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KWRD

B

Blart

Is the station currently on the air? Is the owner interested in selling? If not, why? Would it take rebuilding the thing from the ground up (studios and transmitter site)? Are they licensed for nighttime operation? If not, would it be difficult to squeeze in a night pattern decent enough to cover the city of license? Is there enough commerce in Henderson and surrounding areas to support the station? If a true small market broadcaster came in and "did it right," would it, at some point, be profitable? Are High School sports big in that area? Are there any powerhouse schools in the area? Would there need to be a lot of "mending fences" done by a new, sincere, owner in order to repair any damage former owners or employees have done in/to the community?

Thanks, in advance, for your input.

P.S. Can the old KGRI frequency (1000kHz, I think) be brought back to life? I'm not familiar enough with the FCC rules and regulations to know if that is a possibility.

Thanks, again.<P ID="signature">______________
How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All?</P>
 
> Is the station currently on the air? Is the owner interested
> in selling? If not, why? Would it take rebuilding the thing
> from the ground up (studios and transmitter site)? Are they
> licensed for nighttime operation? If not, would it be
> difficult to squeeze in a night pattern decent enough to
> cover the city of license? Is there enough commerce in
> Henderson and surrounding areas to support the station? If a
> true small market broadcaster came in and "did it right,"
> would it, at some point, be profitable? Are High School
> sports big in that area? Are there any powerhouse schools in
> the area? Would there need to be a lot of "mending fences"
> done by a new, sincere, owner in order to repair any damage
> former owners or employees have done in/to the community?
>
> Thanks, in advance, for your input.
>
> P.S. Can the old KGRI frequency (1000kHz, I think) be
> brought back to life? I'm not familiar enough with the FCC
> rules and regulations to know if that is a possibility.
>
> Thanks, again.
>

Hi Bart
To answer some of your questions Yes KWRD is running. No I don't think the company is wanting to sell. I'm a little puzzled are you sure KWRD is the station want to know about? The word is based out Dallas. It is going strong and I don't think it will change anytime soon. As far as the technical info I can't comment on...
<P ID="signature">______________
Sean Nizzle
The Sean Nizzle Show.</P>
 
> > Is the station currently on the air? Is the owner
> interested
> > in selling? If not, why? Would it take rebuilding the
> thing
> > from the ground up (studios and transmitter site)? Are
> they
> > licensed for nighttime operation? If not, would it be
> > difficult to squeeze in a night pattern decent enough to
> > cover the city of license? Is there enough commerce in
> > Henderson and surrounding areas to support the station? If
> a
> > true small market broadcaster came in and "did it right,"
> > would it, at some point, be profitable? Are High School
> > sports big in that area? Are there any powerhouse schools
> in
> > the area? Would there need to be a lot of "mending fences"
>
> > done by a new, sincere, owner in order to repair any
> damage
> > former owners or employees have done in/to the community?
> >
> > Thanks, in advance, for your input.
> >
> > P.S. Can the old KGRI frequency (1000kHz, I think) be
> > brought back to life? I'm not familiar enough with the FCC
>
> > rules and regulations to know if that is a possibility.
> >
> > Thanks, again.
> >
>
> Hi Bart
> To answer some of your questions Yes KWRD is running. No I
> don't think the company is wanting to sell. I'm a little
> puzzled are you sure KWRD is the station want to know about?
> The word is based out Dallas. It is going strong and I don't
> think it will change anytime soon. As far as the technical
> info I can't comment on...

I'm sorry. I guess it would help to mention which KWRD I'm talking about. I'm asking about KWRD-AM in Henderson (Texas).
<P ID="signature">______________
How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All?</P>
 
> > > Is the station currently on the air? Is the owner
> > interested
> > > in selling? If not, why? Would it take rebuilding the
> > thing
> > > from the ground up (studios and transmitter site)? Are
> > they
> > > licensed for nighttime operation? If not, would it be
> > > difficult to squeeze in a night pattern decent enough to
>
> > > cover the city of license? Is there enough commerce in
> > > Henderson and surrounding areas to support the station?
> If
> > a
> > > true small market broadcaster came in and "did it
> right,"
> > > would it, at some point, be profitable? Are High School
> > > sports big in that area? Are there any powerhouse
> schools
> > in
> > > the area? Would there need to be a lot of "mending
> fences"
> >
> > > done by a new, sincere, owner in order to repair any
> > damage
> > > former owners or employees have done in/to the
> community?
> > >
> > > Thanks, in advance, for your input.
> > >
> > > P.S. Can the old KGRI frequency (1000kHz, I think) be
> > > brought back to life? I'm not familiar enough with the
> FCC
> >
> > > rules and regulations to know if that is a possibility.
> > >
> > > Thanks, again.
> > >
> >
> > Hi Bart
> > To answer some of your questions Yes KWRD is running. No I
>
> > don't think the company is wanting to sell. I'm a little
> > puzzled are you sure KWRD is the station want to know
> about?
> > The word is based out Dallas. It is going strong and I
> don't
> > think it will change anytime soon. As far as the technical
>
> > info I can't comment on...
>
> I'm sorry. I guess it would help to mention which KWRD I'm
> talking about. I'm asking about KWRD-AM in Henderson
> (Texas).
>
I think it is the same because of the call letters. They are here in Dallas broadcasting at 100.7 FM
<P ID="signature">______________
Sean Nizzle
The Sean Nizzle Show.</P>
 
To answer your question, being a native of Henderson, Texas and all (and now living in Mississippi, don't ask why), it is believed that KWRD-AM has experienced a lot of technical issues. Among all other posts relating about this station, there is a lot of answers to any questions that concern about the 1470 signal.

1.) MRS Ventures, Inc., the company that owns KWRD-AM is asking $200,000 for it, but I think it would cost less than that. But I think if you have the money to rebuild the whole operation, more power to you! Believe me on this, I've been to the studios about some four years ago and I feel that it will need a lot of work as far as the transmitter is concerned. From my understanding, the owner really has little to no interest of the station. So I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask.

2.) According to FCC records, they're suppose to run 24 hours, therefore, it's pending. Their nighttime power is almost less of an equivelant of a light bulb. Here's something that's interesting: they're on the air from 6am-6pm.

3.) The station had the support when Chipper Dean had the station before surrendering it to Witko Broadcasting in or around 1998 or 1999. It can be done again. It has the potential and enough commerce around Henderson and Rusk County to support it if done right.

KWRD-AM can be profitable. With the right owners, the right people and the right engineers, the station can be more and more listenable and worth having the local support. High school sports are always big. Back when KGRI-FM throughout most of its run before 1998 always ran the Henderson Lions games both football and basketball. KWRD, used to run the Rusk County Game of the Week on Saturday afternnons which consists of taped delays of Henderson, West Rusk (my alma mater), Overton, Carlisle and Mt. Enterprise games from Friday night.

To sum this up, KWRD-AM has always been very active in the community. And have been very successful until MRS Ventures came and literally made a mess of everything.

As for resurrecting the 1000kHz band for KGRI-AM (Rusk County's first station since George Reeves signed it on in 1948), I think it's a longshot, although the calls to Henderson's first station is now assigned somewhere in Oregon or somewhere up north. If the FCC can make those calls available to AM, I'm sure there's a thought of bringing the legend back to its country roots.

In fact, I had the same vision of what I would do with the two stations. Put KGRI-AM to a more classic country format and KWRD on some other format that would serve Rusk County and East Texas as a whole. In fact I grew up listening to the two stations when my dad who was a minister at the time, drop his reel tapes off at the KGRI station back when it was located on top of the hill.

I could go on all day with this. Drop me an e-mail. I would love to tell you more from there. <P ID="signature">______________
Note to MRS Ventures: Have you checked your transmitter lately? It's leaking dead air!</P>
 
> > I'm sorry. I guess it would help to mention which KWRD I'm
>
> > talking about. I'm asking about KWRD-AM in Henderson
> > (Texas).
> >
> I think it is the same because of the call letters. They are
> here in Dallas broadcasting at 100.7 FM
>

KWRD 1470 is an AM in Henderson that has absolutely no affiliation with KWRD-FM in Dallas. KWRD Henderson went dark a few months ago, supposedly due to a transmitter meltdown. The owner apparently has no interest in bringing the station back on.

Now, KWRD-FM does have an FM affiliate station on 100.7 in Overton, which is about 10 miles NW of Henderson. It's calls are KPXI.
 
KWRD Henderson went dark
> a few months ago, supposedly due to a transmitter meltdown.
> The owner apparently has no interest in bringing the station
> back on.





Does anybody know if he even filed for license renewal? Last check of the FCC database, it was showing nothing except that license expiring 1 Aug 2005.<P ID="signature">______________
"Would the person or persons who stole radio, automated and genericized it with standardized formats and regurgitated it on all of America please return it. You're killing the medium. Thank you."</P>
 
> KWRD Henderson went dark
> > a few months ago, supposedly due to a transmitter
> meltdown.
> > The owner apparently has no interest in bringing the
> station
> > back on.
>
>
>
>
>
> Does anybody know if he even filed for license renewal? Last
> check of the FCC database, it was showing nothing except
> that license expiring 1 Aug 2005.
>

Well, well, well.....that is a problem. Anyone in East Texas interested in taking this station away from him? If you got the money to get it back to its former glory, I would love to shake your hand.<P ID="signature">______________
Note to MRS Ventures: Have you checked your transmitter lately? It's leaking dead air!</P>
 
> Well, well, well.....that is a problem. Anyone in East Texas
> interested in taking this station away from him? If you got
> the money to get it back to its former glory, I would love
> to shake your hand.

I would too - I worked for Chipper in the mid 90's - it was a very successful local station. It was truely a full service station and ran the right way - weather every 20 mins, long local newscasts, obituaries etc and LOT's of local spots (on cart).

KWRD has one of the best daytime AM signals in the area, only KTBB and KOFY cover more. KWRD used to be able to broadcast nights at 83 watts. It was good enough to even skip to Kilgore.

I remember Chipper telling me the old KGRI-AM 1000 frequency was for 1K daytime only. When he bought KWRD (his fathers old station) he shut KGRI-AM down permanently because of the old FCC rules.

Billy G.
KGRI/KWRD DJ 1994-5
 
Sadly, KWRD will probably go away just like the old KLUE/KLGV signal at 1280. When it went dark, I inquired about it and the FCC basically said it was gone with no hope of it returning or a new license being granted for it. Now, to my knowledge Russell/CBGI-MRS hasn't violated any rules (or at least none have been discovered yet) and he hasn't used the station for illegal activities as they were doing up on Signal Hill Drive. So, their still may be a chance for it. It would be really sad to see another AM signal leave the market. I'm worried KFRO will be next. I wonder how much Access-1 would sell that for?<P ID="signature">______________
Put Down The Cell Phone, and Use Your Turn Signal!</P>
 
Re: KWRD & others

You're right, Snoman. Look what happened to 1270 KIOX in Bay City. After years and years operating on a temporary permit, admist the controversial illegal move to southwest Houston in the 90s, it is now gone. Even more weird was it's last call letters: KFCC. How somebody in Wadshington allowed that was really bizzare. I was at KIOX in the early 1970s. Last year, while in Bay City on business, I went by the 3 towers, still standing, with vines growing up the towers. What a waste.
 
Re: KWRD & others

> You're right, Snoman. Look what happened to 1270 KIOX in Bay
> City. After years and years operating on a temporary permit,
> admist the controversial illegal move to southwest Houston
> in the 90s, it is now gone. Even more weird was it's last
> call letters: KFCC. How somebody in Wadshington allowed that
> was really bizzare. I was at KIOX in the early 1970s. Last
> year, while in Bay City on business, I went by the 3 towers,
> still standing, with vines growing up the towers. What a
> waste.
>

Chuck, I actually worked for the guy who last held the license for that station. He's from here in Houston. He bought a station up in Kilgore (licensed to Gilmer). He wanted to have a few AM's in which he would have people reading books by African-American artists and sprinkled with a little Blues, Gospel, and Jazz. However, I think he ran out of money, because a few months after the station was established in Kilgore, he sold it (I only lasted there about 45 days). It was said that he was going to focus on a station in Bay City and it turned out to be the one you're talking about. I don't think it was even a year later that the license was revoked. Very sad. <P ID="signature">______________
Put Down The Cell Phone, and Use Your Turn Signal!</P>
 
Re: KWRD & others

> > You're right, Snoman. Look what happened to 1270 KIOX in
> Bay
> > City. After years and years operating on a temporary
> permit,
> > admist the controversial illegal move to southwest Houston
>
> > in the 90s, it is now gone. Even more weird was it's last
> > call letters: KFCC. How somebody in Wadshington allowed
> that
> > was really bizzare. I was at KIOX in the early 1970s. Last
>
> > year, while in Bay City on business, I went by the 3
> towers,
> > still standing, with vines growing up the towers. What a
> > waste.
> >
>
> Chuck, I actually worked for the guy who last held the
> license for that station. He's from here in Houston. He
> bought a station up in Kilgore (licensed to Gilmer). He
> wanted to have a few AM's in which he would have people
> reading books by African-American artists and sprinkled with
> a little Blues, Gospel, and Jazz. However, I think he ran
> out of money, because a few months after the station was
> established in Kilgore, he sold it (I only lasted there
> about 45 days). It was said that he was going to focus on a
> station in Bay City and it turned out to be the one you're
> talking about. I don't think it was even a year later that
> the license was revoked. Very sad.

By any chance, would that have been a gentleman by the name of Michael Augustus? I believe he owned a funeral home in League City. I believe he is the gentleman who also put the 92.5 on the air in Markham, TX (Bay City area).
<P ID="signature">______________
How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All?</P>
 
Re: KWRD & others

> By any chance, would that have been a gentleman by the name
> of Michael Augustus? I believe he owned a funeral home in
> League City. I believe he is the gentleman who also put the
> 92.5 on the air in Markham, TX (Bay City area).
>

No, it was not him. This guy was actually in Radio (in some front office capacity) here in Houston. <P ID="signature">______________
Put Down The Cell Phone, and Use Your Turn Signal!</P>
 
I was wondering about the old KGRI-FM.
Anybody know?

I worked one nightshift there back around 1986.
A friend of mine was the PD there and I think
he used some liners I cout for him there, too.

It was a nice studio. The boss/manager called me at the end
of the night and told me he wished he could hire
me fulltime. That was a nice compliment!
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Musicradio on 08/29/05 11:35 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> I was wondering about the old KGRI-FM.
> Anybody know?
>
> I worked one nightshift there back around 1986.
> A friend of mine was the PD there and I think
> he used some liners I cout for him there, too.
>
> It was a nice studio. The boss/manager called me at the end
> of the night and told me he wished he could hire
> me fulltime. That was a nice compliment!
>


KGRI-FM was moved to Zwolle, LA and is now under the calls of KTEZ, IIRC.<P ID="signature">______________
"Would the person or persons who stole radio, automated and genericized it with standardized formats and regurgitated it on all of America please return it. You're killing the medium. Thank you."</P>
 
> > I was wondering about the old KGRI-FM.
> > Anybody know?
> >
> > I worked one nightshift there back around 1986.
> > A friend of mine was the PD there and I think
> > he used some liners I cout for him there, too.
> >
> > It was a nice studio. The boss/manager called me at the
> end
> > of the night and told me he wished he could hire
> > me fulltime. That was a nice compliment!
> >
>
>
> KGRI-FM was moved to Zwolle, LA and is now under the calls
> of KTEZ, IIRC.

If memory serves me correctly, I think Rusty Reynolds had something to do with that move. Possibly a move necessary to fit his 99.3 in. I think KGRI FM was on 99.9.
<P ID="signature">______________
How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All?</P>
 
> Does anybody know if he even filed for license renewal? Last
> check of the FCC database, it was showing nothing except
> that license expiring 1 Aug 2005.
>
That's an interesting question. I check the FCC "Daily Digest" every day, and I have not seen a renewal for KWRD. Maybe I've missed it but I've seen renewals go by for most other local stations, including my own.

If they neglected to renew the license, I believe they have a year to refile and pay a penalty, as well as the licnese application fee. I'm not sure what happens after that if it goes dormant. Would the FCC accept a cross filing? You'd need a good Washington Attorney to figure that ut.

As far as I know, the station is not on the FCC's "dark" list. Since it has been off the air for nearly three months, the licensee is obligated to notify the FCC of it's status. Unfortunately, things don't always work very quickly at the FCC, so it is entirely possible that things just haven't shown up on the FCC's Public Access CDBS.

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/cdbs_pa.htm

One thing I have discovered is the current owner of KWRD does not own the building or the tower. They are leased from the previous owner. I'm told the lease expires next summer. Basically, what you get for $200,000 (if that is indeed the price) is the license (if there still is one) and some very worn out equipment.

Chuck
 
> If memory serves me correctly, I think Rusty Reynolds had
> something to do with that move. Possibly a move necessary to
> fit his 99.3 in. I think KGRI FM was on 99.9.

I believe Rusty asked KBYI in Lufkin to move to 100.1, that allowed 99.3 to move from Atlanta TX to White Oak.

When I worked at KGRI/KWRD in 1995, Chipper told me KGRI-FM had just had a power increase to 12K. The station used to be at 99.7 but moved to 99.9 in the early 90's to allow KMJJ in Shreveport to upgrade to 50K.

I heard from another source that the KGRI-FM licence was "split" into two stations - one became KXAL 100.3 in Tatum, and the other was supposed to be at 99.9 from Mt Enterprise... but I guess that became the Zwolle, LA station? Feel free to correct me!
 
Re: KGRI, upgrades etc...

> I believe Rusty asked KBYI in Lufkin to move to 100.1, that
> allowed 99.3 to move from Atlanta TX to White Oak.

It's KYBI in Lufkin, which had been on 99.3. The original allocation north of Longview on 99.3 was in Linden, later moved to White Oak by Rusty Reynolds.

> When I worked at KGRI/KWRD in 1995, Chipper told me KGRI-FM
> had just had a power increase to 12K. The station used to be
> at 99.7 but moved to 99.9 in the early 90's to allow KMJJ in
> Shreveport to upgrade to 50K.

Unless I'm mistaken KGRI was originally on 100.1 and moved to 99.9 with a slight power increase.

> I heard from another source that the KGRI-FM licence was
> "split" into two stations - one became KXAL 100.3 in Tatum,
> and the other was supposed to be at 99.9 from Mt
> Enterprise... but I guess that became the Zwolle, LA
> station? Feel free to correct me!

It wasn't exactly "split," from what I remember. The new 99.9 was moved to 100.3 with Tatum as the new COL, leaving 99.9 available for assignment in Mount Enterprise. Before anything signed on there, however, the allocation was moved to Zwolle to make room for the reassignment of 99.3 from Linden to White Oak.

**** EDIT: Moving the Mount Enterprise allocation to Louisiana, again, if I recall correctly, had something (maybe everything) to do with KMOO Mineola moving from 96.7 to 99.9, in order to allow the upgrade of what's now KTYS 96.7 Flower Mound (Dallas-Fort Worth). *****

I remember that it was a tangled mess that spanned several years and maybe my memory is a little off, so feel free to correct MY account.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by jldard on 08/30/05 03:09 PM.</FONT></P>
 
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