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RIP KBAI-930 Bellingham (1958-2024)

That's the old KTVW-13, which was a third-rate indie and barely viewable in the Seattle area. There is no comparison between the previous channel 13 license, and the KCPQ operation nowadays.

I predict the next AMs turning in the license are probably the 1-5KW money-bleeders: KITZ-1400, KGTK-920, KXPA-1540, KLDY-1280 (They already have 93.7!!), and probably KPUG-1170. 1170 could just do what KBAI just did - add an HD4 to KISM and shut off the AM, sell the transmitter site, keep the 97.9. I bet we lose KCIS-630 sooner than later, too; maybe KLAY-1180.
 
crainbebo said:
That's the old KTVW-13, which was a third-rate indie and barely viewable in the Seattle area. There is no comparison between the previous channel 13 license, and the KCPQ operation nowadays.

I predict the next AMs turning in the license are probably the 1-5KW money-bleeders: KITZ-1400, KGTK-920, KXPA-1540, KLDY-1280 (They already have 93.7!!), and probably KPUG-1170. 1170 could just do what KBAI just did - add an HD4 to KISM and shut off the AM, sell the transmitter site, keep the 97.9. I bet we lose KCIS-630 sooner than later, too; maybe KLAY-1180.
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I'm not sure about KPUG. 10,000 watts daytime is decent enough to make them one of the stronger stations in the northern part of the state. I'm not sure the translator is really enough to cover their intended audience, but maybe it is. It depends on how much the tower site is worth I suppose. KCIS and KLAY may remain since they are religious broadcasters. The rest probably are very close to closure though.
 
I don't believe KPUG is going anywhere anytime soon. They are a sport yakker that makes a good chunk of their money (I am told) through play by play. Those PBP game are often out in the county as they say here locally, and the FM translators don't get out there very well at all.

Plus, I believe that the 97.9 translator is tied to KPUG as part of "AM revitalization" and therefore unless the FCC changes the rules, they have to keep the AM going to keep the FM up. Same with 96.5 and 790 KGMI. And unlike some operators, Saga follows the rules.
 
The New Chico said:
I don't believe KPUG is going anywhere anytime soon. They are a sport yakker that makes a good chunk of their money (I am told) through play by play. Those PBP game are often out in the county as they say here locally, and the FM translators don't get out there very well at all.

Plus, I believe that the 97.9 translator is tied to KPUG as part of "AM revitalization" and therefore unless the FCC changes the rules, they have to keep the AM going to keep the FM up. Same with 96.5 and 790 KGMI. And unlike some operators, Saga follows the rules.
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Very good point. And to add to that, I think the FM translators (including KGMI and KBAI) are actually on the KPUG towers (probably due to the location of the KPUG tower site). That's another wrench in any plans to get rid of it.
 
Ford and I are on the same page. And, correct, the three translators are near the top of tower one of the KPUG array.

KITZ has been on life support since they lost their lease with the county for their tower. They have either been silent or at 10 watts for over two years. They say they need 1.5 acres to make a go at another tower, and cannot afford the land. I know KGTK (Gun TalK Radio) is also part of the same 2nd Amendment Foundation ownership, so it is likely in some danger. About the only one that may hold on off of Ford's list is KXPA, as Multi Cultural Radio seems to be doing OK as far as I can tell. I hear spots, anyway. Hard to say on that one.
 
Scott, these are Saga operations you are talking about? I stand corrected. Thought they were more above board than that. I can say at least in this market, the feeds match up with the translators.
 
Little history since we are focused on this area. KGMI was originally KVOS - Kessler's Voice Of Seattle. It's a fairly convoluted tale how it ended up 100 miles north, but bottom line the local TV station also took those calls when it singed on in the 50s. When ownership split, the TV station took the calls.

What older broadcasters might find interesting is that owner Rogan Jones took the calls KGMI as a derivation of his other project- IGM radio automation. Yes, the same IGM systems that many of us knew and, ummm, loved? IGM stands for International Good Music and indeed the systems were initially built for all of the Beautiful Music FMs around the country back in the 60s. Those systems were designed for the slow pace of that format- lots of gaps, not many spots, etc. Of course in the 70s these stations got repurposed for rock, country, etc. where the pacing was much more frantic and tight. The poor IGM systems often got a bit overwhelmed, at least in my experience. But the actual systems were designed and built in the big back room of KGMI right up here in the very NW corner of the lower 48. For that you can curse or thank us, depending.
 
I'm also not sure if it's time for KXPA to close up shop just yet. They're one of the few broadcasting programming in Mandarin and Cantonese to the greater Seattle area. I'm on board with keeping foreign language AM's on the air as much as possible. There are plenty of other examples of low powered AMs out there that would be better off turning in their license and calling it a day.
 
The New Chico said:
Little history since we are focused on this area. KGMI was originally KVOS - Kessler's Voice Of Seattle. It's a fairly convoluted tale how it ended up 100 miles north, but bottom line the local TV station also took those calls when it singed on in the 50s. When ownership split, the TV station took the calls.

What older broadcasters might find interesting is that owner Rogan Jones took the calls KGMI as a derivation of his other project- IGM radio automation. Yes, the same IGM systems that many of us knew and, ummm, loved? IGM stands for International Good Music and indeed the systems were initially built for all of the Beautiful Music FMs around the country back in the 60s. Those systems were designed for the slow pace of that format- lots of gaps, not many spots, etc. Of course in the 70s these stations got repurposed for rock, country, etc. where the pacing was much more frantic and tight. The poor IGM systems often got a bit overwhelmed, at least in my experience. But the actual systems were designed and built in the big back room of KGMI right up here in the very NW corner of the lower 48. For that you can curse or thank us, depending.
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At KJET in the 1980s, their IGM Instacart was likely cursed. Very loudly. It was also cursed, as it frequently missed voice tracks, making the back announcements out of sync with the music just played.

Oh what hath Rogan Jones wrought?

KGMI/KISM had IGM. But wasn't KPUG/KNWR-KAFE once owned by (or used) a competing automation system?

IGM also owed Classical KGMJ 95.7 in Seattle in the 1960s. Which was sold to KIXI, then KJR. There were other "GM" stations down the West Coast.
 
The New Chico said:
Little history since we are focused on this area. KGMI was originally KVOS - Kessler's Voice Of Seattle. It's a fairly convoluted tale how it ended up 100 miles north, but bottom line the local TV station also took those calls when it singed on in the 50s. When ownership split, the TV station took the calls.

What older broadcasters might find interesting is that owner Rogan Jones took the calls KGMI as a derivation of his other project- IGM radio automation. Yes, the same IGM systems that many of us knew and, ummm, loved? IGM stands for International Good Music and indeed the systems were initially built for all of the Beautiful Music FMs around the country back in the 60s. Those systems were designed for the slow pace of that format- lots of gaps, not many spots, etc. Of course in the 70s these stations got repurposed for rock, country, etc. where the pacing was much more frantic and tight. The poor IGM systems often got a bit overwhelmed, at least in my experience. But the actual systems were designed and built in the big back room of KGMI right up here in the very NW corner of the lower 48. For that you can curse or thank us, depending.
Click to expand...
A lot of those rack mounted, reel tape systems were still chugging at various AM and FM stations across the US, as the place where I worked still was sending out tapes to them as late as the very early 2000s. Tons more, of course, in the mid to late 90s, when the Pioneer CD automation took over (before MOHD wiped all of it out).
 
Nathan Obral said:
The 1kW class Cs on graveyard channels like 1230, 1340, 1400, 1450 and 1490, OTOH...
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Oh there are plenty of those graveyard stations out there. The old KGY 1240 (now KBUP) comes to mind as a station that probably needs to ride off into the sunset. Sort of like telling your elderly grandfather that it’s time to hang up the car keys and stop driving.
 
So, what's KISM-HD2 doing? Last time I had access to an HD radio, I didn't get anything HD on 92.9, though it had been mentioned here that they were in HD.
 
RF101 said:
The Puget Sound area is losing AM outlets. The KBRO upgrade to 5kw will take out two other signals. I am sure other stations <= 1kw will go silent at some point

A few decades ago Port Angeles lost its second AM signal. Any guesses what could be next? (There is only so much "tower consolidation" possible.)
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Was that KAPY, that had been owned by Charles Herring, former TV newsman?
 
I think that's what he's referring to. Later became a KKOL simulcast, and went defunct. Wasn't the last callsign KIKN? 1290 khz?
 
The New Chico said:
Little history since we are focused on this area. KGMI was originally KVOS - Kessler's Voice Of Seattle. It's a fairly convoluted tale how it ended up 100 miles north, but bottom line the local TV station also took those calls when it singed on in the 50s. When ownership split, the TV station took the calls.

What older broadcasters might find interesting is that owner Rogan Jones took the calls KGMI as a derivation of his other project- IGM radio automation. Yes, the same IGM systems that many of us knew and, ummm, loved? IGM stands for International Good Music and indeed the systems were initially built for all of the Beautiful Music FMs around the country back in the 60s. Those systems were designed for the slow pace of that format- lots of gaps, not many spots, etc. Of course in the 70s these stations got repurposed for rock, country, etc. where the pacing was much more frantic and tight. The poor IGM systems often got a bit overwhelmed, at least in my experience. But the actual systems were designed and built in the big back room of KGMI right up here in the very NW corner of the lower 48. For that you can curse or thank us, depending.
Click to expand...
And IGM bicycled tape reels to other stations. They had little announce booths where the announcers would make the tapes. The automation they provided was "Simplimation" or something like that. I'm not sure, but I believe that KLSN-FM had one of those, and operated out of a room in University Village, down the hill from U of W campus. I worked at KPUG briefly in 1965 or so, when Jessica Longston owned it.
 
crainbebo said:
I think that's what he's referring to. Later became a KKOL simulcast, and went defunct. Wasn't the last callsign KIKN? 1290 khz?
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Yep, 1290 was in the way of the KKOL move, so they bought it and turned it off. I guess I shoulda bought it when Herring offered it to me.
 
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