyone would come to my house for dinner and we'd all watch "Smokey And The Bandit". Good Times! Too bad it came to an end, but everything happens for a reason.
Only time will tell if KJCS will ever be back on the air. I assume the story will continue. Peace out Yak!
I hear what you are saying about KJCS. They did have a competent sales staff, and programming department,,,etc. etc. etc. The problem with the station is much deeper than just putting good product on the air, and having a good staff. Brett may have had a good head on his shoulders, but Bill never really took his hands out of the cookie jar while Brett was in charge. For years Bill has ruined relationships with local businesses, engineering firms, and individuals by not paying them for services rendered, or not following through on promises made. There were people who stopped advertising with KJ, and swore never to do so again, just because of that kind of thing. Hell he barely paid his jocks back in the day. I know that when Johnny Lathrop worked for him,,back in the day,,,Bill would ask the airstaff to "hold on to their checks for a few days" instead of cashing them right away because he knew that there was no money to cover them. That story came from several people who worked for him at that time too. Bill has been the achilles heel for that radio station from the get go. Until he moves out of the way and allows a competent PD and GM to run the show at KJCS, this story will repeat itself over and over.
Even with all of that said, the time I worked at KJ was some of the best times I've had in radio. The relationships that I made while there have continued to this very day. Carolyn Gage was, and still is, the salt of the earth...love that woman! My staff: Johnny Morales, Shane Burkes, Elise Brooks, and Donna Worsham worked their butts off for me. The staff of V94.7: Jammin' Jimmy Rush, Lou "Butta" Bennett, Jay Soul, and Rodessa are still close friends. Every Sunday night everyone would come to my house for dinner and we'd all watch "Smokey And The Bandit". Good Times! Too bad it came to an end, but everything happens for a reason.
Only time will tell if KJCS will ever be back on the air. I assume the story will continue. Peace out Yak!
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