Radio Implosion in NE Texas

[ThatVoice22]

Meet the ugly side of broadcasting: A Tyler-Longview multi-station owner dies, then Daughter-n-Mommy-Dearest fire everyone (including their own brother/son) and pull the plug. Sounds vindictive to say the least, plus it damages the value of the inheritance, at least until the presumed sale is completed. The brother/son wanted to buy the stations from the estate; perhaps the daughter and her mother felt he was incompetent or dishonest. Seems like the staff and community were the real victims in this unfortunate family dispute. Bet there might be some similar Houston horror stories.
> https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/107542/east-texas-stations-lock-out-staff-go-dark/

 

[Unknowable]

It's a good thing fellow board member Chuck got ahold of KEBE 1400 in Jacksonville from the Wallers before the others took it over. I'd hate to work in a building with no AC.

I wonder who they're now selling the stations to? Hopefully it's a good owner who can re-hire everyone.

 

[Night Hawk]

Dallas, TX: No Charges in Gospel Radio Station Fight
By Radio Ink -
August 17, 2016

his is a follow-up to a story we first brought to you back in February. KHVN, which is near Dallas, hosted Democrats John Wiley Price, a longtime Dallas County Commissioner, and Dwaine Caraway, a former city council member. A fight broke out when one accused the other of having an adulterous affair with his wife. After hearing four hours of testimony, a Dallas County grand jury declined Wednesday to indict either over the scuffle.

The Dallas Morning News reports that a special prosecutor was appointed to preside over the grand jury. The special prosecutor said he found the whole debacle embarrassing. He said the grand jury listened very diligently and that’s all you can ask for. “I’m glad to put it behind Dallas County.” All the witnesses said the fight was an embarrassment to the black community and its leaders.

Story Link: http://radioink.com/2016/08/17/no-c...square?&utm_campaign=THURSDAY+8+18+DUPLICATED

 

[JimTexBell]

I went through a "somewhat" similar experience back in 1979 at KEYH AM in Houston. The owner was trying to run a day-timer as an all news station - but with no medical reporting because he was a Christian Scientist. Nothing about health or medical research from the Medical Center was allowed, but that was the least of its problems. The sales staff did their best, but the station was on life support when I went to work there as an anchor in late 1978.

That life support was the two days of brokered weekend programming it sold to some Spanish broadcasters who filled their brokered time with Spanish language programs. Those two days were paying the bills at KEYH in early 1979, when the light bulb finally lit up over the dimwit owner's head and he decided to go ALL Spanish 7 days a week.

On March 1 of '79 the owner laid off the entire staff of about 15 people because we didn't speak Spanish. He gave us 30 days notice and promised severance pay for those who would stay on till the change-over on April 1. We all got busy looking for a new job, and I thought I was helping all of us by tipping off the Houston Post gossip columnist - Marge Crumbaker - that the staff at KEYH was looking for jobs because of the upcoming language change. Seeing that in the paper really ticked off the owner because he wanted to save the story till the end of the month.

Anyway, he came marching into the on-air studio one day around the middle of the notice period and told me I could forget about getting any severance pay because I had betrayed their trust by tipping the story to the newspaper. I had found a job in east Texas, so I didn't care. But he P'd me off so bad that - for the only time in my entire radio career - I allowed myself the pleasure of telling a lousy boss he could take his job and shove it. I walked out of the station in the middle of my shift and never looked back. I know it's never a good idea to burn a bridge in our business, but this was one bridge I took pleasure in burning.

 

[First Fone 65]

KEYH AM in Houston

I worked at the transmitter site part time in early 70s, and some on call early morning PSA sign on shifts when the regular engineer was "under the weather" I remember the station jingle sounded like a player piano left out in the rain with a couple of stuck keys, the jingle was enough to make you tune to another station by its self. The station was fairly new when I was there, transmitter was off of Alief Clodine Rd next to a big pecan grove, PSA TX was 250 watt ? don't think any one could actually hear it past Clodine. during PSA operation ? due to sky wave from co channel station.

 

[purpledevil]

We've got enough of our own tomfoolery down here in Houston, to be paying too much attention to what's going on in Longview. The only thing that's happening so far, is that instead of Dorothy Waller owning 49% of KFRO-FM, KMPA, & KLJT, she will now own the whole lock, stock, and barrel.

That's usually what happens when one partner is widowed, Voice. Whether or not Bill Waller ever gets the stations for himself is anyone's guess. From the flies on the wall, there in Longview/Tyler, he already thought he had the ownership of the Breeze and Kompa locked up. Apparently, Mrs. Waller didn't see fit to let it go down like that. Where I find the ball dropped is how they handled the staff. Regardless of family issues and inter fighting amongst the members of the Waller family, that was handled most poorly. I certainly hope all things work out for all involved. As it stands right now, 95-3 is not "Forever Rollin' On", Pittsburg and Jacksonville are down a full powered signal, and there's no current CHR in Longview or Tyler. Closest thing now is KTYL, and contemporary hit radio it is not.