I was just looking through some old threads on this board from 2005 and found something about KHIT. What is the station previously known as KHIT now and why is there nothing about it in any wikipedia article? Sounds like it was a legendary brand around here many years ago before I was alive.
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KHIT???
- Thread starter bobdavcav
- Start date
I
IndigoCoyote
Guest
It was far from a legendary brand in Seattle. It occupied what is the 106.9 dial position, then as now licensed to Bremerton WA. At that time it was transmitted from a tower on Gold Mt., which served areas near Puget Sound quite well but did not get into prime areas away from the water so much. KHIT entered an already overcrowded Top 40 field in lat 1984 that included KUBE, KPLZ, KNBQ, KRKO AM, KTAC AM, KJR AM, KING AM at least. They did not prosper under this format, and eventually jumped aboard the next big thing (New Age music) as KNUA in 1987. It is now KRWM (the worm.) If my memeory serves, and it doesn't always, this station was originally KBRO, then KWWA, then KHIT, then KNUA, then KKNW, then finally KRWM.
Now I actually worked for the original KHIT in 1984 (in Walla Walla, WA) and was working there when our strapped owner sold those calls for $35,000. Our PD was none too thrilled to lose 40 year old heritage calls one day. We became KAFR (America's Fun Radio)- just awful calls back when those meant something. Multiple ownerships later, and that station now houses some legendary Seattle calls, KXRX.
Now I actually worked for the original KHIT in 1984 (in Walla Walla, WA) and was working there when our strapped owner sold those calls for $35,000. Our PD was none too thrilled to lose 40 year old heritage calls one day. We became KAFR (America's Fun Radio)- just awful calls back when those meant something. Multiple ownerships later, and that station now houses some legendary Seattle calls, KXRX.
I'm surprised nobody in Hollywood has made a BLOCKBUSTER comedy movie about (or based) on the Seattle KHIT story.
KHIT was the station that had everything, A killer set of call letters, a BIG signal, some of the best radio talent out there and an irresistible $1,000,000 contest. Everything with KHIT SHOULD have been PERFECT.
But everything with this radio station went so Spinal Tap-pishly wrong. I couldn't make their story up if I TRIED.....
KHIT was the station that had everything, A killer set of call letters, a BIG signal, some of the best radio talent out there and an irresistible $1,000,000 contest. Everything with KHIT SHOULD have been PERFECT.
But everything with this radio station went so Spinal Tap-pishly wrong. I couldn't make their story up if I TRIED.....
S
searadiofreak
Guest
Slight correction, and mostly meaningless, but KING-AM had changed to an all news/talk format when KHIT entered. Even KJR was evolving, doing some sort of format that defies definition at this point. But, yes, at one time the Seattle market was indeed overcrowded with FM top40's. KUBE, KPLZ, KNBQ, and KHIT all had similar formats in 1986. (could be off a year or so here). It was wild, but KUBE and then eventually KPLZ won the battle. If you were a top40 fan then, it must have been exciting. Who to choose? Or just keep hitting those preset buttons.
My dear buddy Jerry Kaye was there for awhile...did a contest and during course of small talk asked the winner if she listened at work.
"I can't get KHIT on my radio at work"
To which Jerry quipped "Ma'am ... I'd like to offer you ten thousand dollars for that radio"
He was suddenly NOT there any longer.
"I can't get KHIT on my radio at work"
To which Jerry quipped "Ma'am ... I'd like to offer you ten thousand dollars for that radio"
He was suddenly NOT there any longer.
I
IndigoCoyote
Guest
Radiofreak- Correct, my error, KING-AM was off the Top40 table by 1984.
BW- Big signal, yes, that went all the "wrong" directions. I mean "wrong" only in that the signal didn't do well in the highest population growth areas. It covered a LOT of square miles. But I can speak personally that Gold Mnt. and 1984 receiver technology were a bad mix on the Eastside. I worked for a few of those stations in the past- one of my engineers in Idaho said, "yup, 100,000 watts...one for each coyote in our coverage area. Too bad they don't have radios!"
BW- Big signal, yes, that went all the "wrong" directions. I mean "wrong" only in that the signal didn't do well in the highest population growth areas. It covered a LOT of square miles. But I can speak personally that Gold Mnt. and 1984 receiver technology were a bad mix on the Eastside. I worked for a few of those stations in the past- one of my engineers in Idaho said, "yup, 100,000 watts...one for each coyote in our coverage area. Too bad they don't have radios!"
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