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New Times Best Of Phoenix

indieradioguy said:
Other than Broomhead, there's no mention of any AM/FM's. Or am I missing something?
Click to expand...
It looks like 'Radio' had only 3 categories.

Best community radio station: KDRP
Best radio commercial: Top Dog Law
Best radio right-wing nutter: Broomhead

The New Times Best Of...has certainly changed in that the categories are more offbeat, like the entire section 'Best of Cannabis'...

www.phoenixnewtimes.com

Best of Phoenix 2025: Destination: Phoenix

Majestic desert views, luxurious resorts, award-winning restaurants, marquee sports events, world-class shopping — Phoenix has got it all. But how often do we stop and appreciate it? As we go about our daily routines here in the Valley of the Sun, it's easy to take living here for granted...
www.phoenixnewtimes.com www.phoenixnewtimes.com
 
It's an interesting article. I note that many of the stations mentioned were big during the 1990s and that probably matches the average age of the Phoenix New Times reader now--somebody who is probably in their 40s or 50s.

One note of clarification. KUKQ wasn't the first commercial radio station to try an alternative format in the Phoenix market. That distinction belongs to what was then known as KDJQ at 1510 kHz (it's now KFNN and apparently about to go under). KDJQ was KDKB's AM sister station and, in fact, had the KDKB-AM callsign until, if memory serves, 1978. For a bout a year and a half after the callsign change, the format was oldies. However, in early 1980 (again per my fuzzy memory), the day-time only station dropped the oldies format and went modern rock/New Wave, at least after 10am. From sign-on until 10am, KDJQ simulcast KDKB's morning show with Bill Andris and John Gesey (not sure of last name spellings). However, from 10am until sign-off, the station played punk and new Wave acts such as the Jam, Selecter, the Specials, and other acts its FM sister wouldn't touch. If I remember correctly, John Dickson (known as Johnny D. on the air) was the program/music director for the station, and I remember the station branding itself as "1510 AM, Modern Mono For Modern Minds."

As you might expect, KDJQ's new format was not a fantastic ratings success. Sometime between 1981 and 1982 (while I was away at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles), KDJQ stopped the New Wave, fired all of the talent, and became an automated forerunner of what would probably be called hot AC today.
 
ted chittenden said:
It's an interesting article. I note that many of the stations mentioned were big during the 1990s and that probably matches the average age of the Phoenix New Times reader now--somebody who is probably in their 40s or 50s.

One note of clarification. KUKQ wasn't the first commercial radio station to try an alternative format in the Phoenix market. That distinction belongs to what was then known as KDJQ at 1510 kHz (it's now KFNN and apparently about to go under). KDJQ was KDKB's AM sister station and, in fact, had the KDKB-AM callsign until, if memory serves, 1978. For a bout a year and a half after the callsign change, the format was oldies. However, in early 1980 (again per my fuzzy memory), the day-time only station dropped the oldies format and went modern rock/New Wave, at least after 10am. From sign-on until 10am, KDJQ simulcast KDKB's morning show with Bill Andris and John Gesey (not sure of last name spellings). However, from 10am until sign-off, the station played punk and new Wave acts such as the Jam, Selecter, the Specials, and other acts its FM sister wouldn't touch. If I remember correctly, John Dickson (known as Johnny D. on the air) was the program/music director for the station, and I remember the station branding itself as "1510 AM, Modern Mono For Modern Minds."

As you might expect, KDJQ's new format was not a fantastic ratings success. Sometime between 1981 and 1982 (while I was away at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles), KDJQ stopped the New Wave, fired all of the talent, and became an automated forerunner of what would probably be called hot AC today.
Click to expand...
After the K-15 modern rock format, KDJQ became a commercial free automated rock version of KDKB. It was sort of an AOR/Soft rock hybrid. I remember some of the artists played were Jerry Riopelle, Beatles, ELO, Fleetwood Mac, etc. This lasted until 1984 when 1510 was sold and became KNTS Talk radio.
 


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