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Flashback: 98FM KFMK Houston

C

coolcat713

Guest
Does anyone remember this station? I thought it was a great station back in the day. I remember Lee Jolly & Johnny Goin'. Every Sunday they would play nothing but oldies from the 60s. During the week it was Adult Contemporary mixed with Oldies if I remember correctly and a blow torch signal too!
 
> Does anyone remember this station? I thought it was a great
> station back in the day. I remember Lee Jolly & Johnny
> Goin'.

KFMK was an oldies station that heavily emphasized their air personalities. For me, the music was fine, but I often found the air talent overly talkative and annoying...perhaps that schtick had worked for me in the 60,s, but by the 80's I had tired of it, which is why I wasn't all that frequent a listener to KFMK. But everyone has their own personal taste, so there will be many who disagree with me.

The launch of KLDE in 1988 split the oldies audience. Not enought for two stations, and KFMK lost out to their newer competitor.
 
> > Does anyone remember this station? I thought it was a
> great
> > station back in the day. I remember Lee Jolly & Johnny
> > Goin'.
>
> KFMK was an oldies station that heavily emphasized their air
> personalities. For me, the music was fine, but I often
> found the air talent overly talkative and annoying...perhaps
> that schtick had worked for me in the 60,s, but by the 80's
> I had tired of it, which is why I wasn't all that frequent a
> listener to KFMK. But everyone has their own personal
> taste, so there will be many who disagree with me.
>
> The launch of KLDE in 1988 split the oldies audience. Not
> enought for two stations, and KFMK lost out to their newer
> competitor.
>
.....lemme try my rusty memory on this one, too....believe that Eric Garcia hosted an oldies only segment weeknights from 10p-2a.....and had stayed with the station up until the transition to KBXX "the box", of the "under construction" days, spring of 1991.....also think that he held down the midday shifts for "the box" briefly before disappearing.....btw, didn't Johnny Goyen return to Houston radio with 103.7 KUST briefly before leaving for Austin to start 105.9 KFMK there, while Mark Roberts left for Lake Charles to KBIU (Bayou 104)?......talk about the good ol' days!.......
 
> > > Does anyone remember this station? I thought it was a
> > great
> > > station back in the day. I remember Lee Jolly & Johnny
> > > Goin'.
> >
> > KFMK was an oldies station that heavily emphasized their
> air
> > personalities. For me, the music was fine, but I often
> > found the air talent overly talkative and
> annoying...perhaps
> > that schtick had worked for me in the 60,s, but by the
> 80's
> > I had tired of it, which is why I wasn't all that frequent
> a
> > listener to KFMK. But everyone has their own personal
> > taste, so there will be many who disagree with me.
> >
> > The launch of KLDE in 1988 split the oldies audience. Not
>
> > enought for two stations, and KFMK lost out to their newer
>
> > competitor.
> >
> .....lemme try my rusty memory on this one, too....believe
> that Eric Garcia hosted an oldies only segment weeknights
> from 10p-2a.....and had stayed with the station up until the
> transition to KBXX "the box", of the "under construction"
> days, spring of 1991.....also think that he held down the
> midday shifts for "the box" briefly before
> disappearing.....btw, didn't Johnny Goyen return to Houston
> radio with 103.7 KUST briefly before leaving for Austin to
> start 105.9 KFMK there, while Mark Roberts left for Lake
> Charles to KBIU (Bayou 104)?......talk about the good ol'
> days!.......
>
amen to the good ol' days! How bout Z 107.5? How bout AM 920 KYST, which was top 40 out of Texas City?
Where is Mark Roberts these days?
 
> The launch of KLDE in 1988 split the oldies audience. Not
> enought for two stations, and KFMK lost out to their newer
> competitor.

KFMK was done in by KKBQ moving to FM(92.9) and other factors...KLDE was not one of them in my opinion...
 
Well, it was a little disquieting for those of us at KFMK when KLDE went on the air because we were doing pretty well in the ratings. We were happy though, about 1988, when KLDE went on with just satellite and played songs like "Walk Right In, Sit Right Down." But KFMK was already trying to siphon off KODA and K-Lite's audience by programming current AC hits mixed in with the classic hits ("Classic Oldies and More!"), and when KLDE finally put good ol' Steve Lundy in the morning and progammed locally all day, it was the beginning of the end for KFMK, though they lasted another two or three years before Dan Mason and Ben Hill switched it to The Box.

KFMK, you may know, was the original "underground rock" station in, what, 1969 or 1970? They were taken off the air around the time KLOL and "Mother's Family" came along, IIRC.
 
> Well, it was a little disquieting for those of us at KFMK
> when KLDE went on the air because we were doing pretty well
> in the ratings. We were happy though, about 1988, when KLDE
> went on with just satellite and played songs like "Walk
> Right In, Sit Right Down." But KFMK was already trying to
> siphon off KODA and K-Lite's audience by programming current
> AC hits mixed in with the classic hits ("Classic Oldies and
> More!"), and when KLDE finally put good ol' Steve Lundy in
> the morning and progammed locally all day, it was the
> beginning of the end for KFMK, though they lasted another
> two or three years before Dan Mason and Ben Hill switched it
> to The Box.

I first heard KFMK when it was a Christian station...and when it changed to a AC/Top40/Oldies format, I had a button on my FM dial set for it (though I was living in BPT land and working in radio there at the time...and would rarely hear 97.9 over there due to antenna height, FM radio reception, etc!)...
I was driving back from Houston one evening and was out at Trinity river when I happened to tune (YES tune...remember those radios?? the ones with tunable tuners?? :) across 97.9 and realized it was playing music I LIKED!!!
From then on, I listened to it when in Houston...I hated it when it became the BOX...YUK!!! Oh well..........Those WERE the good ol days of LIVE radio in Houston....the AMers went thru it and then the FMs...now what we have is junk compared to then....(though I gotta admit, I DO listen to the original JackFM on the web alot... www.jackfm.com....got a mix of music...two days ago heard
"Luka" which I havent heard in YEARS!!!)

> KFMK, you may know, was the original "underground rock"
> station in, what, 1969 or 1970? They were taken off the air
> around the time KLOL and "Mother's Family" came along, IIRC.

And became a Christian station at that time didnt it??
 
>
> And became a Christian station at that time didnt it??
>
Yes, when KFMK was yanked off the air (by the FCC?) it immediately became a Christian station. I was surprised they kept the call letters, since there was a connection between KFMK and that heathen devil music. I can't remember what it was the jocks did on the original KFMK to get them silenced, but it made local headlines.
 
> >
> > And became a Christian station at that time didnt it??
> >
> Yes, when KFMK was yanked off the air (by the FCC?) it
> immediately became a Christian station. I was surprised they
> kept the call letters, since there was a connection between
> KFMK and that heathen devil music. I can't remember what it
> was the jocks did on the original KFMK to get them silenced,
> but it made local headlines.
>
ahh..those were the days. I listened to KFMK back when KILT switched from rock to country. KLOL use to be "too hard".
and then 97 Rock came on and I seem to recall listening to KFMK less.<P ID="signature">______________

"I'll see you Left of the Dial!"</P>
 
> > .....lemme try my rusty memory on this one, too....believe
> > that Eric Garcia hosted an oldies only segment weeknights
> > from 10p-2a.....and had stayed with the station up until the
> > transition to KBXX "the box", of the "under construction"
> > days, spring of 1991.....also think that he held down the
> > midday shifts for "the box" briefly before
> > disappearing.....btw, didn't Johnny Goyen return to Houston
> > radio with 103.7 KUST briefly before leaving for Austin to
> > start 105.9 KFMK there, while Mark Roberts left for Lake
> > Charles to KBIU (Bayou 104)?......talk about the good ol'
> > days!.......
> >
> amen to the good ol' days! How bout Z 107.5? How bout AM 920
> KYST, which was top 40 out of Texas City?
> Where is Mark Roberts these days?
>
Still have a Z107.5 T shirt. Remember when AM 920 was KLTW and the Country leader of Galveston County? I don't remember the year, I think around 1983 when KYST went to All Beatle music as KBTL, although they never really changed their call letters. When I moved to Houston in '79 KFMK had just flipped from Christian to the AC-Oldies mix and listened to them often. KILT-FM was still AOR and one of the better AOR stations, I was really disappointed when they flipped to Country, looks like they made a good decision though. I won a T shirt from 92.1 when they first came on the air as a Rock station with 1400 watts in Seabrook and I lived near Antoine and Little York, but managed to get a signal from the station..
 
Re: Flashback: 92.1.....

Weren't they a CHR? They had the calls KZRQ. I cant remember the moniker (Z-92 maybe?) but I remember them taking shots at 93fm. They even had a song to the tune of Ghostbusters called Zoobusters. I lived near Hobby and remember having the worst time picking them up. They played alot extended and alternate versions of the "hits". Does anyone have tape on them and can I get a copy?

I won a T shirt from 92.1 when they first came on
> the air as a Rock station with 1400 watts in Seabrook and I
> lived near Antoine and Little York, but managed to get a
> signal from the station..
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by rageradio on 06/12/05 03:34 AM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: Flashback: 92.1.....

> Weren't they a CHR? They had the calls KZRQ. I cant remember
> the moniker (Z-92 maybe?) but I remember them taking shots
> at 93fm. They even had a song to the tune of Ghostbusters
> called Zoobusters. I lived near Hobby and remember having
> the worst time picking them up. They played alot extended
> and alternate versions of the "hits". Does anyone have tape
> on them and can I get a copy?

Yes, the most digitally processed station in the country at the time (well thats what they claimed!) A Roy Henderson station on top of that!!!

Had a friend who was a jock there...they sounded pretty good when they were on and you could hear them...but they lacked any penetration into the main Houston metro market.....too bad, with their audio and format on 92.1 today, they may have had something!
 
Re: Flashback: 92.1.....

> > Weren't they a CHR? They had the calls KZRQ. I cant
> remember
> > the moniker (Z-92 maybe?) but I remember them taking shots
>
> > at 93fm. They even had a song to the tune of Ghostbusters
> > called Zoobusters. I lived near Hobby and remember having
> > the worst time picking them up. They played alot extended
> > and alternate versions of the "hits". Does anyone have
> tape
> > on them and can I get a copy?
>
> Yes, the most digitally processed station in the country at
> the time (well thats what they claimed!) A Roy Henderson
> station on top of that!!!
>
> Had a friend who was a jock there...they sounded pretty good
> when they were on and you could hear them...but they lacked
> any penetration into the main Houston metro market.....too
> bad, with their audio and format on 92.1 today, they may
> have had something!
>
.....could recall whenever the on-air personalities would announce "Z-92 KZRQ...America's best sounding station" for a short time there between their songsets, too.....
 
Re: Flashback: 92.1.....

> .....could recall whenever the on-air personalities would
> announce "Z-92 KZRQ...America's best sounding station" for a
> short time there between their songsets, too.....

Anyone remember exactly when KZRQ went on the air? I know they had flipped to Easy Listening KYND by March, 1985 (second time around for those calls here.)

The 1400 watts made it into northwest Harris County with a listenable signal, but they were frequently clobbered by tropo from the Beaumont, Livingston, Bay City, and B/CS stations that shared the frequency back then.

I believe they went to 4500 watts around 1986 or '87 (when the Class A's were allowed to increase their power) then to 32kw Class C2 in 1991, then 100kw Class C1 around 1997.
 
You guys got it backwards. KFMK was Christian first - the last three letters were "For My Kingdom". It went dark for a week in 1980 (and you could hear KZEW from Dallas - EXCELLENT), and then came back as KFMK oldies (same call letters). I remember Jonny Goin' - I thought I heard him in Austin a few years ago, but Austin has now lost his oldies and I assume he lost his gig there. Johnny had a neice named Mandy - and his Sunday morning show with her was a big hit. I still have a newspaper article on it. I remember one Sunday Uncle Johnny didn't show up, and 8 year old Mandy flew solo for a while - and did well at it! I sometimes think he did that on purpose, because she was ready.
 
Re: Flashback: 92.1.....

> Anyone remember exactly when KZRQ went on the air? I know
> they had flipped to Easy Listening KYND by March, 1985
> (second time around for those calls here.)
>
> The 1400 watts made it into northwest Harris County with a
> listenable signal, but they were frequently clobbered by
> tropo from the Beaumont, Livingston, Bay City, and B/CS
> stations that shared the frequency back then.
>
> I believe they went to 4500 watts around 1986 or '87 (when
> the Class A's were allowed to increase their power) then to
> 32kw Class C2 in 1991, then 100kw Class C1 around 1997.
>
I checked the FCC files for 92.1 Seabrook:

11/23/1983 BPH-19821221AO original CP issued Class A 1.16kW 148m TL: Red Bluff Rd & Kirby Rd; Taylor Lake, TX 29-35-33N 95-03-11W

09/18/1984 BLH-19840504DM License to Cover Issued KZRQ 12435 Red Bluff Rd; Seabrook, TX.

KZRQ may have gone on the air before 9/18, they applied for the LIC on May 4, 1984.

11/27/1984 CP issued for BPH-19841011AJ to increase to 1.4kW 148m Class A.

02/18/1985 Call letters to KYND from KZRQ.

02/18/1986 BLH-19851202KC License to Cover issued KYND applied on 12/02/85 for 1.4kW 148m.

04/28/1986 Call letters to KLEF from KYND (KYND shows up 3rd time in Houston on 1520 AM Cypress on 11/06/1987).

09/01/1987 Call letters to KRTS from KLEF.

05/16/1991 BPH-19910215MT CP issued 33kW 184m to Class C2 per Docket 87-276
TL to 3200 N 38th St; Texas City; Galveston Co; TX 29-27-57N 95-13-23W
Special conditions or restrictions:
Program tests for KRTS will not commence on Channel 221C2 until Program test for KETX-FM commence on Channel 222C2 and a license will not be granted for KRTS Channel 221C2 until a license is granted for KETX-FM on Channel 222C2.

A license will not be granted for KRTS on Channel 221C2 until a license is granted for KTRU Channel 219C2, KTFA Channel 223C2 respectively.

05/12/1995 BLH-19910802KE license granted KRTS 33kW 184m 29-27-57N 95-13-23W Antenna is just inside of Galveston Co from Brazoria Co near FM528 and Friendswood Rd on unnamed street near Victor Ln, if that is Texas City they have unusual city limits, looks more like Friendswood, Alvin or Dickinson.

09/26/1995 BPH-19941104ID CP issued KRTS upgrade to Class C1 per Docket 91-180 100kW 299m 29-19-11N 95-19-44W west of Hwy 35 and Liverpool near CR511.

Speclal conditions or restrictions:
Program Tests for KRTS facilities in this CP will not commence on Channel 221C1 until Program Tests for KTSR (KNDE), College Station commmence on Channels 236C2 or Channel 297C3 (depending on the final outcome of Docket 91-58) and a License will not be granted to KRTS to cover the facilities specified until a License is granted for KTSR (KNDE) on Channel 236C2 or Channel 297C3.

The grant of this CP is conditioned upon the final outcome of Docket 91-180. Any construction undertaken by the permittee prior to Docket 91-180 becoming final shall be at the permittee's sole risk.

09/25/1996 BMPH-19960320IC CP issued for antenna move to 29-16-33N 95-22-45W NW of Danbury between Hwy 35 and Hwy 288 just north of Brazoria Co CR's 49/46/47 intersection. Class C1 100kw 299m parameters.

Special operating conditions and restrictions:
This is a Section 73.215 Contour Protection grant.

Program Tests for KRTS may not commence on Channel 221C1 until Program Tests for KTSR (KNDE), College Station, Texas commence on Channel 236 or 297 and a license will not be granted for KRTS on Channel 221C1 until a license is granted for KTSR (KNDE), College Station, Texas on Channel 236 or Channel 297.

04/22/1997 BMPH-19970226JA Extension of BPH-19941104ID.

07/28/1997 BPH-19970602IC CP Granted 07/03/1997 for KRTS 92.1 Channel 221C1 at 29-16-33N 95-22-45W with 50kW 299m.

Special operating conditions or restrictions:
**This CP is INDEPENDENT of permit BMPH-960320IC**

This is a Section 73.215 Contour grant.

09/20/1997 BLH-19970920KW License to Cover granted for 50kW 299m 29-11-33N 95-22-45W. KRTS 92.1 Channel 221C1 Seabrook, TX. 73.215 (Contour Protection) Processing Requested. This License to Cover is at the new coordinates requested.

12/10/1997 BMPH-19970930JE CP Extension BPH-941104ID.

12/30/1997 BLH-19970930KE License to Cover BPH-19970602IC Accepted 09/30/1997 and Granted 12/10/1997. KRTS 92.1 Channel 221C1 29-16-33N 95-22-45W 50kW 299m.

Special operating conditions or restrictions:
This is a 73.215 Contour Protection grant.

07/10/1998 BMPH-19980601 CP Extension of BPH-19941104ID Granted 07/10/98.

**Waiver Request of 73.3534 (D) is hereby DENIED**
73.3534(D) If a request for extension of time within which to a consturct a station is approved, such an extension will be limited to a period of no more than 6 months.

01/26/1999 BMPH-19990107JB CP Extension of BPH-19941104ID Granted 01/26/1999.
*Authorization contains warning re: New Rules Effective 02/16/1999*

06/05/2003 BLH-20030303ABH License to Cover BPH19900706IB as Modified by Permit BMPH-20020906AAB. KNDE College Station, TX 95.1 Channel 236C2 30-41-18N 96-25-35W 36kW 174m.

Special operating conditions or restrictions:
*This is a Section 73.215 Contour Protection grant.

04/01/2004 BLH-19991104ID this license covers Permit BPH-19941104ID as modified by BMPH-19960320IC. KRTS Seabrook, TX 92.1 Channel 221C1 29-16-33N 95-22-45W 100kW 299m.

Special operating or restrictions:
*This is a 73.215 Contour Protection Grant.

07/20/2004 BALH-20040526AHW Consent to Assignment of License to Radio One Licenses, LLC from KRTS, L.P.

09/15/2004 Call letters from KRTS to KROI.

03/05/2005 BPH-20050304ABD to Modify License of KROI. Move to antenna at 29-17-56N 95-14-11W, change HAAT from 299m to 530.4m and change power from 100kW to 22kW to maintain C1 status. Transmitter is just east of Liverpool near the intersection of CR197, CR200 and FM2917. KROI will share the antenna with KLTJ Channel 22 and KLTJ-DT Channel 23 Galveston. 73.215 Contour Protection Status.

03/25/2005 BMLH-20050324AEK KNDE 95.1 Channel 236C2 College Station, Texas, proposes to delete Contour Protection Status from the KNDE license. KNDE proposes no changes in the presently licensed technical facilities. The present licensed operation of KNDE is now fully spaced to all other authorized and proposed facilities requiring protection consideration. Thus, the Contour Protection Status can be deleted from the KNDE license pursuant to Section 73.1690(C)(6) of the FCC rules.

06/02/2005 KROI Application BPH-20050304ABD is on HOLD for Technical Deficiency - awaiting applicant information.

06/13/2005 Amendment received from KROI pursuant BPH-20050304ABD.

==============================
KNDE (KTSR) 92.1 College Station applied to move to 95.1 or 107.5 on July 6th, 1990 and did not receive authorization to operate on 92.1 until June 5th, 2003, almost 13 years after the initial request.

KRTS went from 33kW to 50kW on September 29th, 1997 and operated with 50kW until April 1st, 2004 when KRTS increased power to 100kW, the originally authorized power back on September 26th, 1995.

Many people thought that KRTS was operating with 100kW during the period it was operating with 50kw and did not have very good coverage, unaware KRTS was only at half power.

More to come, but I have to read the amendment to the original application for 22kW at 530.4m.

Mike O
 
We got it right, Bruce.

There is a misconception that KLOL was the first AOR rock station, but KFMK beat them to it.

Not to belabor the point, but a fellow I know, now in California doing quite well as the voice on major movie trailers, who worked at KFMK BEFORE it was Christian -- we're talking 1969 or '70 or so -- when they were the original album-cut rock station before the term Album Oriented Rock (AOR) was popular. When they were taken off the air, the station went Christian -- then it was oldies in the '80s.

They may have decided to adopt the KFMK "For My Kingdom" slogan, but the call letters were there when they bought the station.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Michael Shiloh on 06/14/05 01:22 AM.</FONT></P>
 
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